diff --git a/bochs/gui/siminterface.cc b/bochs/gui/siminterface.cc
index 8cb1551b4..a76061806 100644
--- a/bochs/gui/siminterface.cc
+++ b/bochs/gui/siminterface.cc
@@ -922,11 +922,11 @@ int bx_real_sim_c::configuration_interface(const char *ignore, ci_command_t comm
     BX_PANIC(("no configuration interface was loaded"));
     return -1;
   }
-  if (!strcmp(registered_ci_name, "wx"))
+  if (!strcmp(registered_ci_name, "wx")) {
     wxsel = 1;
-  else
+  } else {
     wxsel = 0;
-  bx_debug_gui = wxsel;
+  }
   if (command == CI_START) {
     ci_started = 1;
   } else if (command == CI_SHUTDOWN) {
diff --git a/bochs/gui/wx.cc b/bochs/gui/wx.cc
index f94577cd0..7569f0741 100644
--- a/bochs/gui/wx.cc
+++ b/bochs/gui/wx.cc
@@ -1042,6 +1042,7 @@ void bx_wx_gui_c::specific_init(int argc, char **argv, unsigned headerbar_y)
   }
 
 #if BX_DEBUGGER && BX_DEBUGGER_GUI
+  SIM->set_debug_gui(1);
 #ifdef WIN32
   // on Windows the debugger gui must run in a separate thread
   DWORD threadID;