diff --git a/src/target/riscv/riscv-011.c b/src/target/riscv/riscv-011.c
index 672834da7..3bef8d0f4 100644
--- a/src/target/riscv/riscv-011.c
+++ b/src/target/riscv/riscv-011.c
@@ -1884,8 +1884,11 @@ static int handle_halt(struct target *target, bool announce)
 
 	if (target->debug_reason == DBG_REASON_BREAKPOINT) {
 		int retval;
-		if (riscv_semihosting(target, &retval) != 0)
-			return retval;
+		/* Don't try to handle semihosting before the target
+		 * gets successfully examined. */
+		if (target_was_examined(target))
+			if (riscv_semihosting(target, &retval) != SEMIHOSTING_NONE)
+				return retval;
 	}
 
 	if (announce)