diff --git a/debug/org.eclipse.debug.ui/ui/org/eclipse/debug/internal/ui/views/console/ConsoleMessages.java b/debug/org.eclipse.debug.ui/ui/org/eclipse/debug/internal/ui/views/console/ConsoleMessages.java
index 67b75c5d8d8..849b7de274b 100644
--- a/debug/org.eclipse.debug.ui/ui/org/eclipse/debug/internal/ui/views/console/ConsoleMessages.java
+++ b/debug/org.eclipse.debug.ui/ui/org/eclipse/debug/internal/ui/views/console/ConsoleMessages.java
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ public class ConsoleMessages extends NLS {
 
 	public static String ConsoleTerminateAction_0;
 	public static String ConsoleTerminateAction_1;
+	public static String ConsoleBufferConfigurationError;
 
 	public static String ProcessConsole_0;
 
diff --git a/debug/org.eclipse.debug.ui/ui/org/eclipse/debug/internal/ui/views/console/ConsoleMessages.properties b/debug/org.eclipse.debug.ui/ui/org/eclipse/debug/internal/ui/views/console/ConsoleMessages.properties
index 5c36ce0747a..238026fcd9d 100644
--- a/debug/org.eclipse.debug.ui/ui/org/eclipse/debug/internal/ui/views/console/ConsoleMessages.properties
+++ b/debug/org.eclipse.debug.ui/ui/org/eclipse/debug/internal/ui/views/console/ConsoleMessages.properties
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ ConsoleRemoveTerminatedAction_1=Remove Launch
 
 ConsoleTerminateAction_0=&Terminate
 ConsoleTerminateAction_1=Terminate
+ConsoleBufferConfigurationError=Console buffer configuration error: High water mark ({0}) must be greater than low water mark ({1}).
 
 ProcessConsole_0=<terminated> {0}
 
diff --git a/debug/org.eclipse.debug.ui/ui/org/eclipse/debug/internal/ui/views/console/ProcessConsole.java b/debug/org.eclipse.debug.ui/ui/org/eclipse/debug/internal/ui/views/console/ProcessConsole.java
index a95bbd8052f..b577268c14a 100644
--- a/debug/org.eclipse.debug.ui/ui/org/eclipse/debug/internal/ui/views/console/ProcessConsole.java
+++ b/debug/org.eclipse.debug.ui/ui/org/eclipse/debug/internal/ui/views/console/ProcessConsole.java
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@
 import org.eclipse.jface.text.IRegion;
 import org.eclipse.jface.util.IPropertyChangeListener;
 import org.eclipse.jface.util.PropertyChangeEvent;
+import org.eclipse.osgi.util.NLS;
 import org.eclipse.swt.graphics.Color;
 import org.eclipse.ui.IEditorInput;
 import org.eclipse.ui.IPersistableElement;
@@ -527,6 +528,11 @@ public void propertyChange(PropertyChangeEvent evt) {
 				int lowWater = store.getInt(IDebugPreferenceConstants.CONSOLE_LOW_WATER_MARK);
 				if (highWater > lowWater) {
 					setWaterMarks(lowWater, highWater);
+				} else {
+					String msg = NLS.bind(
+							ConsoleMessages.ConsoleBufferConfigurationError,
+							highWater, lowWater);
+					DebugUIPlugin.log(new Status(IStatus.WARNING, IDebugUIConstants.PLUGIN_ID, msg));
 				}
 			} else {
 				setWaterMarks(-1, -1);
diff --git a/debug/org.eclipse.ui.console/src/org/eclipse/ui/console/IOConsole.java b/debug/org.eclipse.ui.console/src/org/eclipse/ui/console/IOConsole.java
index 276fa0043b1..b3b83667f36 100644
--- a/debug/org.eclipse.ui.console/src/org/eclipse/ui/console/IOConsole.java
+++ b/debug/org.eclipse.ui.console/src/org/eclipse/ui/console/IOConsole.java
@@ -247,7 +247,8 @@ public int getLowWaterMark() {
 	public void setWaterMarks(int low, int high) {
 		if (low >= 0) {
 			if (low >= high) {
-				throw new IllegalArgumentException("High water mark must be greater than low water mark"); //$NON-NLS-1$
+				throw new IllegalArgumentException(
+						String.format("High water mark (%d) must be greater than low water mark (%d)", high, low)); //$NON-NLS-1$
 			}
 		}
 		partitioner.setWaterMarks(low, high);