diff --git a/ide/debugmanager.pas b/ide/debugmanager.pas
index effb8d12c1..6048014559 100644
--- a/ide/debugmanager.pas
+++ b/ide/debugmanager.pas
@@ -2190,9 +2190,11 @@ begin
     // For 'run' and 'step' bypass 'idle', so we can set the filename later
     CanRun:=false;
     if Project1<>nil then
-      CanRun:=((AnUnitInfo<>nil) and (AnUnitInfo.RunFileIfActive)) or
-              ((Project1.CompilerOptions.ExecutableType=cetProgram)
-                and (pfRunnable in Project1.Flags));
+      CanRun:=( (AnUnitInfo<>nil) and (AnUnitInfo.RunFileIfActive) ) or
+              ( ((Project1.CompilerOptions.ExecutableType=cetProgram) or
+                 (Project1.RunParameterOptions.HostApplicationFilename<>''))
+               and (pfRunnable in Project1.Flags)
+              );
     RunSpeedButton.Enabled := CanRun and (DebuggerInvalid
             or (dcRun in FDebugger.Commands) or (FDebugger.State = dsIdle));
     itmRunMenuRun.Enabled := RunSpeedButton.Enabled;
diff --git a/ide/main.pp b/ide/main.pp
index 1233453085..f1336a40ae 100644
--- a/ide/main.pp
+++ b/ide/main.pp
@@ -11097,8 +11097,9 @@ begin
 
   // Check if we can run this project
   debugln('TMainIDE.DoInitProjectRun A ',dbgs(pfRunnable in Project1.Flags),' ',dbgs(Project1.MainUnitID));
-  if not ((Project1.CompilerOptions.ExecutableType=cetProgram) and
-          (pfRunnable in Project1.Flags) and (Project1.MainUnitID >= 0)) then Exit;
+  if not ( ((Project1.CompilerOptions.ExecutableType=cetProgram) or
+            (Project1.RunParameterOptions.HostApplicationFilename<>''))
+          and (pfRunnable in Project1.Flags) and (Project1.MainUnitID >= 0) ) then Exit;
 
   debugln('TMainIDE.DoInitProjectRun B');
   // Build project first