diff --git a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/components/toolbar/toolbarbackend.cpp b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/components/toolbar/toolbarbackend.cpp
index a957d145b5d..b18f871c780 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/components/toolbar/toolbarbackend.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/components/toolbar/toolbarbackend.cpp
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@
 
 #include <QQmlEngine>
 
+#include <memory>
+
 namespace QmlDesigner {
 
 static Internal::DesignModeWidget *designModeWidget()
@@ -349,6 +351,10 @@ void ActionSubscriber::setupNotifier()
     emit tooltipChanged();
 }
 
+#ifdef DVCONNECTOR_ENABLED
+static std::unique_ptr<DesignViewer::DVConnector> s_designViewerConnector;
+#endif
+
 ToolBarBackend::ToolBarBackend(QObject *parent)
     : QObject(parent)
 {
@@ -929,7 +935,10 @@ QString ToolBarBackend::runManagerError() const
 #ifdef DVCONNECTOR_ENABLED
 DesignViewer::DVConnector *ToolBarBackend::designViewerConnector()
 {
-    return &m_designViewerConnector;
+    if (!s_designViewerConnector)
+        s_designViewerConnector = std::make_unique<DesignViewer::DVConnector>();
+
+    return s_designViewerConnector.get();
 }
 #endif
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/components/toolbar/toolbarbackend.h b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/components/toolbar/toolbarbackend.h
index b3330a15eef..864e781348f 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/components/toolbar/toolbarbackend.h
+++ b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/components/toolbar/toolbarbackend.h
@@ -232,9 +232,6 @@ private:
 
     QStringList m_openDocuments;
     QMetaObject::Connection m_kitConnection;
-#ifdef DVCONNECTOR_ENABLED
-    DesignViewer::DVConnector m_designViewerConnector;
-#endif
 };
 
 } // namespace QmlDesigner