diff --git a/src/apps/debugger/controllers/ThreadHandler.cpp b/src/apps/debugger/controllers/ThreadHandler.cpp
index 838b8ffd59..361f6575c5 100644
--- a/src/apps/debugger/controllers/ThreadHandler.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/debugger/controllers/ThreadHandler.cpp
@@ -119,16 +119,22 @@ ThreadHandler::Init()
 
 
 status_t
-ThreadHandler::SetBreakpointAndRun(target_addr_t address)
+ThreadHandler::SetBreakpointAndRun(target_addr_t address, bool initialStart)
 {
 	status_t error = _InstallTemporaryBreakpoint(address);
 	if (error != B_OK)
 		return error;
 
 	fPreviousInstructionPointer = 0;
-	resume_thread(ThreadID());
+	// when the program is first run, the initial thread is not yet under
+	// the control of the debug nub, so it needs to be resumed rather than
+	// continued.
+	if (initialStart) {
+		resume_thread(ThreadID());
 		// TODO: This should probably better be a DebuggerInterface method,
 		// but this method is used only when debugging a local team anyway.
+	} else
+		fDebuggerInterface->ContinueThread(ThreadID());
 	// Pretend "step out" mode, so that the temporary breakpoint hit will not
 	// be ignored.
 	fStepMode = STEP_OUT;
diff --git a/src/apps/debugger/controllers/ThreadHandler.h b/src/apps/debugger/controllers/ThreadHandler.h
index 432eac1e9f..b0b4cdd7c1 100644
--- a/src/apps/debugger/controllers/ThreadHandler.h
+++ b/src/apps/debugger/controllers/ThreadHandler.h
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ public:
 			thread_id			ThreadID() const	{ return fThread->ID(); }
 			Thread*				GetThread() const	{ return fThread; }
 
-			status_t			SetBreakpointAndRun(target_addr_t address);
+			status_t			SetBreakpointAndRun(target_addr_t address,
+									bool initialStart = true);
 									// team lock held
 
 			// All Handle*() methods are invoked in team debugger thread,