diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerengine.h b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerengine.h
index 9488b93a1b7..99cd156d5ab 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerengine.h
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerengine.h
@@ -462,8 +462,6 @@ private:
     QPointer<DebuggerEngine> m_engine;
 };
 
-ProjectExplorer::RunControl *createAndScheduleRun(const DebuggerRunParameters &rp, ProjectExplorer::Kit *kit);
-
 } // namespace Internal
 } // namespace Debugger
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerplugin.cpp b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerplugin.cpp
index 926fb705b33..1bd2209cb3b 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerplugin.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerplugin.cpp
@@ -1940,8 +1940,12 @@ void DebuggerPluginPrivate::startAndDebugApplication()
 {
     DebuggerRunParameters rp;
     Kit *kit;
-    if (StartApplicationDialog::run(ICore::dialogParent(), &rp, &kit))
-        createAndScheduleRun(rp, kit);
+    if (StartApplicationDialog::run(ICore::dialogParent(), &rp, &kit)) {
+        auto debugger = DebuggerRunTool::createFromKit(kit);
+        QTC_ASSERT(debugger, return);
+        debugger->setRunParameters(rp);
+        debugger->startRunControl();
+    }
 }
 
 void DebuggerPluginPrivate::attachCore()
@@ -1976,7 +1980,11 @@ void DebuggerPluginPrivate::attachCore()
     rp.startMode = AttachCore;
     rp.closeMode = DetachAtClose;
     rp.overrideStartScript = dlg.overrideStartScript();
-    createAndScheduleRun(rp, dlg.kit());
+
+    auto debugger = DebuggerRunTool::createFromKit(dlg.kit());
+    QTC_ASSERT(debugger, return);
+    debugger->setRunParameters(rp);
+    debugger->startRunControl();
 }
 
 void DebuggerPluginPrivate::startRemoteCdbSession()
@@ -1996,7 +2004,11 @@ void DebuggerPluginPrivate::startRemoteCdbSession()
         return;
     rp.remoteChannel = dlg.connection();
     setConfigValue(connectionKey, rp.remoteChannel);
-    createAndScheduleRun(rp, kit);
+
+    auto debugger = DebuggerRunTool::createFromKit(kit);
+    QTC_ASSERT(debugger, return);
+    debugger->setRunParameters(rp);
+    debugger->startRunControl();
 }
 
 void DebuggerPluginPrivate::attachToRemoteServer()
@@ -2007,7 +2019,10 @@ void DebuggerPluginPrivate::attachToRemoteServer()
     rp.useContinueInsteadOfRun = true;
     if (StartApplicationDialog::run(ICore::dialogParent(), &rp, &kit)) {
         rp.closeMode = KillAtClose;
-        createAndScheduleRun(rp, kit);
+        auto debugger = DebuggerRunTool::createFromKit(kit);
+        QTC_ASSERT(debugger, return);
+        debugger->setRunParameters(rp);
+        debugger->startRunControl();
     }
 }
 
@@ -2112,7 +2127,13 @@ RunControl *DebuggerPluginPrivate::attachToRunningProcess(Kit *kit,
     rp.startMode = AttachExternal;
     rp.closeMode = DetachAtClose;
     rp.continueAfterAttach = contAfterAttach;
-    return createAndScheduleRun(rp, kit);
+
+    auto debugger = DebuggerRunTool::createFromKit(kit);
+    QTC_ASSERT(debugger, return nullptr);
+    debugger->setRunParameters(rp);
+    debugger->startRunControl();
+
+    return debugger->runControl();
 }
 
 void DebuggerPlugin::attachExternalApplication(RunControl *rc)
@@ -2124,13 +2145,16 @@ void DebuggerPlugin::attachExternalApplication(RunControl *rc)
     rp.closeMode = DetachAtClose;
     rp.toolChainAbi = rc->abi();
     rp.languages = CppLanguage;
+    DebuggerRunTool *debugger;
     if (RunConfiguration *runConfig = rc->runConfiguration()) {
-        auto runControl = new RunControl(runConfig, ProjectExplorer::Constants::DEBUG_RUN_MODE);
-        (void) new DebuggerRunTool(runControl, rp);
-        ProjectExplorerPlugin::startRunControl(runControl);
+        debugger = DebuggerRunTool::createFromRunConfiguration(runConfig);
     } else {
-        createAndScheduleRun(rp, guessKitFromParameters(rp));
+        Kit *kit = guessKitFromParameters(rp);
+        debugger = DebuggerRunTool::createFromKit(kit);
+        QTC_ASSERT(debugger, return);
     }
+    debugger->setRunParameters(rp);
+    debugger->startRunControl();
 }
 
 void DebuggerPlugin::getEnginesState(QByteArray *json) const
@@ -2210,7 +2234,11 @@ void DebuggerPluginPrivate::attachToQmlPort()
     rp.projectSourceDirectory =
             !projects.isEmpty() ? projects.first()->projectDirectory().toString() : QString();
     rp.projectSourceFiles = sourceFiles;
-    createAndScheduleRun(rp, kit);
+
+    auto debugger = DebuggerRunTool::createFromKit(kit);
+    QTC_ASSERT(debugger, return);
+    debugger->setRunParameters(rp);
+    debugger->startRunControl();
 }
 
 void DebuggerPluginPrivate::enableReverseDebuggingTriggered(const QVariant &value)
@@ -2223,8 +2251,12 @@ void DebuggerPluginPrivate::enableReverseDebuggingTriggered(const QVariant &valu
 
 void DebuggerPluginPrivate::runScheduled()
 {
-    for (const QPair<DebuggerRunParameters, Kit *> pair : m_scheduledStarts)
-        createAndScheduleRun(pair.first, pair.second);
+    for (const QPair<DebuggerRunParameters, Kit *> pair : m_scheduledStarts) {
+        auto debugger = DebuggerRunTool::createFromKit(pair.second);
+        QTC_ASSERT(debugger, return);
+        debugger->setRunParameters(pair.first);
+        debugger->startRunControl();
+    }
 }
 
 void DebuggerPluginPrivate::editorOpened(IEditor *editor)
diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerruncontrol.cpp b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerruncontrol.cpp
index b60f8b296fc..c525118fb89 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerruncontrol.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerruncontrol.cpp
@@ -831,6 +831,45 @@ DebuggerEngine *DebuggerRunTool::activeEngine() const
     return m_engine ? m_engine->activeEngine() : nullptr;
 }
 
+class DummyProject : public Project
+{
+public:
+    DummyProject() : Project(QString(""), FileName::fromString("")) {}
+};
+
+RunConfiguration *dummyRunConfigForKit(ProjectExplorer::Kit *kit)
+{
+    QTC_ASSERT(kit, return nullptr); // Caller needs to look for a suitable kit.
+    Project *project = SessionManager::startupProject();
+    Target *target = project ? project->target(kit) : nullptr;
+    if (!target || !target->activeRunConfiguration()) {
+        project = new DummyProject; // FIXME: Leaks.
+        target = project->createTarget(kit);
+    }
+    QTC_ASSERT(target, return nullptr);
+    auto runConfig = target->activeRunConfiguration();
+    return runConfig;
+}
+
+DebuggerRunTool *DebuggerRunTool::createFromKit(Kit *kit)
+{
+    RunConfiguration *runConfig = dummyRunConfigForKit(kit);
+    return createFromRunConfiguration(runConfig);
+}
+
+void DebuggerRunTool::startRunControl()
+{
+    ProjectExplorerPlugin::startRunControl(runControl());
+}
+
+DebuggerRunTool *DebuggerRunTool::createFromRunConfiguration(RunConfiguration *runConfig)
+{
+    QTC_ASSERT(runConfig, return nullptr);
+    auto runControl = new RunControl(runConfig, ProjectExplorer::Constants::DEBUG_RUN_MODE);
+    auto debugger = new DebuggerRunTool(runControl);
+    return debugger;
+}
+
 void DebuggerRunTool::addSolibSearchDir(const QString &str)
 {
     QString path = str;
@@ -876,44 +915,6 @@ void DebuggerRunTool::showMessage(const QString &msg, int channel, int timeout)
 //
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-namespace Internal {
-
-/**
- * Used for direct "special" starts from actions in the debugger plugin.
- */
-
-class DummyProject : public Project
-{
-public:
-    DummyProject() : Project(QString(""), FileName::fromString("")) {}
-};
-
-RunConfiguration *dummyRunConfigForKit(ProjectExplorer::Kit *kit)
-{
-    QTC_ASSERT(kit, return nullptr); // Caller needs to look for a suitable kit.
-    Project *project = SessionManager::startupProject();
-    Target *target = project ? project->target(kit) : nullptr;
-    if (!target || !target->activeRunConfiguration()) {
-        project = new DummyProject;
-        target = project->createTarget(kit);
-    }
-    QTC_ASSERT(target, return nullptr);
-    auto runConfig = target->activeRunConfiguration();
-    return runConfig;
-}
-
-RunControl *createAndScheduleRun(const DebuggerRunParameters &rp, Kit *kit)
-{
-    RunConfiguration *runConfig = dummyRunConfigForKit(kit);
-    QTC_ASSERT(runConfig, return nullptr);
-    auto runControl = new RunControl(runConfig, ProjectExplorer::Constants::DEBUG_RUN_MODE);
-    (void) new DebuggerRunTool(runControl, rp);
-    ProjectExplorerPlugin::startRunControl(runControl);
-    return runControl;
-}
-
-} // Internal
-
 // GdbServerPortGatherer
 
 GdbServerPortsGatherer::GdbServerPortsGatherer(RunControl *runControl)
diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerruncontrol.h b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerruncontrol.h
index 979657b76a7..0db16785cd8 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerruncontrol.h
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerruncontrol.h
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@ public:
     Internal::DebuggerEngine *engine() const { return m_engine; }
     Internal::DebuggerEngine *activeEngine() const;
 
+    static DebuggerRunTool *createFromRunConfiguration(ProjectExplorer::RunConfiguration *runConfig);
+    static DebuggerRunTool *createFromKit(ProjectExplorer::Kit *kit);
+    void startRunControl();
+
     void showMessage(const QString &msg, int channel = LogDebug, int timeout = -1);
 
     void start() override;
diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/gdb/startgdbserverdialog.cpp b/src/plugins/debugger/gdb/startgdbserverdialog.cpp
index 1a583f6f5c9..a865796a6a2 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/gdb/startgdbserverdialog.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/gdb/startgdbserverdialog.cpp
@@ -214,7 +214,11 @@ void GdbServerStarter::attach(int port)
     rp.inferior.executable = localExecutable;
     rp.startMode = AttachToRemoteServer;
     rp.closeMode = KillAtClose;
-    createAndScheduleRun(rp, d->kit);
+
+    auto debugger = DebuggerRunTool::createFromKit(d->kit);
+    QTC_ASSERT(debugger, return);
+    debugger->setRunParameters(rp);
+    debugger->startRunControl();
 }
 
 void GdbServerStarter::handleProcessClosed(int status)