diff --git a/commands/debug/debug.go b/commands/debug/debug.go
index f3faaaacfaf..f3dee2d51d1 100644
--- a/commands/debug/debug.go
+++ b/commands/debug/debug.go
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ func getCommandLine(req *rpc.GetDebugConfigRequest, pme *packagemanager.Explorer
 	var gdbPath *paths.Path
 	switch debugInfo.GetToolchain() {
 	case "gcc":
-		gdbexecutable := debugInfo.GetToolchainPrefix() + "gdb"
+		gdbexecutable := debugInfo.GetToolchainPrefix() + "-gdb"
 		if runtime.GOOS == "windows" {
 			gdbexecutable += ".exe"
 		}
diff --git a/commands/debug/debug_info.go b/commands/debug/debug_info.go
index deccd59b89c..ec254e8912e 100644
--- a/commands/debug/debug_info.go
+++ b/commands/debug/debug_info.go
@@ -169,6 +169,13 @@ func getDebugProperties(req *rpc.GetDebugConfigRequest, pme *packagemanager.Expl
 		}
 	}
 
+	// HOTFIX: for samd (and maybe some other platforms). We should keep this for a reasonable
+	// amount of time to allow seamless platforms update.
+	toolchainPrefix := debugProperties.Get("toolchain.prefix")
+	if toolchainPrefix == "arm-none-eabi-" {
+		toolchainPrefix = "arm-none-eabi"
+	}
+
 	customConfigs := map[string]string{}
 	if cortexDebugProps := debugProperties.SubTree("cortex-debug.custom"); cortexDebugProps.Size() > 0 {
 		customConfigs["cortex-debug"] = convertToJsonMap(cortexDebugProps)
@@ -181,7 +188,7 @@ func getDebugProperties(req *rpc.GetDebugConfigRequest, pme *packagemanager.Expl
 		SvdFile:                debugProperties.Get("svd_file"),
 		Toolchain:              toolchain,
 		ToolchainPath:          debugProperties.Get("toolchain.path"),
-		ToolchainPrefix:        debugProperties.Get("toolchain.prefix"),
+		ToolchainPrefix:        toolchainPrefix,
 		ToolchainConfiguration: &toolchainConfiguration,
 		CustomConfigs:          customConfigs,
 		Programmer:             req.GetProgrammer(),
diff --git a/docs/UPGRADING.md b/docs/UPGRADING.md
index 30cf55a9e42..b1f9dc1ec25 100644
--- a/docs/UPGRADING.md
+++ b/docs/UPGRADING.md
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ The string field `server_configuration.script` is now an array and has been rena
   "executable": "/tmp/arduino/sketches/002050EAA7EFB9A4FC451CDFBC0FA2D3/Blink.ino.elf",
   "toolchain": "gcc",
   "toolchain_path": "/home/user/.arduino15/packages/arduino/tools/arm-none-eabi-gcc/7-2017q4/bin/",
-  "toolchain_prefix": "arm-none-eabi-",
+  "toolchain_prefix": "arm-none-eabi",
   "server": "openocd",
   "server_path": "/home/user/.arduino15/packages/arduino/tools/openocd/0.10.0-arduino7/bin/openocd",
   "server_configuration": {
@@ -2514,7 +2514,7 @@ Now:
 debug.executable={build.path}/{build.project_name}.elf
 debug.toolchain=gcc
 debug.toolchain.path={runtime.tools.arm-none-eabi-gcc-7-2017q4.path}/bin/
-debug.toolchain.prefix=arm-none-eabi-
+debug.toolchain.prefix=arm-none-eabi
 debug.server=openocd
 debug.server.openocd.path={runtime.tools.openocd-0.10.0-arduino7.path}/bin/
 debug.server.openocd.scripts_dir={runtime.tools.openocd-0.10.0-arduino7.path}/share/openocd/scripts/
diff --git a/rpc/cc/arduino/cli/commands/v1/debug.pb.go b/rpc/cc/arduino/cli/commands/v1/debug.pb.go
index d77de884b49..fa8c52bed21 100644
--- a/rpc/cc/arduino/cli/commands/v1/debug.pb.go
+++ b/rpc/cc/arduino/cli/commands/v1/debug.pb.go
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ type GetDebugConfigResponse struct {
 	Toolchain string `protobuf:"bytes,2,opt,name=toolchain,proto3" json:"toolchain,omitempty"`
 	// The toolchain directory
 	ToolchainPath string `protobuf:"bytes,3,opt,name=toolchain_path,json=toolchainPath,proto3" json:"toolchain_path,omitempty"`
-	// The toolchain architecture prefix (for example "arm-none-eabi-")
+	// The toolchain architecture prefix (for example "arm-none-eabi")
 	ToolchainPrefix string `protobuf:"bytes,4,opt,name=toolchain_prefix,json=toolchainPrefix,proto3" json:"toolchain_prefix,omitempty"`
 	// The GDB server type used to connect to the programmer/board (for example
 	// "openocd")
diff --git a/rpc/cc/arduino/cli/commands/v1/debug.proto b/rpc/cc/arduino/cli/commands/v1/debug.proto
index 1b1f8441497..9e8341edb54 100644
--- a/rpc/cc/arduino/cli/commands/v1/debug.proto
+++ b/rpc/cc/arduino/cli/commands/v1/debug.proto
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ message GetDebugConfigResponse {
   string toolchain = 2;
   // The toolchain directory
   string toolchain_path = 3;
-  // The toolchain architecture prefix (for example "arm-none-eabi-")
+  // The toolchain architecture prefix (for example "arm-none-eabi")
   string toolchain_prefix = 4;
   // The GDB server type used to connect to the programmer/board (for example
   // "openocd")