diff --git a/cpukit/libdebugger/rtems-debugger-target.c b/cpukit/libdebugger/rtems-debugger-target.c
index 992295ff6d..edf7e99835 100644
--- a/cpukit/libdebugger/rtems-debugger-target.c
+++ b/cpukit/libdebugger/rtems-debugger-target.c
@@ -601,14 +601,6 @@ rtems_debugger_target_exception_thread_resume(rtems_debugger_thread* thread)
   }
 }
 
-int
-rtems_debugger_target_start_memory_access(void)
-{
-  rtems_debugger_target* target = rtems_debugger->target;
-  target->memory_access = true;
-  return setjmp(target->access_return);
-}
-
 void
 rtems_debugger_target_end_memory_access(void)
 {
diff --git a/cpukit/libdebugger/rtems-debugger-target.h b/cpukit/libdebugger/rtems-debugger-target.h
index 55289fb1eb..40ea7e04d9 100644
--- a/cpukit/libdebugger/rtems-debugger-target.h
+++ b/cpukit/libdebugger/rtems-debugger-target.h
@@ -284,8 +284,20 @@ extern int rtems_debugger_target_cache_sync(rtems_debugger_target_swbreak* swbre
 /**
  * Start a target memory access. If 0 is return the access can proceed and if
  * -1 is return the access has failed.
+ *
+ * The call to setjmp() must not reside inside a stack frame relative to the
+ * expected location of the possible failure. If the debugger is already
+ * executing in exception context and setjmp is called with its own stack frame,
+ * that stack frame will be released before the failure. The failure causes an
+ * exception which will continue using the same stack and is highly likely to
+ * overwrite stack information which is critical for the debugger to continue
+ * execution.
  */
-extern int rtems_debugger_target_start_memory_access(void);
+#define rtems_debugger_target_start_memory_access() \
+  ({ \
+    rtems_debugger->target->memory_access = true, \
+    setjmp(rtems_debugger->target->access_return); \
+  })
 
 /**
  * End a target memory access.