diff --git a/src/plugins/languageclient/languageclientsettings.cpp b/src/plugins/languageclient/languageclientsettings.cpp
index 35ac05a8164..1c99a929e54 100644
--- a/src/plugins/languageclient/languageclientsettings.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/languageclient/languageclientsettings.cpp
@@ -557,11 +557,6 @@ Client *BaseSettings::createClient(ProjectExplorer::Project *project) const
     return client;
 }
 
-BaseClientInterface *BaseSettings::createInterface(ProjectExplorer::Project *) const
-{
-    return nullptr;
-}
-
 Client *BaseSettings::createClient(BaseClientInterface *interface) const
 {
     return new Client(interface);
diff --git a/src/plugins/languageclient/languageclientsettings.h b/src/plugins/languageclient/languageclientsettings.h
index 51109a05c9e..867a0deb2ec 100644
--- a/src/plugins/languageclient/languageclientsettings.h
+++ b/src/plugins/languageclient/languageclientsettings.h
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ public:
 
     virtual bool applyFromSettingsWidget(QWidget *widget);
     virtual QWidget *createSettingsWidget(QWidget *parent = nullptr) const;
-    virtual BaseSettings *copy() const { return new BaseSettings(*this); }
+    virtual BaseSettings *copy() const = 0;
     virtual bool isValid() const;
     Client *createClient() const;
     Client *createClient(ProjectExplorer::Project *project) const;
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ public:
     virtual void fromMap(const Utils::Store &map);
 
 protected:
-    virtual BaseClientInterface *createInterface(ProjectExplorer::Project *) const;
+    virtual BaseClientInterface *createInterface(ProjectExplorer::Project *) const = 0;
     virtual Client *createClient(BaseClientInterface *interface) const;
 
     BaseSettings(const BaseSettings &other) = default;