diff --git a/src/libs/aggregation/aggregate.cpp b/src/libs/aggregation/aggregate.cpp
index 7be6437ae2f..305de428614 100644
--- a/src/libs/aggregation/aggregate.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/aggregation/aggregate.cpp
@@ -59,9 +59,7 @@
     at any point using an aggregate:
     \code
         MyInterfaceEx *objectEx = new MyInterfaceEx;
-        Aggregate *aggregate = new Aggregate;
-        aggregate->add(object);
-        aggregate->add(objectEx);
+        Aggregate::aggregate({object, objectEx})
     \endcode
     The aggregate bundles the two objects together.
     If we have any part of the collection we get all parts:
@@ -130,7 +128,7 @@
     \sa add(), remove()
 */
 
-using namespace Aggregation;
+namespace Aggregation {
 
 /*!
     Returns the aggregate object of \a obj if there is one. Otherwise returns 0.
@@ -156,6 +154,20 @@ QReadWriteLock &Aggregate::lock()
     return lock;
 }
 
+/*!
+    Constructs without locking.
+    \internal
+*/
+Aggregate::Aggregate(enum PrivateConstructor)
+{
+    construct();
+}
+
+void Aggregate::construct()
+{
+    aggregateMap().insert(this, this);
+}
+
 /*!
     Creates a new aggregate with the given \a parent.
     The parent is directly passed to the QObject part
@@ -165,7 +177,7 @@ Aggregate::Aggregate(QObject *parent)
     : QObject(parent)
 {
     QWriteLocker locker(&lock());
-    aggregateMap().insert(this, this);
+    construct();
 }
 
 /*!
@@ -241,3 +253,39 @@ void Aggregate::remove(QObject *component)
     }
     emit changed();
 }
+
+/*!
+    This is a convenience function that creates a new Aggregate and adds all
+    \a components to it. If any components already belong to an Aggregate,
+    the remaining components are added to that instead.
+    The components may not belong to different Aggregates to begin with.
+
+    \sa Aggregate
+*/
+void aggregate(QList<QObject *> components)
+{
+    QWriteLocker locker(&Aggregate::lock());
+    Aggregate *agg = nullptr;
+    QList<QObject *> toAdd;
+    for (QObject *comp : components) {
+        Aggregate *existing = Aggregate::aggregateMap().value(comp);
+        if (existing) {
+            if (agg && agg != existing) {
+                qWarning() << "Cannot aggregate components that belong to different aggregates" << components;
+                return;
+            }
+            agg = existing;
+        } else {
+            toAdd << comp;
+        }
+    }
+    if (!agg)
+        agg = new Aggregate(Aggregate::PrivateConstructor); // we already have locked
+    for (QObject *comp : toAdd) { // add
+        agg->m_components.append(comp);
+        QObject::connect(comp, &QObject::destroyed, agg, &Aggregate::deleteSelf);
+        Aggregate::aggregateMap().insert(comp, agg);
+    }
+}
+
+} // namespace Aggregation
diff --git a/src/libs/aggregation/aggregate.h b/src/libs/aggregation/aggregate.h
index 0e210451e71..de218d82f12 100644
--- a/src/libs/aggregation/aggregate.h
+++ b/src/libs/aggregation/aggregate.h
@@ -51,6 +51,11 @@ signals:
     void changed();
 
 private:
+    friend void aggregate(QList<QObject *>);
+    enum PrivateConstructor { PrivateConstructor };
+    Aggregate(enum PrivateConstructor);
+    void construct();
+
     void deleteSelf(QObject *obj);
 
     static QHash<QObject *, Aggregate *> &aggregateMap();
@@ -58,6 +63,8 @@ private:
     QList<QObject *> m_components;
 };
 
+AGGREGATION_EXPORT void aggregate(QList<QObject *> components);
+
 // get a component via global template function
 template <typename T> T *query(Aggregate *obj)
 {
diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/find/itemviewfind.cpp b/src/plugins/coreplugin/find/itemviewfind.cpp
index 2fe4ae31003..be76e1215c9 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/find/itemviewfind.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/find/itemviewfind.cpp
@@ -131,9 +131,7 @@ static QFrame *createHelper(QAbstractItemView *treeView,
     vbox->addWidget(treeView);
     vbox->addWidget(placeHolder);
 
-    auto agg = new Aggregation::Aggregate;
-    agg->add(treeView);
-    agg->add(finder);
+    Aggregation::aggregate({treeView, finder});
 
     return widget;
 }
diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/find/searchresultwidget.cpp b/src/plugins/coreplugin/find/searchresultwidget.cpp
index e206fb3879c..0a801b7ea43 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/find/searchresultwidget.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/find/searchresultwidget.cpp
@@ -116,10 +116,9 @@ SearchResultWidget::SearchResultWidget(QWidget *parent) :
             this, &SearchResultWidget::filterInvalidated);
     connect(m_searchResultTreeView, &SearchResultTreeView::filterChanged,
             this, &SearchResultWidget::filterChanged);
-    auto  agg = new Aggregation::Aggregate;
-    agg->add(m_searchResultTreeView);
-    agg->add(new ItemViewFind(m_searchResultTreeView,
-                                      ItemDataRoles::ResultLineRole));
+
+    auto find = new ItemViewFind(m_searchResultTreeView, ItemDataRoles::ResultLineRole);
+    Aggregation::aggregate({m_searchResultTreeView, find});
     layout->addWidget(m_searchResultTreeView);
 
     m_infoBarDisplay.setTarget(layout, 2);
diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/icore.cpp b/src/plugins/coreplugin/icore.cpp
index 20e3df23199..ff4f57e498a 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/icore.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/icore.cpp
@@ -2531,9 +2531,7 @@ void ICorePrivate::changeLog()
     auto textEdit = new QTextBrowser;
     textEdit->setOpenExternalLinks(true);
 
-    auto aggregate = new Aggregation::Aggregate;
-    aggregate->add(textEdit);
-    aggregate->add(new Core::BaseTextFind(textEdit));
+    Aggregation::aggregate({textEdit, new BaseTextFind(textEdit)});
 
     new MarkdownHighlighter(textEdit->document());
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locatormanager.cpp b/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locatormanager.cpp
index e4fc9edfc36..9b844065c65 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locatormanager.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/locator/locatormanager.cpp
@@ -64,9 +64,8 @@ QWidget *LocatorManager::createLocatorInputWidget(QWidget *window)
 {
     auto locatorWidget = createStaticLocatorWidget(Locator::instance());
     // register locator widget for this window
-    auto agg = new Aggregation::Aggregate;
-    agg->add(window);
-    agg->add(locatorWidget);
+    Aggregation::aggregate({window, locatorWidget});
+
     return locatorWidget;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/outputwindow.cpp b/src/plugins/coreplugin/outputwindow.cpp
index e792bbcb7f9..b4bead7746c 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/outputwindow.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/outputwindow.cpp
@@ -174,9 +174,7 @@ OutputWindow::OutputWindow(Context context, const Key &settingsKey, QWidget *par
     p.setColor(QPalette::HighlightedText, activeHighlightedText);
     setPalette(p);
 
-    auto agg = new Aggregation::Aggregate;
-    agg->add(this);
-    agg->add(new BaseTextFind(this));
+    Aggregation::aggregate({this, new BaseTextFind(this)});
 }
 
 OutputWindow::~OutputWindow()
diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/console/console.cpp b/src/plugins/debugger/console/console.cpp
index d7f3cb23343..d2c8bbe4764 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/console/console.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/console/console.cpp
@@ -78,9 +78,7 @@ Console::Console()
             itemDelegate, &ConsoleItemDelegate::currentChanged);
     m_consoleView->setItemDelegate(itemDelegate);
 
-    auto aggregate = new Aggregation::Aggregate();
-    aggregate->add(m_consoleView);
-    aggregate->add(new Core::ItemViewFind(m_consoleView));
+    Aggregation::aggregate({m_consoleView, new Core::ItemViewFind(m_consoleView)});
 
     vbox->addWidget(m_consoleView);
     vbox->addWidget(new Core::FindToolBarPlaceHolder(m_consoleWidget));
diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/logwindow.cpp b/src/plugins/debugger/logwindow.cpp
index a1ca5e30e88..8e534ce9722 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/logwindow.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/logwindow.cpp
@@ -410,13 +410,8 @@ LogWindow::LogWindow(DebuggerEngine *engine)
     layout->addWidget(new Core::FindToolBarPlaceHolder(this));
     setLayout(layout);
 
-    auto aggregate = new Aggregation::Aggregate;
-    aggregate->add(m_combinedText);
-    aggregate->add(new Core::BaseTextFind(m_combinedText));
-
-    aggregate = new Aggregation::Aggregate;
-    aggregate->add(m_inputText);
-    aggregate->add(new Core::BaseTextFind(m_inputText));
+    Aggregation::aggregate({m_combinedText, new Core::BaseTextFind(m_combinedText)});
+    Aggregation::aggregate({m_inputText, new Core::BaseTextFind(m_inputText)});
 
     connect(m_inputText, &InputPane::statusMessageRequested,
             this, &LogWindow::statusMessageRequested);
@@ -657,13 +652,8 @@ GlobalLogWindow::GlobalLogWindow()
     layout->addWidget(new Core::FindToolBarPlaceHolder(this));
     setLayout(layout);
 
-    auto aggregate = new Aggregation::Aggregate;
-    aggregate->add(m_rightPane);
-    aggregate->add(new Core::BaseTextFind(m_rightPane));
-
-    aggregate = new Aggregation::Aggregate;
-    aggregate->add(m_leftPane);
-    aggregate->add(new Core::BaseTextFind(m_leftPane));
+    Aggregation::aggregate({m_rightPane, new Core::BaseTextFind(m_rightPane)});
+    Aggregation::aggregate({m_leftPane, new Core::BaseTextFind(m_leftPane)});
 
     connect(m_leftPane->clearContentsAction(), &QAction::triggered,
             this, &GlobalLogWindow::clearContents);
diff --git a/src/plugins/help/helpplugin.cpp b/src/plugins/help/helpplugin.cpp
index c729ff575d3..18d76bb14c9 100644
--- a/src/plugins/help/helpplugin.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/help/helpplugin.cpp
@@ -341,9 +341,7 @@ HelpViewer *createHelpViewer()
                      viewer, &HelpViewer::setScrollWheelZoomingEnabled);
 
     // add find support
-    auto agg = new Aggregation::Aggregate;
-    agg->add(viewer);
-    agg->add(new HelpViewerFindSupport(viewer));
+    Aggregation::aggregate({viewer, new HelpViewerFindSupport(viewer)});
 
     return viewer;
 }
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/taskwindow.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/taskwindow.cpp
index 0d48288cc93..5fed4ac21b4 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/taskwindow.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/taskwindow.cpp
@@ -172,9 +172,8 @@ TaskWindow::TaskWindow() : d(std::make_unique<TaskWindowPrivate>())
     d->m_filter = new Internal::TaskFilterModel(d->m_model);
     d->m_filter->setAutoAcceptChildRows(true);
 
-    auto agg = new Aggregation::Aggregate;
-    agg->add(&d->m_treeView);
-    agg->add(new Core::ItemViewFind(&d->m_treeView, TaskModel::Description));
+    auto find = new Core::ItemViewFind(&d->m_treeView, TaskModel::Description);
+    Aggregation::aggregate({&d->m_treeView, find});
 
     d->m_treeView.setHeaderHidden(true);
     d->m_treeView.setExpandsOnDoubleClick(false);
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmlprofiler/qmlprofilertraceview.cpp b/src/plugins/qmlprofiler/qmlprofilertraceview.cpp
index eccc52fd863..ac24343a9c7 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmlprofiler/qmlprofilertraceview.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/qmlprofiler/qmlprofilertraceview.cpp
@@ -107,9 +107,7 @@ QmlProfilerTraceView::QmlProfilerTraceView(QWidget *parent, QmlProfilerViewManag
     d->m_mainView->setSizePolicy(QSizePolicy::Expanding, QSizePolicy::Expanding);
     setFocusProxy(d->m_mainView);
 
-    auto agg = new Aggregation::Aggregate;
-    agg->add(d->m_mainView);
-    agg->add(new TraceViewFindSupport(this, modelManager));
+    Aggregation::aggregate({d->m_mainView, new TraceViewFindSupport(this, modelManager)});
 
     groupLayout->addWidget(d->m_mainView);
     groupLayout->addWidget(new Core::FindToolBarPlaceHolder(this));
diff --git a/src/plugins/texteditor/texteditor.cpp b/src/plugins/texteditor/texteditor.cpp
index 43784c79936..652ae526db3 100644
--- a/src/plugins/texteditor/texteditor.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/texteditor/texteditor.cpp
@@ -1071,14 +1071,12 @@ TextEditorWidgetPrivate::TextEditorWidgetPrivate(TextEditorWidget *parent)
     , m_editorContext(Id::generate())
 {
     m_selectionHighlightOverlay->show();
-    auto aggregate = new Aggregation::Aggregate;
     m_find = new TextEditorWidgetFind(q);
     connect(m_find, &BaseTextFind::highlightAllRequested,
             this, &TextEditorWidgetPrivate::highlightSearchResultsSlot);
     connect(m_find, &BaseTextFind::findScopeChanged,
             this, &TextEditorWidgetPrivate::setFindScope);
-    aggregate->add(m_find);
-    aggregate->add(q);
+    Aggregation::aggregate({q, m_find});
 
     m_extraArea = new TextEditExtraArea(q);
     m_extraArea->setMouseTracking(true);
diff --git a/src/plugins/todo/todooutputpane.cpp b/src/plugins/todo/todooutputpane.cpp
index 6e56718c8e7..9145899b331 100644
--- a/src/plugins/todo/todooutputpane.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/todo/todooutputpane.cpp
@@ -213,9 +213,8 @@ void TodoOutputPane::createTreeView()
 
     m_todoTreeView = new TodoOutputTreeView();
     m_todoTreeView->setModel(m_filteredTodoItemsModel);
-    auto agg = new Aggregation::Aggregate;
-    agg->add(m_todoTreeView);
-    agg->add(new Core::ItemViewFind(m_todoTreeView));
+
+    Aggregation::aggregate({m_todoTreeView, new Core::ItemViewFind(m_todoTreeView)});
 
     connect(m_todoTreeView, &TodoOutputTreeView::activated, this, &TodoOutputPane::todoTreeViewClicked);
 }
diff --git a/src/plugins/vcsbase/vcsbasesubmiteditor.cpp b/src/plugins/vcsbase/vcsbasesubmiteditor.cpp
index 7a52cc96090..28120c4c916 100644
--- a/src/plugins/vcsbase/vcsbasesubmiteditor.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/vcsbase/vcsbasesubmiteditor.cpp
@@ -213,9 +213,7 @@ void VcsBaseSubmitEditor::setParameters(const VcsBaseSubmitEditorParameters &par
             updateFileModel();
     });
 
-    auto aggregate = new Aggregation::Aggregate;
-    aggregate->add(new BaseTextFind(descriptionEdit));
-    aggregate->add(this);
+    Aggregation::aggregate({this, new BaseTextFind(descriptionEdit)});
 }
 
 VcsBaseSubmitEditor::~VcsBaseSubmitEditor()
diff --git a/tests/auto/aggregation/tst_aggregate.cpp b/tests/auto/aggregation/tst_aggregate.cpp
index eef9a32400c..860a6c58ec7 100644
--- a/tests/auto/aggregation/tst_aggregate.cpp
+++ b/tests/auto/aggregation/tst_aggregate.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ private slots:
     void queryAggregation();
     void queryAll();
     void parentAggregate();
+    void aggregateFunction();
 };
 
 class Interface1 : public QObject
@@ -177,6 +178,23 @@ void tst_Aggregate::parentAggregate()
     QCOMPARE(Aggregation::Aggregate::parentAggregate(component11), (Aggregation::Aggregate *)0);
 }
 
+void tst_Aggregate::aggregateFunction()
+{
+    Interface1 component1;
+    auto component2 = new Interface2;
+    Aggregation::aggregate({&component1, component2});
+    Aggregation::Aggregate *agg = Aggregation::Aggregate::parentAggregate(&component1);
+    QCOMPARE(Aggregation::query<Interface1>(component2), &component1);
+    QCOMPARE(Aggregation::query<Interface2>(&component1), component2);
+
+    auto component3 = new Interface3;
+    Aggregation::aggregate({component2, component3});
+    QCOMPARE(Aggregation::Aggregate::parentAggregate(component3), agg);
+    QCOMPARE(Aggregation::query<Interface1>(component3), &component1);
+    QCOMPARE(Aggregation::query<Interface2>(component3), component2);
+    QCOMPARE(Aggregation::query<Interface3>(&component1), component3);
+}
+
 QTEST_GUILESS_MAIN(tst_Aggregate)
 
 #include "tst_aggregate.moc"