diff --git a/gdb/ChangeLog b/gdb/ChangeLog
index a6738bdc95d8..4887e5790ec8 100644
--- a/gdb/ChangeLog
+++ b/gdb/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2018-11-22  Pedro Alves  <palves@redhat.com>
+
+	* infrun.c (follow_exec) <set follow-exec new>: Add thread and
+	switch to it before calling into try_open_exec_file.
+
 2018-11-22  Pedro Alves  <palves@redhat.com>
 
 	* cli/cli-interp.c (cli_on_user_selected_context_changed): Use
diff --git a/gdb/infrun.c b/gdb/infrun.c
index 3e9acb45aa98..81f45becffc4 100644
--- a/gdb/infrun.c
+++ b/gdb/infrun.c
@@ -1202,6 +1202,7 @@ follow_exec (ptid_t ptid, char *exec_file_target)
 
       set_current_inferior (inf);
       set_current_program_space (inf->pspace);
+      add_thread (ptid);
     }
   else
     {
@@ -1231,11 +1232,6 @@ follow_exec (ptid_t ptid, char *exec_file_target)
      registers.  */
   target_find_description ();
 
-  /* The add_thread call ends up reading registers, so do it after updating the
-     target description.  */
-  if (follow_exec_mode_string == follow_exec_mode_new)
-    add_thread (ptid);
-
   solib_create_inferior_hook (0);
 
   jit_inferior_created_hook ();