diff --git a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/designercore/include/model.h b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/designercore/include/model.h
index bb45456def8..39b5cdaa811 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/designercore/include/model.h
+++ b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/designercore/include/model.h
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ public:
     ModelPointer createModel(const TypeName &typeName,
                              std::unique_ptr<ModelResourceManagementInterface> resourceManagement = {});
 
-    QUrl fileUrl() const;
+    const QUrl &fileUrl() const;
     SourceId fileUrlSourceId() const;
     void setFileUrl(const QUrl &url);
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/designercore/model/model.cpp b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/designercore/model/model.cpp
index 75b9dfd1bb2..d4eea263785 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/designercore/model/model.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/designercore/model/model.cpp
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ void ModelPrivate::notifyUsedImportsChanged(const Imports &usedImports)
     }
 }
 
-QUrl ModelPrivate::fileUrl() const
+const QUrl &ModelPrivate::fileUrl() const
 {
     return m_fileUrl;
 }
@@ -2046,7 +2046,7 @@ void Model::clearMetaInfoCache()
   \brief Returns the URL against which relative URLs within the model should be resolved.
   \return The base URL.
   */
-QUrl Model::fileUrl() const
+const QUrl &Model::fileUrl() const
 {
     return d->fileUrl();
 }
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/designercore/model/model_p.h b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/designercore/model/model_p.h
index a3e972f329f..cb082fd1d70 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/designercore/model/model_p.h
+++ b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/designercore/model/model_p.h
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ public:
     ModelPrivate(const ModelPrivate &) = delete;
     ModelPrivate &operator=(const ModelPrivate &) = delete;
 
-    QUrl fileUrl() const;
+    const QUrl &fileUrl() const;
     void setFileUrl(const QUrl &url);
 
     InternalNodePointer createNode(const TypeName &typeName,