diff --git a/src/plugins/autotest/testrunner.cpp b/src/plugins/autotest/testrunner.cpp
index 846a3f81220..ee188ff647c 100644
--- a/src/plugins/autotest/testrunner.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/autotest/testrunner.cpp
@@ -378,7 +378,8 @@ void TestRunner::debugTests()
                 outputreader, &QObject::deleteLater);
     }
 
-    connect(this, &TestRunner::requestStopTestRun, runControl, &ProjectExplorer::RunControl::stop);
+    connect(this, &TestRunner::requestStopTestRun, runControl,
+            &ProjectExplorer::RunControl::initiateStop);
     connect(runControl, &ProjectExplorer::RunControl::finished, this, &TestRunner::onFinished);
     ProjectExplorer::ProjectExplorerPlugin::startRunControl(runControl);
 }
diff --git a/src/plugins/clangstaticanalyzer/clangstaticanalyzerruncontrol.cpp b/src/plugins/clangstaticanalyzer/clangstaticanalyzerruncontrol.cpp
index 69b89109aff..9862a65a0f1 100644
--- a/src/plugins/clangstaticanalyzer/clangstaticanalyzerruncontrol.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/clangstaticanalyzer/clangstaticanalyzerruncontrol.cpp
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ ClangStaticAnalyzerToolRunner::ClangStaticAnalyzerToolRunner(RunControl *runCont
 
     RunConfiguration *runConfiguration = runControl->runConfiguration();
     auto tool = ClangStaticAnalyzerTool::instance();
-    connect(tool->stopAction(), &QAction::triggered, runControl, &RunControl::stop);
+    connect(tool->stopAction(), &QAction::triggered, runControl, &RunControl::initiateStop);
 
     ProjectInfo projectInfoBeforeBuild = tool->projectInfoBeforeBuild();
     QTC_ASSERT(projectInfoBeforeBuild.isValid(), return);
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/runconfiguration.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/runconfiguration.cpp
index b51b238118b..79f7067104c 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/runconfiguration.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/runconfiguration.cpp
@@ -726,20 +726,10 @@ RunControl::~RunControl()
 void RunControl::initiateStart()
 {
     emit aboutToStart();
-    start();
-}
-
-void RunControl::start()
-{
     d->initiateStart();
 }
 
 void RunControl::initiateStop()
-{
-    stop();
-}
-
-void RunControl::stop()
 {
     d->initiateStop();
 }
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/runconfiguration.h b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/runconfiguration.h
index 891c17a57e4..cf1d5c7a9ad 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/runconfiguration.h
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/runconfiguration.h
@@ -429,8 +429,8 @@ public:
     RunControl(RunConfiguration *runConfiguration, Core::Id mode);
     ~RunControl() override;
 
-    void initiateStart(); // Calls start() asynchronously.
-    void initiateStop(); // Calls stop() asynchronously.
+    void initiateStart();
+    void initiateStop();
 
     bool promptToStop(bool *optionalPrompt = nullptr) const;
     void setPromptToStop(const std::function<bool(bool *)> &promptToStop);
@@ -478,9 +478,6 @@ public:
                                        const QString &cancelButtonText = QString(),
                                        bool *prompt = nullptr);
 
-    virtual void start();
-    virtual void stop();
-
     using WorkerCreator = std::function<RunWorker *(RunControl *)>;
     static void registerWorkerCreator(Core::Id id, const WorkerCreator &workerCreator);
     RunWorker *workerById(Core::Id id) const;
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmlprofiler/qmlprofilerruncontrol.cpp b/src/plugins/qmlprofiler/qmlprofilerruncontrol.cpp
index 4525b72e11e..f1dd71224f3 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmlprofiler/qmlprofilerruncontrol.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/qmlprofiler/qmlprofilerruncontrol.cpp
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ QmlProfilerRunner::QmlProfilerRunner(RunControl *runControl)
 QmlProfilerRunner::~QmlProfilerRunner()
 {
     if (runControl()->isRunning() && d->m_profilerState)
-        runControl()->stop();
+        runControl()->initiateStop();
     delete d;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmlprofiler/qmlprofilertool.cpp b/src/plugins/qmlprofiler/qmlprofilertool.cpp
index bad4c79ee48..b661fab197f 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmlprofiler/qmlprofilertool.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/qmlprofiler/qmlprofilertool.cpp
@@ -342,10 +342,10 @@ void QmlProfilerTool::finalizeRunControl(QmlProfilerRunner *runWorker)
     connect(runControl, &RunControl::finished, this, [this, runControl] {
         d->m_toolBusy = false;
         updateRunActions();
-        disconnect(d->m_stopAction, &QAction::triggered, runControl, &RunControl::stop);
+        disconnect(d->m_stopAction, &QAction::triggered, runControl, &RunControl::initiateStop);
     });
 
-    connect(d->m_stopAction, &QAction::triggered, runControl, &RunControl::stop);
+    connect(d->m_stopAction, &QAction::triggered, runControl, &RunControl::initiateStop);
 
     updateRunActions();
     runWorker->registerProfilerStateManager(d->m_profilerState);
diff --git a/src/plugins/valgrind/callgrindtool.cpp b/src/plugins/valgrind/callgrindtool.cpp
index c93a406c900..1564fcb78d0 100644
--- a/src/plugins/valgrind/callgrindtool.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/valgrind/callgrindtool.cpp
@@ -752,7 +752,7 @@ ValgrindToolRunner *CallgrindTool::createRunTool(RunControl *runControl)
     connect(this, &CallgrindTool::resetRequested, toolRunner, &CallgrindToolRunner::reset);
     connect(this, &CallgrindTool::pauseToggled, toolRunner, &CallgrindToolRunner::setPaused);
 
-    connect(m_stopAction, &QAction::triggered, toolRunner, [runControl] { runControl->stop(); });
+    connect(m_stopAction, &QAction::triggered, toolRunner, [runControl] { runControl->initiateStop(); });
 
     // initialize run control
     toolRunner->setPaused(m_pauseAction->isChecked());
diff --git a/src/plugins/valgrind/memchecktool.cpp b/src/plugins/valgrind/memchecktool.cpp
index e6c70188340..5ae5bf3f152 100644
--- a/src/plugins/valgrind/memchecktool.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/valgrind/memchecktool.cpp
@@ -567,7 +567,7 @@ RunWorker *MemcheckTool::createRunWorker(RunControl *runControl)
     connect(runTool, &MemcheckToolRunner::internalParserError, this, &MemcheckTool::internalParserError);
     connect(runTool, &MemcheckToolRunner::stopped, this, &MemcheckTool::engineFinished);
 
-    connect(m_stopAction, &QAction::triggered, runControl, &RunControl::stop);
+    connect(m_stopAction, &QAction::triggered, runControl, &RunControl::initiateStop);
 
     m_toolBusy = true;
     updateRunActions();