diff --git a/src/libs/utils/terminalinterface.cpp b/src/libs/utils/terminalinterface.cpp
index 9fb226ece54..3cd1e5bb21d 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/terminalinterface.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/utils/terminalinterface.cpp
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ public:
     StubCreator *stubCreator{nullptr};
 
     const bool waitOnExit;
+    bool didInferiorRun{false};
 };
 
 TerminalInterface::TerminalInterface(bool waitOnExit)
@@ -156,6 +157,11 @@ void TerminalInterface::onStubExited()
 
     if (d->inferiorProcessId)
         emitFinished(-1, QProcess::CrashExit);
+    else if (!d->didInferiorRun) {
+        emitError(QProcess::FailedToStart,
+                  Tr::tr("Failed to start terminal process. The stub exited before the inferior "
+                         "was started."));
+    }
 }
 
 void TerminalInterface::onStubReadyRead()
@@ -176,6 +182,7 @@ void TerminalInterface::onStubReadyRead()
             d->envListFile = nullptr;
         } else if (out.startsWith("pid ")) {
             d->inferiorProcessId = out.mid(4).toInt();
+            d->didInferiorRun = true;
             emit started(d->inferiorProcessId, d->inferiorThreadId);
         } else if (out.startsWith("thread ")) { // Windows only
             d->inferiorThreadId = out.mid(7).toLongLong();