diff --git a/lisp/progmodes/gdb-mi.el b/lisp/progmodes/gdb-mi.el
index 4428fa72c78..f51b53c2eb3 100644
--- a/lisp/progmodes/gdb-mi.el
+++ b/lisp/progmodes/gdb-mi.el
@@ -1143,9 +1143,14 @@ gdb-non-stop-handler
 	(setq gdb-non-stop nil)
 	(setq gdb-supports-non-stop nil))
     (setq gdb-supports-non-stop t)
-    (gdb-input "-gdb-set target-async 1" 'ignore)
+    (gdb-input "-gdb-set mi-async 1" 'gdb-set-mi-async-handler)
     (gdb-input "-list-target-features" 'gdb-check-target-async)))
 
+(defun gdb-set-mi-async-handler()
+  (goto-char (point-min))
+  (if (re-search-forward "No symbol" nil t)
+    (gdb-input "-gdb-set target-async 1" 'ignore)))
+
 (defun gdb-check-target-async ()
   (goto-char (point-min))
   (unless (re-search-forward "async" nil t)