diff --git a/gdb/main.c b/gdb/main.c
--- a/gdb/main.c
+++ b/gdb/main.c
@@ -1148,7 +1148,10 @@ captured_main_1 (struct captured_main_args *context)
 	{
 	  ret = catch_command_errors (attach_command, pid_or_core_arg,
 				      !batch_flag);
-	  if (ret == 0)
+	  if (ret == 0
+	      /* attach_command could succeed partially and core_file_command
+		 would try to kill it.  */
+	      && !have_inferiors ())
 	    ret = catch_command_errors (core_file_command,
 					pid_or_core_arg,
 					!batch_flag);
diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/attach-kills.c b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/attach-kills.c
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/attach-kills.c
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+/* This testcase is part of GDB, the GNU debugger.
+
+   Copyright 2015 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+
+   This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+   it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+   the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or
+   (at your option) any later version.
+
+   This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+   but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+   GNU General Public License for more details.
+
+   You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+   along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.  */
+
+#include <unistd.h>
+
+int
+main (void)
+{
+  sleep (600);
+  return 0;
+}
diff --git a/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/attach-kills.exp b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/attach-kills.exp
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gdb/testsuite/gdb.base/attach-kills.exp
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+# Copyright (C) 2015 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation; either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+if { ![can_spawn_for_attach] } {
+    return 0
+}
+
+standard_testfile
+
+if { [build_executable ${testfile}.exp $testfile] == -1 } {
+    return -1
+}
+
+# Start the program running and then wait for a bit, to be sure
+# that it can be attached to.
+
+set test_spawn_id [spawn_wait_for_attach $binfile]
+set testpid [spawn_id_get_pid $test_spawn_id]
+
+remote_exec target "cp -pf -- $binfile $binfile-copy"
+remote_exec target "rm -f -- $binfile"
+
+set test "start gdb"
+set res [gdb_spawn_with_cmdline_opts \
+	 "-iex \"set height 0\" -iex \"set width 0\" /DoEsNoTeXySt $testpid"]
+if { $res != 0} {
+    fail "$test (spawn)"
+    kill_wait_spawned_process $test_spawn_id
+    return -1
+}
+gdb_test_multiple "" $test {
+    -re "\r\nAttaching to .*\r\n$gdb_prompt $" {
+	pass $test
+    }
+}
+
+kill_wait_spawned_process $test_spawn_id