diff --git a/src/libs/utils/processinterface.h b/src/libs/utils/processinterface.h
index 7001537a4da..7bceff4af0d 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/processinterface.h
+++ b/src/libs/utils/processinterface.h
@@ -83,7 +83,6 @@ public:
     virtual void interrupt() = 0;
     virtual void terminate() = 0;
     virtual void kill() = 0;
-    virtual void close() = 0;
 
     virtual qint64 write(const QByteArray &data) = 0;
 
@@ -125,7 +124,6 @@ public:
     void interrupt() override { m_target->interrupt(); }
     void terminate() override { m_target->terminate(); }
     void kill() override { m_target->kill(); }
-    void close() override { m_target->close(); }
 
     qint64 write(const QByteArray &data) override { return m_target->write(data); }
 
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/qtcprocess.cpp b/src/libs/utils/qtcprocess.cpp
index 5b0d6978528..0dbf3e08f1a 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/qtcprocess.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/utils/qtcprocess.cpp
@@ -350,7 +350,6 @@ public:
     void interrupt() final { ProcessHelper::interruptProcess(m_process); }
     void terminate() final { ProcessHelper::terminateProcess(m_process); }
     void kill() final { m_process->kill(); }
-    void close() final { m_process->close(); }
     qint64 write(const QByteArray &data) final { return m_process->write(data); }
 
     QProcess::ProcessState state() const final { return m_process->state(); }
@@ -440,7 +439,6 @@ public:
     }
     void terminate() final { m_handle->terminate(); }
     void kill() final { m_handle->kill(); }
-    void close() final { m_handle->kill(); } // TODO: is it more like terminate or kill?
     qint64 write(const QByteArray &data) final { return m_handle->write(data); }
 
     QProcess::ProcessState state() const final { return m_handle->state(); }
@@ -793,8 +791,8 @@ void QtcProcess::start()
         processImpl = d->createProcessInterface();
     }
     QTC_ASSERT(processImpl, return);
-    setProcessInterface(processImpl);
     d->clearForRun();
+    setProcessInterface(processImpl);
     d->m_process->m_setup->m_commandLine = d->fullCommandLine();
     d->m_process->m_setup->m_environment = d->fullEnvironment();
     if (processLog().isDebugEnabled()) {
@@ -1198,8 +1196,11 @@ qint64 QtcProcess::write(const QByteArray &input)
 
 void QtcProcess::close()
 {
-    if (d->m_process)
-        d->m_process->close();
+    if (d->m_process) {
+        d->m_process->disconnect();
+        d->m_process.release()->deleteLater();
+    }
+    d->clearForRun();
 }
 
 QString QtcProcess::locateBinary(const QString &binary)
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/terminalprocess_p.h b/src/libs/utils/terminalprocess_p.h
index 7770e5fb7d2..63cc4a51ccd 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/terminalprocess_p.h
+++ b/src/libs/utils/terminalprocess_p.h
@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@ public:
 
     void terminate() final { stopProcess(); }
     void kill() final { stopProcess(); }
-    void close() final { stopProcess(); }
 
     // intentionally no-op without an assert
     bool waitForStarted(int) final { return false; }