diff --git a/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/launch/CoreBuildLocalRunLaunchDelegate.java b/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/launch/CoreBuildLocalRunLaunchDelegate.java
index 35f1ad88ac0..1d76c058a9c 100644
--- a/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/launch/CoreBuildLocalRunLaunchDelegate.java
+++ b/debug/org.eclipse.cdt.debug.core/src/org/eclipse/cdt/debug/internal/core/launch/CoreBuildLocalRunLaunchDelegate.java
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ public void launch(ILaunchConfiguration configuration, String mode, ILaunch laun
 			String workingDirectory = configuration
 					.getAttribute(ICDTLaunchConfigurationConstants.ATTR_WORKING_DIRECTORY, ""); //$NON-NLS-1$
 			if (!workingDirectory.isBlank()) {
+				workingDirectory = VariablesPlugin.getDefault().getStringVariableManager()
+						.performStringSubstitution(workingDirectory);
 				builder.directory(new File(workingDirectory));
 			}