diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostDebugService.ts b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostDebugService.ts
index 273990e3f43..9bb1c5f3653 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostDebugService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/api/node/extHostDebugService.ts
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ export class ExtHostDebugService extends ExtHostDebugServiceBase {
 			const configProvider = await this._configurationService.getConfigProvider();
 			const shell = this._terminalService.getDefaultShell(true, configProvider);
 			let cwdForPrepareCommand: string | undefined;
+			let giveShellTimeToInitialize = false;
 
 			if (needNewTerminal || !this._integratedTerminalInstance) {
 
@@ -98,7 +99,9 @@ export class ExtHostDebugService extends ExtHostDebugServiceBase {
 					cwd: args.cwd,
 					name: args.title || nls.localize('debug.terminal.title', "debuggee"),
 				};
+				giveShellTimeToInitialize = true;
 				this._integratedTerminalInstance = this._terminalService.createTerminalFromOptions(options, true);
+
 			} else {
 				cwdForPrepareCommand = args.cwd;
 			}
@@ -108,6 +111,12 @@ export class ExtHostDebugService extends ExtHostDebugServiceBase {
 			terminal.show();
 
 			const shellProcessId = await this._integratedTerminalInstance.processId;
+
+			if (giveShellTimeToInitialize) {
+				// give a new terminal some time to initialize the shell
+				await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 1000));
+			}
+
 			const command = prepareCommand(shell, args.args, cwdForPrepareCommand, args.env);
 			terminal.sendText(command, true);
 
@@ -124,3 +133,4 @@ export class ExtHostDebugService extends ExtHostDebugServiceBase {
 		return new ExtHostVariableResolverService(folders, editorService, configurationService, process.env as env.IProcessEnvironment);
 	}
 }
+