diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerplugin.cpp b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerplugin.cpp
index 531b2c09912..72a9be069a6 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerplugin.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggerplugin.cpp
@@ -1199,7 +1199,7 @@ bool DebuggerPluginPrivate::initialize(const QStringList &arguments,
 
     m_arguments = arguments;
     if (!m_arguments.isEmpty())
-        connect(KitManager::instance(), &KitManager::kitsLoaded,
+        connect(ProjectExplorerPlugin::instance(), &ProjectExplorerPlugin::finishedInitialization,
                 this, &DebuggerPluginPrivate::parseCommandLineArguments);
 
     m_mainWindow = new DebuggerMainWindow;
@@ -2523,7 +2523,6 @@ void DebuggerPluginPrivate::updateState(DebuggerEngine *engine)
         setProxyAction(m_visibleStartAction, Id(Constants::INTERRUPT));
         m_hiddenStopAction->setAction(m_interruptAction);
         m_localsAndExpressionsWindow->setShowLocals(false);
-        activateDebugMode();
     } else if (state == DebuggerFinished) {
         const bool canRun = ProjectExplorerPlugin::canRunStartupProject(ProjectExplorer::Constants::DEBUG_RUN_MODE);
         // We don't want to do anything anymore.
@@ -2548,7 +2547,6 @@ void DebuggerPluginPrivate::updateState(DebuggerEngine *engine)
         m_hiddenStopAction->setAction(m_exitAction);
         // show locals in core dumps
         m_localsAndExpressionsWindow->setShowLocals(true);
-        activateDebugMode();
     } else {
         // Everything else is "undisturbable".
         m_interruptAction->setEnabled(false);
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.cpp
index fec7d9938ce..2c399e9955a 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.cpp
@@ -1889,7 +1889,11 @@ void ProjectExplorerPluginPrivate::restoreSession()
     connect(dd->m_welcomePage, &ProjectWelcomePage::requestProject,
             m_instance, &ProjectExplorerPlugin::openProjectWelcomePage);
     dd->m_arguments = arguments;
-    QTimer::singleShot(0, m_instance, &ProjectExplorerPlugin::restoreSession2);
+    // delay opening projects from the command line even more
+    QTimer::singleShot(0, m_instance, []() {
+        ICore::openFiles(dd->m_arguments, ICore::OpenFilesFlags(ICore::CanContainLineAndColumnNumbers | ICore::SwitchMode));
+        m_instance->finishedInitialization();
+    });
     updateActions();
 }
 
@@ -1898,12 +1902,6 @@ void ProjectExplorerPluginPrivate::loadSession(const QString &session)
     SessionManager::loadSession(session);
 }
 
-void ProjectExplorerPlugin::restoreSession2()
-{
-    QApplication::processEvents(QEventLoop::ExcludeUserInputEvents);
-    ICore::openFiles(dd->m_arguments, ICore::OpenFilesFlags(ICore::CanContainLineAndColumnNumbers | ICore::SwitchMode));
-}
-
 void ProjectExplorerPluginPrivate::buildStateChanged(Project * pro)
 {
     Q_UNUSED(pro)
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.h b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.h
index aee6d28f738..64e8882e887 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.h
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.h
@@ -161,6 +161,7 @@ public:
     static void openOpenProjectDialog();
 
 signals:
+    void finishedInitialization();
     void runControlStarted(ProjectExplorer::RunControl *rc);
     void runControlFinished(ProjectExplorer::RunControl *rc);
 
@@ -177,7 +178,6 @@ signals:
 
 private:
     static bool coreAboutToClose();
-    static void restoreSession2();
 
 #ifdef WITH_TESTS
 private slots: