diff --git a/src/libs/ssh/sshremoteprocess.cpp b/src/libs/ssh/sshremoteprocess.cpp
index e58cf5750d2..088c8f868bd 100644
--- a/src/libs/ssh/sshremoteprocess.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/ssh/sshremoteprocess.cpp
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ SshRemoteProcess::SshRemoteProcess(const QString &command, const QStringList &co
 void SshRemoteProcess::emitFinished()
 {
     if (exitStatus() == QProcess::CrashExit)
-        setErrorString(tr("The ssh process crashed: %1").arg(errorString()));
+        m_errorString = tr("The ssh process crashed: %1").arg(errorString());
     emit finished();
 }
 
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ void SshRemoteProcess::emitErrorOccurred(QProcess::ProcessError error)
 void SshRemoteProcess::start()
 {
     QTC_ASSERT(!isRunning(), return);
+    m_errorString.clear();
     const CommandLine cmd = fullLocalCommandLine();
     if (!m_displayName.isEmpty()) {
         Environment env = environment();
@@ -86,6 +87,13 @@ void SshRemoteProcess::start()
     QtcProcess::start();
 }
 
+QString SshRemoteProcess::errorString() const
+{
+    if (!m_errorString.isEmpty())
+        return m_errorString;
+    return QtcProcess::errorString();
+}
+
 void SshRemoteProcess::requestX11Forwarding(const QString &displayName)
 {
     m_displayName = displayName;
diff --git a/src/libs/ssh/sshremoteprocess.h b/src/libs/ssh/sshremoteprocess.h
index f89a7313c6a..99aa01a1cec 100644
--- a/src/libs/ssh/sshremoteprocess.h
+++ b/src/libs/ssh/sshremoteprocess.h
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ public:
 
     void requestX11Forwarding(const QString &displayName);
     void start() override;
+    QString errorString() const override;
 
     Utils::CommandLine fullLocalCommandLine(bool inTerminal = false) const;
 
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ private:
     QString m_remoteCommand;
     QStringList m_connectionArgs;
     QString m_displayName;
+    QString m_errorString;
 };
 
 } // namespace QSsh
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/launchersocket.cpp b/src/libs/utils/launchersocket.cpp
index fb73bca0df7..bab0bbe45cb 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/launchersocket.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/utils/launchersocket.cpp
@@ -205,7 +205,8 @@ void CallerHandle::handleError(const ErrorSignal *launcherSignal)
     QTC_ASSERT(isCalledFromCallersThread(), return);
     m_processState = QProcess::NotRunning;
     m_error = launcherSignal->error();
-    m_setup->m_errorString = launcherSignal->errorString();
+    if (!launcherSignal->errorString().isEmpty())
+        m_errorString = launcherSignal->errorString();
     if (m_error == QProcess::FailedToStart)
         m_exitCode = 255; // This code is being returned by QProcess when FailedToStart error occurred
     emit errorOccurred(m_error);
@@ -314,7 +315,7 @@ void CallerHandle::cancel()
     case QProcess::NotRunning:
         break;
     case QProcess::Starting:
-        m_setup->m_errorString = QCoreApplication::translate("Utils::LauncherHandle",
+        m_errorString = QCoreApplication::translate("Utils::LauncherHandle",
                                  "Process was canceled before it was started.");
         m_error = QProcess::FailedToStart;
         if (LauncherInterface::isReady()) // TODO: race condition with m_processState???
@@ -355,13 +356,13 @@ int CallerHandle::exitCode() const
 QString CallerHandle::errorString() const
 {
     QTC_ASSERT(isCalledFromCallersThread(), return {});
-    return m_setup->m_errorString;
+    return m_errorString;
 }
 
 void CallerHandle::setErrorString(const QString &str)
 {
     QTC_ASSERT(isCalledFromCallersThread(), return);
-    m_setup->m_errorString = str;
+    m_errorString = str;
 }
 
 void CallerHandle::start(const QString &program, const QStringList &arguments)
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/launchersocket.h b/src/libs/utils/launchersocket.h
index 0a9fabd1674..3e147019735 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/launchersocket.h
+++ b/src/libs/utils/launchersocket.h
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ private:
     QByteArray m_stdout;
     QByteArray m_stderr;
     QProcess::ProcessError m_error = QProcess::UnknownError;
+    QString m_errorString;
 
     QString m_command;
     QStringList m_arguments;
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/processinterface.h b/src/libs/utils/processinterface.h
index 8d6a3046075..f6f2cb9ec6e 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/processinterface.h
+++ b/src/libs/utils/processinterface.h
@@ -52,7 +52,6 @@ public:
     QProcess::ProcessChannelMode m_processChannelMode = QProcess::SeparateChannels;
     QVariantHash m_extraData;
     QString m_standardInputFile;
-    QString m_errorString; // partial internal
     QString m_nativeArguments; // internal, dependent on specific code path
 
     bool m_abortOnMetaChars = true;
@@ -89,7 +88,6 @@ public:
 
     virtual QProcess::ProcessError error() const = 0;
     virtual QString errorString() const = 0;
-    virtual void setErrorString(const QString &str) = 0;
 
     virtual bool waitForStarted(int msecs) = 0;
     virtual bool waitForReadyRead(int msecs) = 0;
@@ -147,7 +145,6 @@ public:
 
     QProcess::ProcessError error() const override { return m_target->error(); }
     QString errorString() const override { return m_target->errorString(); }
-    void setErrorString(const QString &str) override { m_target->setErrorString(str); }
 
     bool waitForStarted(int msecs) override { return m_target->waitForStarted(msecs); }
     bool waitForReadyRead(int msecs) override { return m_target->waitForReadyRead(msecs); }
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/qtcprocess.cpp b/src/libs/utils/qtcprocess.cpp
index 4bdad3bb518..7bd20d76b38 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/qtcprocess.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/utils/qtcprocess.cpp
@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ protected:
     void defaultStart();
 
 private:
+    virtual void setErrorString(const QString &str) = 0;
     virtual void doDefaultStart(const QString &program, const QStringList &arguments) = 0;
     bool dissolveCommand(QString *program, QStringList *arguments);
     bool ensureProgramExists(const QString &program);
@@ -394,7 +395,6 @@ private:
         m_process->setWorkingDirectory(m_setup->m_workingDirectory.path());
         m_process->setStandardInputFile(m_setup->m_standardInputFile);
         m_process->setProcessChannelMode(m_setup->m_processChannelMode);
-        m_process->setErrorString(m_setup->m_errorString);
         if (m_setup->m_lowPriority)
             m_process->setLowPriority();
         if (m_setup->m_unixTerminalDisabled)
@@ -525,7 +525,6 @@ public:
     void setProcessInterface(ProcessInterface *process)
     {
         m_process.reset(process);
-        m_setup.m_errorString.clear();
         m_process->setParent(this);
 
         connect(m_process.get(), &ProcessInterface::started,
@@ -1182,15 +1181,7 @@ QString QtcProcess::errorString() const
 {
     if (d->m_process)
         return d->m_process->errorString();
-    return d->m_setup.m_errorString;
-}
-
-void QtcProcess::setErrorString(const QString &str)
-{
-    if (d->m_process)
-        d->m_process->setErrorString(str);
-    else
-        d->m_setup.m_errorString = str;
+    return {};
 }
 
 qint64 QtcProcess::processId() const
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/qtcprocess.h b/src/libs/utils/qtcprocess.h
index 93759904ae1..1e73b0176f3 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/qtcprocess.h
+++ b/src/libs/utils/qtcprocess.h
@@ -75,7 +75,6 @@ public:
 
     QProcess::ProcessError error() const;
     virtual QString errorString() const;
-    void setErrorString(const QString &str);
 
     bool waitForStarted(int msecs = 30000);
     bool waitForReadyRead(int msecs = 30000);
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/terminalprocess_p.h b/src/libs/utils/terminalprocess_p.h
index 5e8341a11c2..e30c8651c86 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/terminalprocess_p.h
+++ b/src/libs/utils/terminalprocess_p.h
@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@ public:
     QByteArray readAllStandardError() final { QTC_CHECK(false); return {}; }
 
     qint64 write(const QByteArray &) final { QTC_CHECK(false); return -1; }
-    void setErrorString(const QString &) final { QTC_CHECK(false); }
 
     void terminate() final { stopProcess(); }
     void kill() final { stopProcess(); }