diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/gdb/coregdbadapter.cpp b/src/plugins/debugger/gdb/coregdbadapter.cpp
index fc6871c7032..bf6f1d41846 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/gdb/coregdbadapter.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/gdb/coregdbadapter.cpp
@@ -88,14 +88,14 @@ void GdbCoreEngine::setupEngine()
 
 static QString findExecutableFromName(const QString &fileNameFromCore, const QString &coreFile)
 {
-    if (QFileInfo(fileNameFromCore).isFile())
-        return fileNameFromCore;
     if (fileNameFromCore.isEmpty())
-        return QString();
+        return fileNameFromCore;
+    QFileInfo fi(fileNameFromCore);
+    if (fi.isFile())
+        return fileNameFromCore;
 
     // turn the filename into an absolute path, using the location of the core as a hint
     QString absPath;
-    QFileInfo fi(fileNameFromCore);
     if (fi.isAbsolute()) {
         absPath = fileNameFromCore;
     } else {