diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/cdb/cdbdebugengine.cpp b/src/plugins/debugger/cdb/cdbdebugengine.cpp
index 08c552dab8b..b538b7fe675 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/cdb/cdbdebugengine.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/cdb/cdbdebugengine.cpp
@@ -1588,6 +1588,8 @@ QList<Symbol> CdbDebugEngine::moduleSymbols(const QString &moduleName)
 
 void CdbDebugEngine::reloadRegisters()
 {
+    if (state() != InferiorStopped)
+        return;
     const int intBase = 10;
     if (debugCDB)
         qDebug() << Q_FUNC_INFO << intBase;
diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/gdb/gdbengine.cpp b/src/plugins/debugger/gdb/gdbengine.cpp
index 900c131fe8a..bd5d6c5ee71 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/gdb/gdbengine.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/gdb/gdbengine.cpp
@@ -2555,6 +2555,8 @@ void GdbEngine::handleStackListThreads(const GdbResponse &response)
 
 void GdbEngine::reloadRegisters()
 {
+    if (state() != InferiorStopped)
+        return;
     if (!m_registerNamesListed) {
         postCommand(_("-data-list-register-names"), CB(handleRegisterListNames));
         m_registerNamesListed = true;