diff --git a/src/plugins/texteditor/syntaxhighlighter.cpp b/src/plugins/texteditor/syntaxhighlighter.cpp
index e37b0b104b7..5542f4d755e 100644
--- a/src/plugins/texteditor/syntaxhighlighter.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/texteditor/syntaxhighlighter.cpp
@@ -9,8 +9,9 @@
 #include <utils/algorithm.h>
 #include <utils/qtcassert.h>
 
-#include <QTextDocument>
 #include <QPointer>
+#include <QTextDocument>
+#include <QThread>
 
 #include <cmath>
 
@@ -197,6 +198,9 @@ void SyntaxHighlighterPrivate::reformatBlocks(int from, int charsRemoved, int ch
     QList<SyntaxHighlighter::Result> vecRes;
 
     while (block.isValid() && (block.position() < endPosition || forceHighlightOfNextBlock)) {
+        if (QThread::currentThread()->isInterruptionRequested())
+            break;
+
         const int stateBeforeHighlight = block.userState();
 
         reformatBlock(block, from, charsRemoved, charsAdded);
diff --git a/src/plugins/texteditor/syntaxhighlighterrunner.cpp b/src/plugins/texteditor/syntaxhighlighterrunner.cpp
index c94e6a039e3..f99aeaa1430 100644
--- a/src/plugins/texteditor/syntaxhighlighterrunner.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/texteditor/syntaxhighlighterrunner.cpp
@@ -266,6 +266,7 @@ ThreadedSyntaxHighlighterRunner::ThreadedSyntaxHighlighterRunner(SyntaxHighLight
 
 ThreadedSyntaxHighlighterRunner::~ThreadedSyntaxHighlighterRunner()
 {
+    m_thread.requestInterruption();
     m_thread.quit();
     m_thread.wait();
 }
diff --git a/src/plugins/texteditor/textdocument.cpp b/src/plugins/texteditor/textdocument.cpp
index 00138921ef7..320eef4b6f1 100644
--- a/src/plugins/texteditor/textdocument.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/texteditor/textdocument.cpp
@@ -62,6 +62,12 @@ public:
     {
     }
 
+    ~TextDocumentPrivate()
+    {
+        if (m_highlighterRunner)
+            m_highlighterRunner->deleteLater();
+    }
+
     MultiTextCursor indentOrUnindent(const MultiTextCursor &cursor, bool doIndent, const TabSettings &tabSettings);
     void resetRevisions();
     void updateRevisions();