diff --git a/src/plugins/bazaar/bazaareditor.cpp b/src/plugins/bazaar/bazaareditor.cpp
index 146b2e71932..305fa8eb8a3 100644
--- a/src/plugins/bazaar/bazaareditor.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/bazaar/bazaareditor.cpp
@@ -59,9 +59,9 @@ QString BazaarEditorWidget::changeUnderCursor(const QTextCursor &cursorIn) const
     return {};
 }
 
-VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighter *BazaarEditorWidget::createAnnotationHighlighter(const QSet<QString> &changes) const
+VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighterCreator BazaarEditorWidget::annotationHighlighterCreator() const
 {
-    return new BazaarAnnotationHighlighter(changes);
+    return [](const QSet<QString> &changes) { return new BazaarAnnotationHighlighter(changes); };
 }
 
 } // Bazaar::Internal
diff --git a/src/plugins/bazaar/bazaareditor.h b/src/plugins/bazaar/bazaareditor.h
index 4f88d778f1a..2de63e70b4f 100644
--- a/src/plugins/bazaar/bazaareditor.h
+++ b/src/plugins/bazaar/bazaareditor.h
@@ -16,8 +16,7 @@ public:
 
 private:
     QString changeUnderCursor(const QTextCursor &cursor) const override;
-    VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighter *createAnnotationHighlighter(
-            const QSet<QString> &changes) const override;
+    VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighterCreator annotationHighlighterCreator() const override;
 
     const QRegularExpression m_changesetId;
     const QRegularExpression m_exactChangesetId;
diff --git a/src/plugins/clearcase/clearcaseeditor.cpp b/src/plugins/clearcase/clearcaseeditor.cpp
index df3cd3406d8..02b07383585 100644
--- a/src/plugins/clearcase/clearcaseeditor.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/clearcase/clearcaseeditor.cpp
@@ -42,9 +42,9 @@ QString ClearCaseEditorWidget::changeUnderCursor(const QTextCursor &c) const
     return QString();
 }
 
-VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighter *ClearCaseEditorWidget::createAnnotationHighlighter(const QSet<QString> &changes) const
+VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighterCreator ClearCaseEditorWidget::annotationHighlighterCreator() const
 {
-    return new ClearCaseAnnotationHighlighter(changes);
+    return [](const QSet<QString> &changes) { return new ClearCaseAnnotationHighlighter(changes); };
 }
 
 } // ClearCase::Internal
diff --git a/src/plugins/clearcase/clearcaseeditor.h b/src/plugins/clearcase/clearcaseeditor.h
index 061807a45db..90b7a9c34ec 100644
--- a/src/plugins/clearcase/clearcaseeditor.h
+++ b/src/plugins/clearcase/clearcaseeditor.h
@@ -18,8 +18,7 @@ public:
 
 private:
     QString changeUnderCursor(const QTextCursor &) const override;
-    VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighter *createAnnotationHighlighter(
-            const QSet<QString> &changes) const override;
+    VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighterCreator annotationHighlighterCreator() const override;
 
     const QRegularExpression m_versionNumberPattern;
 };
diff --git a/src/plugins/cvs/cvseditor.cpp b/src/plugins/cvs/cvseditor.cpp
index d28144e3146..4e0aac6956b 100644
--- a/src/plugins/cvs/cvseditor.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/cvs/cvseditor.cpp
@@ -93,9 +93,9 @@ QString CvsEditorWidget::changeUnderCursor(const QTextCursor &c) const
     return {};
 }
 
-VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighter *CvsEditorWidget::createAnnotationHighlighter(const QSet<QString> &changes) const
+VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighterCreator CvsEditorWidget::annotationHighlighterCreator() const
 {
-    return new CvsAnnotationHighlighter(changes);
+    return [](const QSet<QString> &changes) { return new CvsAnnotationHighlighter(changes); };
 }
 
 QStringList CvsEditorWidget::annotationPreviousVersions(const QString &revision) const
diff --git a/src/plugins/cvs/cvseditor.h b/src/plugins/cvs/cvseditor.h
index 3e9ed8e639e..37db5222392 100644
--- a/src/plugins/cvs/cvseditor.h
+++ b/src/plugins/cvs/cvseditor.h
@@ -18,8 +18,7 @@ public:
 
 private:
     QString changeUnderCursor(const QTextCursor &) const override;
-    VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighter *createAnnotationHighlighter(
-            const QSet<QString> &changes) const override;
+    VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighterCreator annotationHighlighterCreator() const override;
     QStringList annotationPreviousVersions(const QString &revision) const override;
 
     const QRegularExpression m_revisionAnnotationPattern;
diff --git a/src/plugins/fossil/fossileditor.cpp b/src/plugins/fossil/fossileditor.cpp
index 01fc9e821a5..0b5e5255f34 100644
--- a/src/plugins/fossil/fossileditor.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/fossil/fossileditor.cpp
@@ -89,10 +89,9 @@ QStringList FossilEditorWidget::annotationPreviousVersions(const QString &revisi
     return revisions;
 }
 
-VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighter *FossilEditorWidget::createAnnotationHighlighter(
-        const QSet<QString> &changes) const
+VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighterCreator FossilEditorWidget::annotationHighlighterCreator() const
 {
-    return new FossilAnnotationHighlighter(changes);
+    return [](const QSet<QString> &changes) { return new FossilAnnotationHighlighter(changes); };
 }
 
 } // namespace Fossil::Internal
diff --git a/src/plugins/fossil/fossileditor.h b/src/plugins/fossil/fossileditor.h
index f2ca97e4418..70b398fc035 100644
--- a/src/plugins/fossil/fossileditor.h
+++ b/src/plugins/fossil/fossileditor.h
@@ -22,8 +22,7 @@ private:
     QString changeUnderCursor(const QTextCursor &cursor) const final;
     QString decorateVersion(const QString &revision) const final;
     QStringList annotationPreviousVersions(const QString &revision) const final;
-    VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighter *createAnnotationHighlighter(
-            const QSet<QString> &changes) const final;
+    VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighterCreator annotationHighlighterCreator() const final;
 
     FossilEditorWidgetPrivate *d;
 };
diff --git a/src/plugins/git/giteditor.cpp b/src/plugins/git/giteditor.cpp
index 05be7e7a4a4..66c3bc01bb7 100644
--- a/src/plugins/git/giteditor.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/git/giteditor.cpp
@@ -117,9 +117,9 @@ QString GitEditorWidget::changeUnderCursor(const QTextCursor &c) const
     return {};
 }
 
-BaseAnnotationHighlighter *GitEditorWidget::createAnnotationHighlighter(const QSet<QString> &changes) const
+VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighterCreator GitEditorWidget::annotationHighlighterCreator() const
 {
-    return new GitAnnotationHighlighter(changes);
+    return [](const QSet<QString> &changes) { return new GitAnnotationHighlighter(changes); };
 }
 
 /* Remove the date specification from annotation, which is tabular:
diff --git a/src/plugins/git/giteditor.h b/src/plugins/git/giteditor.h
index 23eb4d6ff3a..43fc8b10f54 100644
--- a/src/plugins/git/giteditor.h
+++ b/src/plugins/git/giteditor.h
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ private:
     void addDiffActions(QMenu *menu, const VcsBase::DiffChunk &chunk) override;
     void aboutToOpen(const Utils::FilePath &filePath, const Utils::FilePath &realFilePath) override;
     QString changeUnderCursor(const QTextCursor &) const override;
-    VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighter *createAnnotationHighlighter(const QSet<QString> &changes) const override;
+    VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighterCreator annotationHighlighterCreator() const override;
     QString decorateVersion(const QString &revision) const override;
     QStringList annotationPreviousVersions(const QString &revision) const override;
     bool isValidRevision(const QString &revision) const override;
diff --git a/src/plugins/mercurial/mercurialeditor.cpp b/src/plugins/mercurial/mercurialeditor.cpp
index b08802b8d66..63008f19d61 100644
--- a/src/plugins/mercurial/mercurialeditor.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/mercurial/mercurialeditor.cpp
@@ -48,9 +48,9 @@ QString MercurialEditorWidget::changeUnderCursor(const QTextCursor &cursorIn) co
     return {};
 }
 
-VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighter *MercurialEditorWidget::createAnnotationHighlighter(const QSet<QString> &changes) const
+VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighterCreator MercurialEditorWidget::annotationHighlighterCreator() const
 {
-    return new MercurialAnnotationHighlighter(changes);
+    return [](const QSet<QString> &changes) { return new MercurialAnnotationHighlighter(changes); };
 }
 
 QString MercurialEditorWidget::decorateVersion(const QString &revision) const
diff --git a/src/plugins/mercurial/mercurialeditor.h b/src/plugins/mercurial/mercurialeditor.h
index 9a9cd88aed9..d5162697a27 100644
--- a/src/plugins/mercurial/mercurialeditor.h
+++ b/src/plugins/mercurial/mercurialeditor.h
@@ -18,8 +18,7 @@ public:
 
 private:
     QString changeUnderCursor(const QTextCursor &cursor) const override;
-    VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighter *createAnnotationHighlighter(
-            const QSet<QString> &changes) const override;
+    VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighterCreator annotationHighlighterCreator() const override;
     QString decorateVersion(const QString &revision) const override;
     QStringList annotationPreviousVersions(const QString &revision) const override;
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/perforce/perforceeditor.cpp b/src/plugins/perforce/perforceeditor.cpp
index 623ac1ed8fe..88e790c3c03 100644
--- a/src/plugins/perforce/perforceeditor.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/perforce/perforceeditor.cpp
@@ -51,9 +51,9 @@ QString PerforceEditorWidget::changeUnderCursor(const QTextCursor &c) const
     return m_changeNumberPattern.match(change).hasMatch() ? change : QString();
 }
 
-VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighter *PerforceEditorWidget::createAnnotationHighlighter(const QSet<QString> &changes) const
+VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighterCreator PerforceEditorWidget::annotationHighlighterCreator() const
 {
-    return new PerforceAnnotationHighlighter(changes);
+    return [](const QSet<QString> &changes) { return new PerforceAnnotationHighlighter(changes); };
 }
 
 QString PerforceEditorWidget::findDiffFile(const QString &f) const
diff --git a/src/plugins/perforce/perforceeditor.h b/src/plugins/perforce/perforceeditor.h
index ce0d05b6871..9ec6ae3b3b6 100644
--- a/src/plugins/perforce/perforceeditor.h
+++ b/src/plugins/perforce/perforceeditor.h
@@ -18,8 +18,7 @@ public:
 
 private:
     QString changeUnderCursor(const QTextCursor &) const override;
-    VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighter *createAnnotationHighlighter(
-            const QSet<QString> &changes) const override;
+    VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighterCreator annotationHighlighterCreator() const override;
     QString findDiffFile(const QString &f) const override;
     QStringList annotationPreviousVersions(const QString &v) const override;
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/subversion/subversioneditor.cpp b/src/plugins/subversion/subversioneditor.cpp
index 4549c6e14da..5e614532d6a 100644
--- a/src/plugins/subversion/subversioneditor.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/subversion/subversioneditor.cpp
@@ -75,9 +75,10 @@ QString SubversionEditorWidget::changeUnderCursor(const QTextCursor &c) const
     return {};
 }
 
-VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighter *SubversionEditorWidget::createAnnotationHighlighter(const QSet<QString> &changes) const
+VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighterCreator SubversionEditorWidget::annotationHighlighterCreator() const
 {
-    return new SubversionAnnotationHighlighter(changes);
+    return
+        [](const QSet<QString> &changes) { return new SubversionAnnotationHighlighter(changes); };
 }
 
 QStringList SubversionEditorWidget::annotationPreviousVersions(const QString &v) const
diff --git a/src/plugins/subversion/subversioneditor.h b/src/plugins/subversion/subversioneditor.h
index 5538b396e99..a6443c23836 100644
--- a/src/plugins/subversion/subversioneditor.h
+++ b/src/plugins/subversion/subversioneditor.h
@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@ public:
 
 private:
     QString changeUnderCursor(const QTextCursor &) const override;
-    VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighter *createAnnotationHighlighter(
-            const QSet<QString> &changes) const override;
+    VcsBase::BaseAnnotationHighlighterCreator annotationHighlighterCreator() const override;
     QStringList annotationPreviousVersions(const QString &) const override;
 
     QRegularExpression m_changeNumberPattern;
diff --git a/src/plugins/vcsbase/vcsbaseeditor.cpp b/src/plugins/vcsbase/vcsbaseeditor.cpp
index bb89b1cd321..b768c58c974 100644
--- a/src/plugins/vcsbase/vcsbaseeditor.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/vcsbase/vcsbaseeditor.cpp
@@ -1104,8 +1104,8 @@ void VcsBaseEditorWidget::slotActivateAnnotation()
         ah->setChangeNumbers(changes);
         ah->rehighlight();
     } else {
-        BaseAnnotationHighlighter *highlighter = createAnnotationHighlighter(changes);
-        textDocument()->setSyntaxHighlighterCreator([highlighter] { return highlighter; });
+        BaseAnnotationHighlighterCreator creator = annotationHighlighterCreator();
+        textDocument()->setSyntaxHighlighterCreator([creator, changes] { return creator(changes); });
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/vcsbase/vcsbaseeditor.h b/src/plugins/vcsbase/vcsbaseeditor.h
index 1b588b3e6e7..b34f01ce7e4 100644
--- a/src/plugins/vcsbase/vcsbaseeditor.h
+++ b/src/plugins/vcsbase/vcsbaseeditor.h
@@ -109,6 +109,9 @@ public:
     void finalizeInitialization() override;
 };
 
+using BaseAnnotationHighlighterCreator
+    = std::function<BaseAnnotationHighlighter *(const QSet<QString> &)>;
+
 class VCSBASE_EXPORT VcsBaseEditorWidget : public TextEditor::TextEditorWidget
 {
     Q_OBJECT
@@ -223,7 +226,7 @@ protected:
     // Implement to identify a change number at the cursor position
     virtual QString changeUnderCursor(const QTextCursor &) const = 0;
     // Factory functions for highlighters
-    virtual BaseAnnotationHighlighter *createAnnotationHighlighter(const QSet<QString> &changes) const = 0;
+    virtual BaseAnnotationHighlighterCreator annotationHighlighterCreator() const = 0;
     // Returns a local file name from the diff file specification
     // (text cursor at position above change hunk)
     QString fileNameFromDiffSpecification(const QTextBlock &inBlock, QString *header = nullptr) const;