diff --git a/src/libs/qmljs/parser/qmldirparser.cpp b/src/libs/qmljs/parser/qmldirparser.cpp
index ffe5edcf20d..e15d467b8fe 100644
--- a/src/libs/qmljs/parser/qmldirparser.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/qmljs/parser/qmldirparser.cpp
@@ -25,10 +25,14 @@
 
 #include "qmldirparser_p.h"
 
+#include <utils/qtcassert.h>
+
 #include <QtCore/QtDebug>
 
 QT_QML_BEGIN_NAMESPACE
 
+using namespace LanguageUtils;
+
 static int parseInt(const QStringView &str, bool *ok)
 {
     int pos = 0;
@@ -60,6 +64,33 @@ static bool parseVersion(const QString &str, int *major, int *minor)
     return false;
 }
 
+static ComponentVersion parseImportVersion(const QString &str)
+{
+    int minor = -1;
+    int major = -1;
+    const int dotIndex = str.indexOf(QLatin1Char('.'));
+    bool ok = false;
+    if (dotIndex != -1 && str.indexOf(QLatin1Char('.'), dotIndex + 1) == -1) {
+        major = parseInt(QStringView(str.constData(), dotIndex), &ok);
+        if (ok) {
+            if (str.length() > dotIndex + 1) {
+                minor = parseInt(QStringView(str.constData() + dotIndex + 1, str.length() - dotIndex - 1),
+                                 &ok);
+                if (!ok)
+                    minor = ComponentVersion::NoVersion;
+            } else {
+                minor = ComponentVersion::MaxVersion;
+            }
+        }
+    } else if (str.length() > 0) {
+        QTC_ASSERT(str != QLatin1String("auto"), return ComponentVersion(-1, -1));
+        major = parseInt(QStringView(str.constData(), str.length()),
+                         &ok);
+        minor = ComponentVersion::MaxVersion;
+    }
+    return ComponentVersion(major, minor);
+}
+
 void QmlDirParser::clear()
 {
     _errors.clear();
@@ -97,6 +128,50 @@ bool QmlDirParser::parse(const QString &source)
     quint16 lineNumber = 0;
     bool firstLine = true;
 
+    auto readImport = [&](const QString *sections, int sectionCount, Import::Flags flags) {
+        Import import;
+        if (sectionCount == 2) {
+            import = Import(sections[1], ComponentVersion(), flags);
+        } else if (sectionCount == 3) {
+            if (sections[2] == QLatin1String("auto")) {
+                import = Import(sections[1], ComponentVersion(), flags | Import::Auto);
+            } else {
+                const auto version = parseImportVersion(sections[2]);
+                if (version.isValid()) {
+                    import = Import(sections[1], version, flags);
+                } else {
+                    reportError(lineNumber, 0,
+                                QStringLiteral("invalid version %1, expected <major>.<minor>")
+                                .arg(sections[2]));
+                    return false;
+                }
+            }
+        } else {
+            reportError(lineNumber, 0,
+                        QStringLiteral("%1 requires 1 or 2 arguments, but %2 were provided")
+                        .arg(sections[0]).arg(sectionCount - 1));
+            return false;
+        }
+        if (sections[0] == QStringLiteral("import"))
+            _imports.append(import);
+        else
+            _dependencies.append(import);
+        return true;
+    };
+
+    auto readPlugin = [&](const QString *sections, int sectionCount, bool isOptional) {
+        if (sectionCount < 2 || sectionCount > 3) {
+            reportError(lineNumber, 0, QStringLiteral("plugin directive requires one or two "
+                                                      "arguments, but %1 were provided")
+                        .arg(sectionCount - 1));
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        const Plugin entry(sections[1], sections[2], isOptional);
+        _plugins.append(entry);
+        return true;
+    };
+
     const QChar *ch = source.constData();
     while (!ch->isNull()) {
         ++lineNumber;
@@ -163,16 +238,26 @@ bool QmlDirParser::parse(const QString &source)
             _typeNamespace = sections[1];
 
         } else if (sections[0] == QLatin1String("plugin")) {
-            if (sectionCount < 2 || sectionCount > 3) {
-                reportError(lineNumber, 0,
-                            QStringLiteral("plugin directive requires one or two arguments, but %1 were provided").arg(sectionCount - 1));
-
+            if (!readPlugin(sections, sectionCount, false))
+                continue;
+        } else if (sections[0] == QLatin1String("optional")) {
+            if (sectionCount < 2) {
+                reportError(lineNumber, 0, QStringLiteral("optional directive requires further "
+                                                          "arguments, but none were provided."));
                 continue;
             }
 
-            const Plugin entry(sections[1], sections[2]);
-
-            _plugins.append(entry);
+            if (sections[1] == QStringLiteral("plugin")) {
+                if (!readPlugin(sections + 1, sectionCount - 1, true))
+                    continue;
+            } else if (sections[1] == QLatin1String("import")) {
+                if (!readImport(sections + 1, sectionCount - 1, Import::Optional))
+                    continue;
+            } else {
+                reportError(lineNumber, 0, QStringLiteral("only import and plugin can be optional, "
+                                                          "not %1.").arg(sections[1]));
+                continue;
+            }
 
         } else if (sections[0] == QLatin1String("classname")) {
             if (sectionCount < 2) {
@@ -233,28 +318,9 @@ bool QmlDirParser::parse(const QString &source)
                 reportError(lineNumber, 0, QStringLiteral("designersupported does not expect any argument"));
             else
                 _designerSupported = true;
-        } else if (sections[0] == QLatin1String("depends")) {
-            if (sectionCount != 3) {
-                reportError(lineNumber, 0,
-                            QStringLiteral("depends requires 2 arguments, but %1 were provided").arg(sectionCount - 1));
+        } else if (sections[0] == QLatin1String("depends") || sections[0] == QLatin1String("import")) {
+            if (!readImport(sections, sectionCount, Import::Default))
                 continue;
-            }
-
-            int major, minor;
-            if (parseVersion(sections[2], &major, &minor)) {
-                Component entry(sections[1], QString(), major, minor);
-                entry.internal = true;
-                _dependencies.insert(entry.typeName, entry);
-            } else {
-                reportError(lineNumber, 0, QStringLiteral("invalid version %1, expected <major>.<minor>").arg(sections[2]));
-            }
-        } else if (sections[0] == QLatin1String("import")) {
-            if (sectionCount != 2) {
-                reportError(lineNumber, 0,
-                            QStringLiteral("import requires 2 arguments, but %1 were provided").arg(sectionCount - 1));
-                continue;
-            }
-            _imports << sections[1];
         } else if (sectionCount == 2) {
             // No version specified (should only be used for relative qmldir files)
             const Component entry(sections[0], sections[1], -1, -1);
@@ -342,12 +408,12 @@ QMultiHash<QString, QmlDirParser::Component> QmlDirParser::components() const
     return _components;
 }
 
-QHash<QString, QmlDirParser::Component> QmlDirParser::dependencies() const
+QList<QmlDirParser::Import> QmlDirParser::dependencies() const
 {
     return _dependencies;
 }
 
-QStringList QmlDirParser::imports() const
+QList<QmlDirParser::Import> QmlDirParser::imports() const
 {
     return _imports;
 }
diff --git a/src/libs/qmljs/parser/qmldirparser_p.h b/src/libs/qmljs/parser/qmldirparser_p.h
index 9b26d023510..5576cfa515c 100644
--- a/src/libs/qmljs/parser/qmldirparser_p.h
+++ b/src/libs/qmljs/parser/qmldirparser_p.h
@@ -39,6 +39,9 @@
 #include <QtCore/QUrl>
 #include <QtCore/QHash>
 #include <QtCore/QDebug>
+
+#include <languageutils/componentversion.h>
+
 #include "qmljs/parser/qmljsglobal_p.h"
 #include "qmljs/parser/qmljsengine_p.h"
 #include "qmljs/parser/qmljsdiagnosticmessage_p.h"
@@ -72,14 +75,15 @@ public:
     {
         Plugin() = default;
 
-        Plugin(const QString &name, const QString &path)
-            : name(name), path(path)
+        Plugin(const QString &name, const QString &path, bool optional)
+            : name(name), path(path), optional(optional)
         {
             checkNonRelative("Plugin", name, path);
         }
 
         QString name;
         QString path;
+        bool optional = false;
     };
 
     struct Component
@@ -117,9 +121,29 @@ public:
         int minorVersion = 0;
     };
 
+    struct Import
+    {
+        enum Flag {
+            Default  = 0x0,
+            Auto     = 0x1, // forward the version of the importing module
+            Optional = 0x2  // is not automatically imported but only a tooling hint
+        };
+        Q_DECLARE_FLAGS(Flags, Flag)
+
+        Import() = default;
+        Import(QString module, LanguageUtils::ComponentVersion version, Flags flags)
+            : module(module), version(version), flags(flags)
+        {
+        }
+
+        QString module;
+        LanguageUtils::ComponentVersion version;     // invalid version is latest version, unless Flag::Auto
+        Flags flags;
+    };
+
     QMultiHash<QString,Component> components() const;
-    QHash<QString,Component> dependencies() const;
-    QStringList imports() const;
+    QList<Import> dependencies() const;
+    QList<Import> imports() const;
     QList<Script> scripts() const;
     QList<Plugin> plugins() const;
     bool designerSupported() const;
@@ -145,8 +169,8 @@ private:
     QList<QmlJS::DiagnosticMessage> _errors;
     QString _typeNamespace;
     QMultiHash<QString,Component> _components;
-    QHash<QString,Component> _dependencies;
-    QStringList _imports;
+    QList<Import> _dependencies;
+    QList<Import> _imports;
     QList<Script> _scripts;
     QList<Plugin> _plugins;
     bool _designerSupported = false;
diff --git a/src/libs/qmljs/qmljsdocument.cpp b/src/libs/qmljs/qmljsdocument.cpp
index 79840e7bb6b..ce8b7ba7fe8 100644
--- a/src/libs/qmljs/qmljsdocument.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/qmljs/qmljsdocument.cpp
@@ -447,8 +447,8 @@ QByteArray LibraryInfo::calculateFingerprint() const
 
     len = _imports.size();
     hash.addData(reinterpret_cast<const char *>(&len), sizeof(len));
-    foreach (const QString &import, _imports)
-        hash.addData(import.toUtf8()); // import order matters, keep order-dependent
+    foreach (const QmlDirParser::Import &import, _imports)
+        hash.addData(import.module.toUtf8()); // import order matters, keep order-dependent
 
     QByteArray res(hash.result());
     res.append('L');
diff --git a/src/libs/qmljs/qmljsdocument.h b/src/libs/qmljs/qmljsdocument.h
index 7a6b0624fff..c43ed034007 100644
--- a/src/libs/qmljs/qmljsdocument.h
+++ b/src/libs/qmljs/qmljsdocument.h
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ private:
     FakeMetaObjectList _metaObjects;
     QList<ModuleApiInfo> _moduleApis;
     QStringList _dependencies; // from qmltypes "dependencies: [...]"
-    QStringList _imports; // from qmldir "import" commands
+    QList<QmlDirParser::Import> _imports; // from qmldir "import" commands
     QByteArray _fingerprint;
 
     PluginTypeInfoStatus _dumpStatus = NoTypeInfo;
@@ -204,10 +204,10 @@ public:
     void setDependencies(const QStringList &deps)
     { _dependencies = deps; }
 
-    QStringList imports() const
+    QList<QmlDirParser::Import> imports() const
     { return _imports; }
 
-    void setImports(const QStringList &imports)
+    void setImports(const QList<QmlDirParser::Import> &imports)
     { _imports = imports; }
 
     bool isValid() const
diff --git a/src/libs/qmljs/qmljslink.cpp b/src/libs/qmljs/qmljslink.cpp
index 2d91324f641..3f3c267f95e 100644
--- a/src/libs/qmljs/qmljslink.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/qmljs/qmljslink.cpp
@@ -94,7 +94,8 @@ public:
     bool importLibrary(const Document::Ptr &doc,
                        const QString &libraryPath,
                        Import *import, ObjectValue *targetObject,
-                       const QString &importPath = QString());
+                       const QString &importPath = QString(),
+                       bool optional = false);
     void loadQmldirComponents(ObjectValue *import,
                               LanguageUtils::ComponentVersion version,
                               const LibraryInfo &libraryInfo,
@@ -465,7 +466,9 @@ bool LinkPrivate::importLibrary(const Document::Ptr &doc,
                                 const QString &libraryPath,
                                 Import *import,
                                 ObjectValue *targetObject,
-                                const QString &importPath)
+                                const QString &importPath,
+                                bool optional
+                                )
 {
     const ImportInfo &importInfo = import->info;
 
@@ -486,18 +489,24 @@ bool LinkPrivate::importLibrary(const Document::Ptr &doc,
     // Note: Since this works on the same targetObject, the ModuleApi setPrototype()
     // logic will not work. But ModuleApi isn't used in Qt versions that use import
     // commands in qmldir files, and is pending removal in Qt 6.
-    for (const auto &importName : libraryInfo.imports()) {
+    for (const auto &toImport : libraryInfo.imports()) {
+        QString importName = toImport.module;
+        ComponentVersion vNow = toImport.version;
+        // there was a period in which no version == auto, should we add || !vNow.isValid() to the if?
+        if (toImport.flags & QmlDirParser::Import::Auto)
+            vNow = version;
         Import subImport;
         subImport.valid = true;
-        subImport.info = ImportInfo::moduleImport(importName, version, importInfo.as(), importInfo.ast());
-        subImport.libraryPath = modulePath(importName, version.toString(), m_importPaths);
-        bool subImportFound = importLibrary(doc, subImport.libraryPath, &subImport, targetObject, importPath);
+        subImport.info = ImportInfo::moduleImport(importName, vNow, importInfo.as(), importInfo.ast());
+        subImport.libraryPath = modulePath(importName, vNow.toString(), m_importPaths);
+        bool subImportFound = importLibrary(doc, subImport.libraryPath, &subImport, targetObject, importPath, true);
 
         if (!subImportFound && errorLoc.isValid()) {
             import->valid = false;
-            error(doc, errorLoc,
-                  Link::tr(
-                      "Implicit import '%1' of QML module '%2' not found.\n\n"
+            if (!toImport.flags & QmlDirParser::Import::Optional)
+                error(doc, errorLoc,
+                      Link::tr(
+                          "Implicit import '%1' of QML module '%2' not found.\n\n"
                       "Import paths:\n"
                       "%3\n\n"
                       "For qmake projects, use the QML_IMPORT_PATH variable to add import paths.\n"
@@ -529,11 +538,11 @@ bool LinkPrivate::importLibrary(const Document::Ptr &doc,
                                 QString(), version.toString());
                 }
             }
-            if (errorLoc.isValid()) {
+            if (!optional && errorLoc.isValid()) {
                 appendDiagnostic(doc, DiagnosticMessage(
                                      Severity::ReadingTypeInfoWarning, errorLoc,
                                      Link::tr("QML module contains C++ plugins, "
-                                              "currently reading type information...")));
+                                              "currently reading type information... %1").arg(import->info.name())));
                 import->valid = false;
             }
         } else if (libraryInfo.pluginTypeInfoStatus() == LibraryInfo::DumpError
@@ -541,7 +550,7 @@ bool LinkPrivate::importLibrary(const Document::Ptr &doc,
             // Only underline import if package isn't described in .qmltypes anyway
             // and is not a private package
             QString packageName = importInfo.name();
-            if (errorLoc.isValid()
+            if (!optional && errorLoc.isValid()
                     && (packageName.isEmpty()
                         || !m_valueOwner->cppQmlTypes().hasModule(packageName))
                     && !packageName.endsWith(QLatin1String("private"), Qt::CaseInsensitive)) {
diff --git a/src/libs/qmljs/qmljsplugindumper.cpp b/src/libs/qmljs/qmljsplugindumper.cpp
index a1c084a59a9..c9d79798924 100644
--- a/src/libs/qmljs/qmljsplugindumper.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/qmljs/qmljsplugindumper.cpp
@@ -554,11 +554,12 @@ static void applyQt515MissingImportWorkaround(const QString &path, LibraryInfo &
         return;
 
     if (isQtQuick) {
-        info.setImports(QStringList(QStringLiteral("QtQml")));
+        info.setImports(QList<QmlDirParser::Import>(
+                            {QmlDirParser::Import(QLatin1String("QtQml"), ComponentVersion(), 0)}));
     } else if (isQtQml) {
-        info.setImports(QStringList(
-            { QStringLiteral("QtQml.Models"),
-              QStringLiteral("QtQml.WorkerScript") }));
+        info.setImports(QList<QmlDirParser::Import>(
+            { QmlDirParser::Import(QLatin1String("QtQml.Models"), ComponentVersion(), 0),
+              QmlDirParser::Import(QLatin1String("QtQml.WorkerScript"), ComponentVersion(), 0) }));
     }
 }