diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/breakwindow.cpp b/src/plugins/debugger/breakwindow.cpp
index 0320bb5de07..624bb4bf75c 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/breakwindow.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/breakwindow.cpp
@@ -168,13 +168,8 @@ void BreakWindow::contextMenuEvent(QContextMenuEvent *ev)
         BreakByFunctionDialog dlg(this);
         if (dlg.exec())
             emit breakByFunctionRequested(dlg.functionName());
-    } else if (act == act8) {
-#ifdef Q_OS_WIN
-        emit breakByFunctionRequested("qMain");
-#else
-        emit breakByFunctionRequested("main");
-#endif
-    }
+    } else if (act == act8)
+        emit breakByFunctionMainRequested();
 }
 
 void BreakWindow::deleteBreakpoint(const QModelIndex &idx)
diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/breakwindow.h b/src/plugins/debugger/breakwindow.h
index 5bb4e06a0cc..600a86c14d3 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/breakwindow.h
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/breakwindow.h
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ signals:
     void breakpointActivated(int index);
     void breakpointSynchronizationRequested();
     void breakByFunctionRequested(const QString &functionName);
+    void breakByFunctionMainRequested();
 
 private slots:
     void rowActivated(const QModelIndex &index);
diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerdialogs.cpp b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerdialogs.cpp
index 8798bae4801..9cfabc7cfa2 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerdialogs.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerdialogs.cpp
@@ -389,13 +389,13 @@ void AttachTcfDialog::updateState()
     m_ui->serverStartScript->setEnabled(enabled);
 }
 
+
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //
 // StartExternalDialog
 //
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-
 StartExternalDialog::StartExternalDialog(QWidget *parent)
   : QDialog(parent), m_ui(new Ui::StartExternalDialog)
 {
@@ -440,6 +440,12 @@ QString StartExternalDialog::executableArguments() const
     return m_ui->argsEdit->text();
 }
 
+bool StartExternalDialog::breakAtMain() const
+{
+    return m_ui->checkBoxBreakAtMain->isChecked();
+}
+
+
 
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //
diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerdialogs.h b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerdialogs.h
index 56f18699b68..bbe5a16d4c0 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerdialogs.h
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerdialogs.h
@@ -140,6 +140,7 @@ public:
 
     QString executableFile() const;
     QString executableArguments() const;
+    bool breakAtMain() const;
 
 private:
     Ui::StartExternalDialog *m_ui;
diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggermanager.cpp b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggermanager.cpp
index ac99281ddbe..bb33bde9088 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggermanager.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggermanager.cpp
@@ -279,6 +279,8 @@ void DebuggerManager::init()
         this, SIGNAL(setSessionValueRequested(QString,QVariant)));
     connect(breakView, SIGNAL(breakByFunctionRequested(QString)),
         this, SLOT(breakByFunction(QString)), Qt::QueuedConnection);
+    connect(breakView, SIGNAL(breakByFunctionMainRequested()),
+        this, SLOT(breakByFunctionMain()), Qt::QueuedConnection);
 
     // Modules
     QAbstractItemView *modulesView =
@@ -1106,6 +1108,16 @@ void DebuggerManager::setBreakpoint(const QString &fileName, int lineNumber)
     attemptBreakpointSynchronization();
 }
 
+void DebuggerManager::breakByFunctionMain()
+{
+#ifdef Q_OS_WIN
+    // FIXME: wrong on non-Qt based binaries
+    emit breakByFunction("qMain");
+#else
+    emit breakByFunction("main");
+#endif
+}
+
 void DebuggerManager::breakByFunction(const QString &functionName)
 {
     QTC_ASSERT(m_breakHandler, return);
diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggermanager.h b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggermanager.h
index c9ff008a762..787f1827edf 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggermanager.h
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggermanager.h
@@ -127,7 +127,8 @@ enum DebuggerStartMode
     StartRemote            // Start and attach to a remote process
 };
 
-struct DebuggerStartParameters {
+struct DebuggerStartParameters
+{
     DebuggerStartParameters();
     void clear();
 
@@ -278,6 +279,7 @@ public slots:
     void runToFunctionExec();
     void toggleBreakpoint();
     void breakByFunction(const QString &functionName);
+    void breakByFunctionMain();
     void setBreakpoint(const QString &fileName, int lineNumber);
     void activateFrame(int index);
     void selectThread(int index);
diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerplugin.cpp b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerplugin.cpp
index 18a348f7289..edb1d9986ff 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerplugin.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerplugin.cpp
@@ -1202,15 +1202,17 @@ void DebuggerPlugin::startExternalApplication()
             configValue(_("LastExternalExecutableFile")).toString());
     dlg.setExecutableArguments(
             configValue(_("LastExternalExecutableArguments")).toString());
-    if (dlg.exec() != QDialog::Accepted) {
+    if (dlg.exec() != QDialog::Accepted)
         return;
-    }
+
     setConfigValue(_("LastExternalExecutableFile"),
                    dlg.executableFile());
     setConfigValue(_("LastExternalExecutableArguments"),
                    dlg.executableArguments());
     sp->executable = dlg.executableFile();
     sp->processArgs = dlg.executableArguments().split(QLatin1Char(' '));
+    if (dlg.breakAtMain())
+        m_manager->breakByFunctionMain();
 
     QSharedPointer<RunConfiguration> rc = activeRunConfiguration();
     if (RunControl *runControl = m_debuggerRunner
diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/startexternaldialog.ui b/src/plugins/debugger/startexternaldialog.ui
index 1b93356584c..ff2aea3608d 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/startexternaldialog.ui
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/startexternaldialog.ui
@@ -20,6 +20,19 @@
    <property name="margin">
     <number>9</number>
    </property>
+   <item>
+    <spacer>
+     <property name="orientation">
+      <enum>Qt::Vertical</enum>
+     </property>
+     <property name="sizeHint" stdset="0">
+      <size>
+       <width>407</width>
+       <height>16</height>
+      </size>
+     </property>
+    </spacer>
+   </item>
    <item>
     <layout class="QGridLayout">
      <property name="margin">
@@ -48,21 +61,22 @@
      <item row="0" column="1">
       <widget class="Core::Utils::PathChooser" name="execFile" native="true"/>
      </item>
+     <item row="2" column="1">
+      <widget class="QCheckBox" name="checkBoxBreakAtMain">
+       <property name="text">
+        <string/>
+       </property>
+      </widget>
+     </item>
+     <item row="2" column="0">
+      <widget class="QLabel" name="labelBreakAtMain">
+       <property name="text">
+        <string>Break at 'main':</string>
+       </property>
+      </widget>
+     </item>
     </layout>
    </item>
-   <item>
-    <spacer>
-     <property name="orientation">
-      <enum>Qt::Vertical</enum>
-     </property>
-     <property name="sizeHint" stdset="0">
-      <size>
-       <width>407</width>
-       <height>16</height>
-      </size>
-     </property>
-    </spacer>
-   </item>
    <item>
     <widget class="Line" name="line">
      <property name="orientation">