diff --git a/src/goDebugConfiguration.ts b/src/goDebugConfiguration.ts
index 2c55fe3..c7c29f3 100644
--- a/src/goDebugConfiguration.ts
+++ b/src/goDebugConfiguration.ts
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@
 			(attr) => debugConfiguration[attr] && !path.isAbsolute(debugConfiguration[attr])
 		);
 		if (debugAdapter === 'dlv-dap') {
-			// relative paths -> absolute paths
+			// 1. Relative paths -> absolute paths
 			if (entriesWithRelativePaths.length > 0) {
 				const workspaceRoot = folder?.uri.fsPath;
 				if (workspaceRoot) {
@@ -414,8 +414,18 @@
 					);
 				}
 			}
-			// compute build dir, and translate the dirname in program to a path relative to buildDir.
-			if (debugConfiguration.request === 'launch') {
+			// 2. For launch debug/test modes that builds the debug target,
+			//    delve needs to be launched from the right directory (inside the main module of the target).
+			//    Compute the launch dir heuristically, and translate the dirname in program to a path relative to buildDir.
+			//    We skip this step when working with externally launched debug adapter
+			//    because we do not control the adapter's launch process.
+			if (
+				debugConfiguration.request === 'launch' &&
+				// Presence of the following attributes indicates externally launched debug adapter.
+				!debugConfiguration.port &&
+				!debugConfiguration.host &&
+				!debugConfiguration.debugServer
+			) {
 				const mode = debugConfiguration['mode'] || 'debug';
 				if (['debug', 'test', 'auto'].includes(mode)) {
 					// Massage config to build the target from the package directory
diff --git a/test/integration/goDebugConfiguration.test.ts b/test/integration/goDebugConfiguration.test.ts
index 14f8930..7e3b4f9 100644
--- a/test/integration/goDebugConfiguration.test.ts
+++ b/test/integration/goDebugConfiguration.test.ts
@@ -556,6 +556,52 @@
 		);
 	});
 
+	test('program and __buildDir are not updated when working with externally launched adapters', () => {
+		const config: vscode.DebugConfiguration = debugConfig('dlv-dap');
+		config.program = path.join('foo', 'bar', 'pkg');
+		config.port = 12345;
+		const workspaceFolder = {
+			uri: vscode.Uri.file(os.tmpdir()),
+			name: 'test',
+			index: 0
+		};
+		const { program, cwd, __buildDir } = debugConfigProvider.resolveDebugConfigurationWithSubstitutedVariables(
+			workspaceFolder,
+			config
+		);
+		assert.deepStrictEqual(
+			{ program, cwd, __buildDir },
+			{
+				program: path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'foo', 'bar', 'pkg'),
+				cwd: os.tmpdir(),
+				__buildDir: undefined
+			}
+		);
+	});
+
+	test('program and __buildDir are not updated when working with externally launched adapters (debugServer)', () => {
+		const config: vscode.DebugConfiguration = debugConfig('dlv-dap');
+		config.program = path.join('foo', 'bar', 'pkg');
+		config.debugServer = 4777;
+		const workspaceFolder = {
+			uri: vscode.Uri.file(os.tmpdir()),
+			name: 'test',
+			index: 0
+		};
+		const { program, cwd, __buildDir } = debugConfigProvider.resolveDebugConfigurationWithSubstitutedVariables(
+			workspaceFolder,
+			config
+		);
+		assert.deepStrictEqual(
+			{ program, cwd, __buildDir },
+			{
+				program: path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'foo', 'bar', 'pkg'),
+				cwd: os.tmpdir(),
+				__buildDir: undefined
+			}
+		);
+	});
+
 	test('empty, undefined paths are not affected', () => {
 		const config = debugConfig('dlv-dap');
 		config.program = undefined;