diff --git a/runtime/bundles/org.eclipse.core.runtime/src/org/eclipse/core/internal/runtime/InternalPlatform.java b/runtime/bundles/org.eclipse.core.runtime/src/org/eclipse/core/internal/runtime/InternalPlatform.java
index 80c256d3b2f..f3a009455d2 100644
--- a/runtime/bundles/org.eclipse.core.runtime/src/org/eclipse/core/internal/runtime/InternalPlatform.java
+++ b/runtime/bundles/org.eclipse.core.runtime/src/org/eclipse/core/internal/runtime/InternalPlatform.java
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ public final class InternalPlatform {
 
 	private boolean splashEnded = false;
 	private volatile boolean initialized;
+	private volatile boolean stopped;
 	private static final String KEYRING = "-keyring"; //$NON-NLS-1$
 	private String keyringFile;
 
@@ -182,8 +183,13 @@ public void addLogListener(ILogListener listener) {
 
 	private void assertInitialized() {
 		//avoid the Policy.bind if assertion is true
-		if (!initialized)
-			Assert.isTrue(false, Messages.meta_appNotInit);
+		if (!initialized) {
+			if (stopped) {
+				Assert.isTrue(false, Messages.meta_appStopped);
+			} else {
+				Assert.isTrue(false, Messages.meta_appNotInit);
+			}
+		}
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -677,6 +683,7 @@ public void start(BundleContext runtimeContext) {
 		processCommandLine(getEnvironmentInfoService().getNonFrameworkArgs());
 		initializeDebugFlags();
 		initialized = true;
+		stopped = false;
 		initializeAuthorizationHandler();
 		startServices();
 	}
@@ -691,6 +698,7 @@ public void stop(BundleContext bundleContext) {
 		stopServices(); // should be done after preferences shutdown
 		initialized = false;
 		closeOSGITrackers();
+		stopped = true;
 		context = null;
 	}
 
diff --git a/runtime/bundles/org.eclipse.core.runtime/src/org/eclipse/core/internal/runtime/Messages.java b/runtime/bundles/org.eclipse.core.runtime/src/org/eclipse/core/internal/runtime/Messages.java
index 0e2008f7030..f2985eae785 100644
--- a/runtime/bundles/org.eclipse.core.runtime/src/org/eclipse/core/internal/runtime/Messages.java
+++ b/runtime/bundles/org.eclipse.core.runtime/src/org/eclipse/core/internal/runtime/Messages.java
@@ -29,7 +29,9 @@ public class Messages extends NLS {
 
 	// metadata
 	public static String meta_appNotInit;
+	public static String meta_appStopped;
 	public static String meta_exceptionParsingLog;
+
 	// parsing/resolve
 	public static String plugin_deactivatedLoad;
 
diff --git a/runtime/bundles/org.eclipse.core.runtime/src/org/eclipse/core/internal/runtime/messages.properties b/runtime/bundles/org.eclipse.core.runtime/src/org/eclipse/core/internal/runtime/messages.properties
index aa073a1deaa..ccdc742e5a8 100644
--- a/runtime/bundles/org.eclipse.core.runtime/src/org/eclipse/core/internal/runtime/messages.properties
+++ b/runtime/bundles/org.eclipse.core.runtime/src/org/eclipse/core/internal/runtime/messages.properties
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ auth_notAvailable = Authorization infrastructure (org.eclipse.core.runtime.compa
 
 ### metadata
 meta_appNotInit = The application has not been initialized.
+meta_appStopped=The application is already stopped.
 meta_exceptionParsingLog = An exception occurred while parsing the log file: {0}
 
 ### plugins