diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 2d38ded49..385b124a8 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -4350,11 +4350,13 @@ static void tcg_cpu_exec(void)
         }
         if (cpu_can_run(env))
             ret = qemu_cpu_exec(env);
+#ifndef CONFIG_GDBSTUB
         if (ret == EXCP_DEBUG) {
             gdb_set_stop_cpu(env);
             debug_requested = 1;
             break;
         }
+#endif
     }
 }