diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locator.cpp b/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locator.cpp
index cc1ac31fb70..ac75bac73eb 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locator.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locator.cpp
@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@ bool Locator::delayedInitialize()
 
 void Locator::aboutToShutdown()
 {
+    m_shuttingDown = true;
     m_refreshTimer.stop();
     if (m_refreshTask.isRunning()) {
         m_refreshTask.cancel();
@@ -384,6 +385,9 @@ void Locator::setRefreshInterval(int interval)
 
 void Locator::refresh(QList<ILocatorFilter *> filters)
 {
+    if (m_shuttingDown)
+        return;
+
     if (m_refreshTask.isRunning()) {
         m_refreshTask.cancel();
         // this is not ideal because some of the previous filters might have finished, but we
diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locator.h b/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locator.h
index 26e577eb7fb..1f3c7ece6da 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locator.h
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locator.h
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ private:
 
     LocatorData *m_locatorData = nullptr;
 
+    bool m_shuttingDown = false;
     bool m_settingsInitialized = false;
     QList<ILocatorFilter *> m_filters;
     QList<ILocatorFilter *> m_customFilters;