diff --git a/src/plugins/languageclient/languageclientmanager.cpp b/src/plugins/languageclient/languageclientmanager.cpp
index c3dc398af71..b3e034f1d7b 100644
--- a/src/plugins/languageclient/languageclientmanager.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/languageclient/languageclientmanager.cpp
@@ -165,17 +165,6 @@ void LanguageClientManager::removeMarks(const Core::Id &id)
         removeMarks(fileName, id);
 }
 
-void LanguageClientManager::startClient(LanguageClientSettings setting)
-{
-    if (managerInstance->m_shuttingDown)
-        return;
-    auto client = new StdIOClient(setting.m_executable, setting.m_arguments);
-    client->setName(setting.m_name);
-    if (setting.m_mimeType != noLanguageFilter)
-        client->setSupportedMimeType({setting.m_mimeType});
-    startClient(client);
-}
-
 void LanguageClientManager::startClient(BaseClient *client)
 {
     if (managerInstance->m_shuttingDown) {
diff --git a/src/plugins/languageclient/languageclientmanager.h b/src/plugins/languageclient/languageclientmanager.h
index b15deca0f6a..2d41f117318 100644
--- a/src/plugins/languageclient/languageclientmanager.h
+++ b/src/plugins/languageclient/languageclientmanager.h
@@ -61,7 +61,6 @@ public:
     static void removeMarks(const Utils::FileName &fileName, const Core::Id &id);
     static void removeMarks(const Core::Id &id);
 
-    static void startClient(LanguageClientSettings setting);
     static void startClient(BaseClient *client);
     static QVector<BaseClient *> clients();
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/languageclient/languageclientsettings.cpp b/src/plugins/languageclient/languageclientsettings.cpp
index c059dafed09..d87875b850d 100644
--- a/src/plugins/languageclient/languageclientsettings.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/languageclient/languageclientsettings.cpp
@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@ void LanguageClientSettingsModel::applyChanges()
     }
     for (auto setting : toStart) {
         if (setting.isValid() && setting.m_enabled)
-            LanguageClientManager::startClient(setting);
+            LanguageClientManager::startClient(setting.createClient());
     }
 }
 
@@ -389,6 +389,15 @@ bool LanguageClientSettings::operator==(const LanguageClientSettings &other) con
             && m_arguments == other.m_arguments;
 }
 
+BaseClient *LanguageClientSettings::createClient()
+{
+    auto client = new StdIOClient(m_executable, m_arguments);
+    client->setName(m_name);
+    if (m_mimeType != noLanguageFilter)
+        client->setSupportedMimeType({m_mimeType});
+    return client;
+}
+
 QVariantMap LanguageClientSettings::toMap() const
 {
     QVariantMap map;
diff --git a/src/plugins/languageclient/languageclientsettings.h b/src/plugins/languageclient/languageclientsettings.h
index 152281de5a4..77fde957db5 100644
--- a/src/plugins/languageclient/languageclientsettings.h
+++ b/src/plugins/languageclient/languageclientsettings.h
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ namespace LanguageClient {
 
 constexpr char noLanguageFilter[] = "No Filter";
 
+class BaseClient;
+
 class LanguageClientSettings
 {
 public:
@@ -57,6 +59,8 @@ public:
 
     bool operator==(const LanguageClientSettings &other) const;
 
+    BaseClient *createClient();
+
     QVariantMap toMap() const;
     static LanguageClientSettings fromMap(const QVariantMap &map);
     static void init();