diff --git a/java/debugger/impl/src/com/intellij/debugger/impl/GenericDebuggerRunner.java b/java/debugger/impl/src/com/intellij/debugger/impl/GenericDebuggerRunner.java
index 58a70232e53c..c331a0b3495b 100644
--- a/java/debugger/impl/src/com/intellij/debugger/impl/GenericDebuggerRunner.java
+++ b/java/debugger/impl/src/com/intellij/debugger/impl/GenericDebuggerRunner.java
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull;
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.Nullable;
 import org.jetbrains.concurrency.Promises;
 
+import java.util.Objects;
+
 public class GenericDebuggerRunner implements JvmPatchableProgramRunner<GenericDebuggerRunnerSettings> {
   @Override
   public boolean canRun(@NotNull final String executorId, @NotNull final RunProfile profile) {
@@ -159,8 +161,8 @@ public class GenericDebuggerRunner implements JvmPatchableProgramRunner<GenericD
 
   // used externally
   @Override
-  public void patch(@NotNull JavaParameters javaParameters, @NotNull RunnerSettings settings, @NotNull RunProfile runProfile, boolean beforeExecution) throws ExecutionException {
-    doPatch(javaParameters, settings, beforeExecution);
+  public void patch(@NotNull JavaParameters javaParameters, @Nullable RunnerSettings settings, @NotNull RunProfile runProfile, boolean beforeExecution) throws ExecutionException {
+    doPatch(javaParameters, Objects.requireNonNull(settings), beforeExecution);
     JavaProgramPatcher.runCustomPatchers(javaParameters, Executor.EXECUTOR_EXTENSION_NAME.findExtensionOrFail(DefaultDebugExecutor.class), runProfile);
   }
 
diff --git a/java/execution/impl/src/com/intellij/execution/impl/DefaultJavaProgramRunner.java b/java/execution/impl/src/com/intellij/execution/impl/DefaultJavaProgramRunner.java
index 538302e30d7d..b968b341fedd 100644
--- a/java/execution/impl/src/com/intellij/execution/impl/DefaultJavaProgramRunner.java
+++ b/java/execution/impl/src/com/intellij/execution/impl/DefaultJavaProgramRunner.java
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ import com.intellij.xdebugger.XDebuggerManagerListener;
 import com.sun.tools.attach.AttachNotSupportedException;
 import com.sun.tools.attach.VirtualMachine;
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull;
+import org.jetbrains.annotations.Nullable;
 
 import javax.swing.*;
 import java.awt.event.InputEvent;
@@ -91,7 +92,7 @@ public class DefaultJavaProgramRunner implements JvmPatchableProgramRunner<Runne
 
   // cannot be final - overridden in YourKit plugin
   @Override
-  public void patch(@NotNull JavaParameters javaParameters, @NotNull RunnerSettings settings, @NotNull RunProfile runProfile, boolean beforeExecution) {
+  public void patch(@NotNull JavaParameters javaParameters, @Nullable RunnerSettings settings, @NotNull RunProfile runProfile, boolean beforeExecution) {
     JavaProgramPatcher.runCustomPatchers(javaParameters, DefaultRunExecutor.getRunExecutorInstance(), runProfile);
   }
 
diff --git a/java/execution/openapi/src/com/intellij/execution/runners/JavaPatchableProgramRunner.kt b/java/execution/openapi/src/com/intellij/execution/runners/JavaPatchableProgramRunner.kt
index 52fecff92e1d..d3b61195745d 100644
--- a/java/execution/openapi/src/com/intellij/execution/runners/JavaPatchableProgramRunner.kt
+++ b/java/execution/openapi/src/com/intellij/execution/runners/JavaPatchableProgramRunner.kt
@@ -29,5 +29,5 @@ abstract class JavaPatchableProgramRunner<Settings : RunnerSettings> : ProgramRu
 }
 
 interface JvmPatchableProgramRunner<Settings : RunnerSettings> : ProgramRunner<Settings> {
-  fun patch(javaParameters: JavaParameters, settings: RunnerSettings, runProfile: RunProfile, beforeExecution: Boolean)
+  fun patch(javaParameters: JavaParameters, settings: RunnerSettings?, runProfile: RunProfile, beforeExecution: Boolean)
 }
\ No newline at end of file