diff --git a/src/sim/system.cc b/src/sim/system.cc
index 3c4746e935..eb0655aa55 100644
--- a/src/sim/system.cc
+++ b/src/sim/system.cc
@@ -72,7 +72,8 @@ System::System(Params *p)
 
 #if FULL_SYSTEM
     kernelSymtab = new SymbolTable;
-    debugSymbolTable = new SymbolTable;
+    if (!debugSymbolTable)
+        debugSymbolTable = new SymbolTable;
 
 
     /**