diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/ChangeLog b/gdb/testsuite/ChangeLog
index 99cb9fe5e6..0972db3649 100644
--- a/gdb/testsuite/ChangeLog
+++ b/gdb/testsuite/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+2017-02-01  Markus Metzger  <markus.t.metzger@intel.com>
+
+	* lib/gdb.exp (gdb_skip_xml_tests): Error if GDB is running.
+
 2017-02-01  Markus Metzger  <markus.t.metzger@intel.com>
 
 	* gdb.btrace/enable.exp: Call gdb_exit before
diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/lib/gdb.exp b/gdb/testsuite/lib/gdb.exp
index 48bd7eefbd..188484f792 100644
--- a/gdb/testsuite/lib/gdb.exp
+++ b/gdb/testsuite/lib/gdb.exp
@@ -5030,9 +5030,14 @@ proc gdb_skip_bogus_test { msg } {
 # NOTE: This must be called while gdb is *not* running.
 
 gdb_caching_proc gdb_skip_xml_test {
+    global gdb_spawn_id
     global gdb_prompt
     global srcdir
 
+    if { [info exists gdb_spawn_id] } {
+        error "GDB must not be running in gdb_skip_xml_tests."
+    }
+
     set xml_file [gdb_remote_download host "${srcdir}/gdb.xml/trivial.xml"]
 
     gdb_start