* instantaneous and thus avoiding annoying timeout problems during
         * connect. 
         */
-       gdb_service->target->type->halt(gdb_service->target);
+       target_halt(gdb_service->target);
        
        /* remove the initial ACK from the incoming buffer */
        if ((retval = gdb_get_char(connection, &initial_ack)) != ERROR_OK)
        if (packet[0] == 'c')
        {
                LOG_DEBUG("continue");
-               target->type->resume(target, current, address, 0, 0); /* resume at current address, don't handle breakpoints, not debugging */
+               target_resume(target, current, address, 0, 0); /* resume at current address, don't handle breakpoints, not debugging */
        }
        else if (packet[0] == 's')
        {
        switch( detach_mode )
        {
                case GDB_DETACH_RESUME:
-                       target->type->resume(target, 1, 0, 1, 0);
+                       target_resume(target, 1, 0, 1, 0);
                        break;
 
                case GDB_DETACH_RESET:
                        break;
 
                case GDB_DETACH_HALT:
-                       target->type->halt(target);
+                       target_halt(target);
                        break;
 
                case GDB_DETACH_NOTHING:
                {
                        if (target->state == TARGET_RUNNING)
                        {
-                               target->type->halt(target);
+                               target_halt(target);
                                gdb_con->ctrl_c = 0;
                        }
                }
 
 {
        target_t *target = priv;
        
-       target->type->halt(target);
+       target_halt(target);
        
        return ERROR_OK;
 }
 
+int target_poll(struct target_s *target)
+{
+       /* We can't poll until after examine */
+       if (!target->type->examined)
+       {
+               /* Fail silently lest we pollute the log */
+               return ERROR_FAIL;
+       }
+       return target->type->poll(target);
+}
+
+int target_halt(struct target_s *target)
+{
+       /* We can't poll until after examine */
+       if (!target->type->examined)
+       {
+               LOG_ERROR("Target not examined yet");
+               return ERROR_FAIL;
+       }
+       return target->type->halt(target);
+}
+
+int target_resume(struct target_s *target, int current, u32 address, int handle_breakpoints, int debug_execution)
+{
+       /* We can't poll until after examine */
+       if (!target->type->examined)
+       {
+               LOG_ERROR("Target not examined yet");
+               return ERROR_FAIL;
+       }
+       return target->type->resume(target, current, address, handle_breakpoints, debug_execution);
+}
+
+
 int target_process_reset(struct command_context_s *cmd_ctx)
 {
        int retval = ERROR_OK;
                                target_register_event_callback(target_init_handler, cmd_ctx);
                                break;
                        case RESET_HALT:
-                               target->type->halt(target);
+                               target_halt(target);
                                break;
                        case RESET_INIT:
-                               target->type->halt(target);
+                               target_halt(target);
                                target_register_event_callback(target_init_handler, cmd_ctx);
                                break;
                        default:
                while (target)
                {
                        LOG_DEBUG("Polling target");
-                       target->type->poll(target);
+                       target_poll(target);
                        if ((target->reset_mode == RESET_RUN_AND_INIT) || 
                                        (target->reset_mode == RESET_RUN_AND_HALT) ||
                                        (target->reset_mode == RESET_HALT) ||
 /* process target state changes */
 int handle_target(void *priv)
 {
-       int retval;
        target_t *target = targets;
        
        while (target)
        {
-               /* only poll if target isn't already halted */
-               if (target->state != TARGET_HALTED)
+               if (target_continous_poll)
                {
-                       if (target_continous_poll)
-                               if ((retval = target->type->poll(target)) != ERROR_OK)
-                               {
-                                       LOG_ERROR("couldn't poll target(%d). It's due for a reset.", retval);
-                               }
+                       /* polling may fail silently until the target has been examined */
+                       target_poll(target);
                }
        
                target = target->next;
 
        if (argc == 0)
        {
-               target->type->poll(target);
+               target_poll(target);
                target_arch_state(target);
        }
        else
 static void target_process_events(struct command_context_s *cmd_ctx)
 {
        target_t *target = get_current_target(cmd_ctx);
-       target->type->poll(target);
+       target_poll(target);
        target_call_timer_callbacks_now();
 }
 
        target_t *target = get_current_target(cmd_ctx);
        for (;;)
        {
-               if ((retval=target->type->poll(target))!=ERROR_OK)
+               if ((retval=target_poll(target))!=ERROR_OK)
                        return retval;
                target_call_timer_callbacks_now();
                if (target->state == state)
 
        LOG_DEBUG("-");
 
-       if ((retval = target->type->halt(target)) != ERROR_OK)
+       if ((retval = target_halt(target)) != ERROR_OK)
        {
                return retval;
        }
        target_t *target = get_current_target(cmd_ctx);
        
        if (argc == 0)
-               retval = target->type->resume(target, 1, 0, 1, 0); /* current pc, addr = 0, handle breakpoints, not debugging */
+               retval = target_resume(target, 1, 0, 1, 0); /* current pc, addr = 0, handle breakpoints, not debugging */
        else if (argc == 1)
-               retval = target->type->resume(target, 0, strtoul(args[0], NULL, 0), 1, 0); /* addr = args[0], handle breakpoints, not debugging */
+               retval = target_resume(target, 0, strtoul(args[0], NULL, 0), 1, 0); /* addr = args[0], handle breakpoints, not debugging */
        else
        {
                return ERROR_COMMAND_SYNTAX_ERROR;
        
        for (;;)
        {
-               target->type->poll(target);
+               target_poll(target);
                if (target->state == TARGET_HALTED)
                {
                        u32 t=*((u32 *)reg->value);
                        samples[numSamples++]=t;
-                       retval = target->type->resume(target, 1, 0, 0, 0); /* current pc, addr = 0, do not handle breakpoints, not debugging */
-                       target->type->poll(target);
+                       retval = target_resume(target, 1, 0, 0, 0); /* current pc, addr = 0, do not handle breakpoints, not debugging */
+                       target_poll(target);
                        usleep(10*1000); // sleep 10ms, i.e. <100 samples/second.
                } else if (target->state == TARGET_RUNNING)
                {
                        // We want to quickly sample the PC.
-                       target->type->halt(target);
+                       target_halt(target);
                } else
                {
                        command_print(cmd_ctx, "Target not halted or running");
                if ((numSamples>=maxSample) || ((now.tv_sec >= timeout.tv_sec) && (now.tv_usec >= timeout.tv_usec)))
                {
                        command_print(cmd_ctx, "Profiling completed. %d samples.", numSamples);
-                       target->type->poll(target);
+                       target_poll(target);
                        if (target->state == TARGET_HALTED)
                        {
-                               target->type->resume(target, 1, 0, 0, 0); /* current pc, addr = 0, do not handle breakpoints, not debugging */
+                               target_resume(target, 1, 0, 0, 0); /* current pc, addr = 0, do not handle breakpoints, not debugging */
                        }
-                       target->type->poll(target);
+                       target_poll(target);
                        writeGmon(samples, numSamples, args[1]);
                        command_print(cmd_ctx, "Wrote %s", args[1]);
                        break;