diff --git a/plugin/src/main/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/workflow/cps/CpsThreadDump.java b/plugin/src/main/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/workflow/cps/CpsThreadDump.java
index 8d5ac2c0a..e3b0c3682 100644
--- a/plugin/src/main/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/workflow/cps/CpsThreadDump.java
+++ b/plugin/src/main/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/workflow/cps/CpsThreadDump.java
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@
  */
 public final class CpsThreadDump {
 
+    /**
+     * Whether this is an actual list of threads, or just some special text such as a list of pickles.
+     */
+    public final boolean valid;
     private final List<ThreadInfo> threads = new ArrayList<>();
 
     public static final class ThreadInfo {
@@ -103,7 +107,8 @@ public String toString() {
     /**
      * Use one of the {@link #from(CpsThreadGroup)} method.
      */
-    private CpsThreadDump() {
+    private CpsThreadDump(boolean valid) {
+        this.valid = valid;
     }
 
     public List<ThreadInfo> getThreads() {
@@ -128,7 +133,7 @@ public String toString() {
     }
 
     public static CpsThreadDump from(Throwable t) {
-        CpsThreadDump td = new CpsThreadDump();
+        CpsThreadDump td = new CpsThreadDump(false);
         td.threads.add(new ThreadInfo(t));
         return td;}
 
@@ -140,7 +145,7 @@ public static CpsThreadDump from(CpsThreadGroup g) {
             l.add(t);
         }
 
-        CpsThreadDump td = new CpsThreadDump();
+        CpsThreadDump td = new CpsThreadDump(true);
         for (List<CpsThread> e : m.values())
             td.threads.add(new ThreadInfo(e));
         return td;
@@ -165,7 +170,7 @@ public static CpsThreadDump from(CpsThreadGroup g) {
     /**
      * Constant that indicates everything is done and no thread is alive.
      */
-    public static final CpsThreadDump EMPTY = new CpsThreadDump();
+    public static final CpsThreadDump EMPTY = new CpsThreadDump(false);
 
     @Deprecated
     public static final CpsThreadDump UNKNOWN = fromText("Program state is not yet known");
diff --git a/plugin/src/main/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/workflow/cps/CpsThreadDumpAction.java b/plugin/src/main/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/workflow/cps/CpsThreadDumpAction.java
index 5b03367f3..049134c67 100644
--- a/plugin/src/main/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/workflow/cps/CpsThreadDumpAction.java
+++ b/plugin/src/main/java/org/jenkinsci/plugins/workflow/cps/CpsThreadDumpAction.java
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@ public String getParentUrl() throws IOException {
         return execution.getThreadDump();
     }
 
-    public String getThreadDump() {
-        return execution.getThreadDump().toString();
+    public CpsThreadDump getThreadDump() {
+        return execution.getThreadDump();
     }
 
     @WebMethod(name = "program.xml") public void doProgramDotXml(StaplerRequest req, StaplerResponse rsp) throws Exception {
diff --git a/plugin/src/main/resources/org/jenkinsci/plugins/workflow/cps/CpsThreadDumpAction/index.jelly b/plugin/src/main/resources/org/jenkinsci/plugins/workflow/cps/CpsThreadDumpAction/index.jelly
index fa4fada79..8c672f070 100644
--- a/plugin/src/main/resources/org/jenkinsci/plugins/workflow/cps/CpsThreadDumpAction/index.jelly
+++ b/plugin/src/main/resources/org/jenkinsci/plugins/workflow/cps/CpsThreadDumpAction/index.jelly
@@ -28,19 +28,22 @@
   <l:layout title="${%Thread Dump}" type="one-column">
     <l:main-panel>
       <j:set var="td" value="${it.threadDump}"/>
+      <j:set var="tds" value="${td.toString()}"/>
 
       <h1>
         ${%Thread Dump}
-        <l:copyButton text="${td}" message="${%Thread dump copied to clipboard}"/>
+        <l:copyButton text="${tds}" message="${%Thread dump copied to clipboard}"/>
       </h1>
 
       <pre class="console">
-        ${td}
+        ${tds}
       </pre>
 
-      <l:hasPermission permission="${app.RUN_SCRIPTS}">
-        <a href="program.xml">Serialized program state</a>
-      </l:hasPermission>
+      <j:if test="${td.valid}">
+        <l:hasPermission permission="${app.RUN_SCRIPTS}">
+          <a href="program.xml">Serialized program state</a>
+        </l:hasPermission>
+      </j:if>
     </l:main-panel>
   </l:layout>
 </j:jelly>