diff --git a/platform/lang-api/src/com/intellij/execution/ExecutionTarget.java b/platform/lang-api/src/com/intellij/execution/ExecutionTarget.java
index 353c269b7fd5..d5c56aabba49 100644
--- a/platform/lang-api/src/com/intellij/execution/ExecutionTarget.java
+++ b/platform/lang-api/src/com/intellij/execution/ExecutionTarget.java
@@ -55,6 +55,14 @@ public abstract class ExecutionTarget {
    */
   public abstract boolean canRun(@NotNull RunnerAndConfigurationSettings configuration);
 
+  /**
+   * Checks if the target is ready to be selected as a default choice in the Run Configurations popup
+   * @return true if the target is ready, false otherwise
+   */
+  public boolean isReady() {
+    return true;
+  }
+
   @Override
   public boolean equals(Object obj) {
     return obj == this || (getClass().isInstance(obj) && getId().equals(((ExecutionTarget)obj).getId()));
diff --git a/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/execution/ExecutionTargetManagerImpl.java b/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/execution/ExecutionTargetManagerImpl.java
index 8206141f0741..29cc62dcda7f 100644
--- a/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/execution/ExecutionTargetManagerImpl.java
+++ b/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/execution/ExecutionTargetManagerImpl.java
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ public class ExecutionTargetManagerImpl extends ExecutionTargetManager implement
         }
       }
       toNotify =
-        doSetActiveTarget(index >= 0 ? suitable.get(index) : ContainerUtil.getFirstItem(suitable, DefaultExecutionTarget.INSTANCE));
+        doSetActiveTarget(index >= 0 ? suitable.get(index) : getDefaultTarget(suitable));
     }
 
     if (toNotify != null) {
@@ -133,6 +133,11 @@ public class ExecutionTargetManagerImpl extends ExecutionTargetManager implement
     }
   }
 
+  private static ExecutionTarget getDefaultTarget(List<ExecutionTarget> suitable){
+    ExecutionTarget result = ContainerUtil.find(suitable, ExecutionTarget::isReady);
+    return  result != null ? result : DefaultExecutionTarget.INSTANCE;
+  }
+
   @Nullable
   private ExecutionTarget doSetActiveTarget(@NotNull ExecutionTarget newTarget) {
     mySavedActiveTargetId = null;