diff --git a/src/plugins/autotest/gtest/gtesttreeitem.cpp b/src/plugins/autotest/gtest/gtesttreeitem.cpp
index a85e09605cf..f05dcae9b7d 100644
--- a/src/plugins/autotest/gtest/gtesttreeitem.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/autotest/gtest/gtesttreeitem.cpp
@@ -323,6 +323,37 @@ TestTreeItem *GTestTreeItem::find(const TestParseResult *result)
     }
 }
 
+TestTreeItem *GTestTreeItem::findChild(const TestTreeItem *other)
+{
+    QTC_ASSERT(other, return nullptr);
+    const Type otherType = other->type();
+    switch (type()) {
+    case Root: {
+        TestTreeItem *result = nullptr;
+        if (otherType == GroupNode) {
+            result = findChildByNameAndFile(other->name(), other->filePath());
+        } else if (otherType == TestCase) {
+            auto gtOther = static_cast<const GTestTreeItem *>(other);
+            result = findChildByNameStateAndFile(gtOther->name(), gtOther->state(),
+                                                 gtOther->proFile());
+        }
+        return (result && result->type() == otherType) ? result : nullptr;
+    }
+    case GroupNode: {
+        auto gtOther = static_cast<const GTestTreeItem *>(other);
+        return otherType == TestCase
+                ? findChildByNameStateAndFile(gtOther->name(), gtOther->state(), gtOther->proFile())
+                : nullptr;
+    }
+    case TestCase:
+        return otherType == TestFunctionOrSet
+                ? findChildByNameAndFile(other->name(), other->filePath())
+                : nullptr;
+    default:
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+}
+
 bool GTestTreeItem::modify(const TestParseResult *result)
 {
     QTC_ASSERT(result, return false);
diff --git a/src/plugins/autotest/gtest/gtesttreeitem.h b/src/plugins/autotest/gtest/gtesttreeitem.h
index eac6c9696c6..c3ff8dba71f 100644
--- a/src/plugins/autotest/gtest/gtesttreeitem.h
+++ b/src/plugins/autotest/gtest/gtesttreeitem.h
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ public:
     QList<TestConfiguration *> getAllTestConfigurations() const override;
     QList<TestConfiguration *> getSelectedTestConfigurations() const override;
     TestTreeItem *find(const TestParseResult *result) override;
+    TestTreeItem *findChild(const TestTreeItem *other) override;
     bool modify(const TestParseResult *result) override;
     TestTreeItem *createParentGroupNode() const override;
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/autotest/qtest/qttesttreeitem.cpp b/src/plugins/autotest/qtest/qttesttreeitem.cpp
index 8035c934e50..04c0d9c129a 100644
--- a/src/plugins/autotest/qtest/qttesttreeitem.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/autotest/qtest/qttesttreeitem.cpp
@@ -275,6 +275,30 @@ TestTreeItem *QtTestTreeItem::find(const TestParseResult *result)
     }
 }
 
+TestTreeItem *QtTestTreeItem::findChild(const TestTreeItem *other)
+{
+    QTC_ASSERT(other, return nullptr);
+    const Type otherType = other->type();
+    switch (type()) {
+    case Root:
+        return findChildByFileAndType(other->filePath(), otherType);
+    case GroupNode:
+        return otherType == TestCase ? findChildByFile(other->filePath()) : nullptr;
+    case TestCase: {
+        if (otherType != TestFunctionOrSet && otherType != TestDataFunction && otherType != TestSpecialFunction)
+            return nullptr;
+        auto qtOther = static_cast<const QtTestTreeItem *>(other);
+        return findChildByNameAndInheritance(other->filePath(), qtOther->inherited());
+    }
+    case TestFunctionOrSet:
+    case TestDataFunction:
+    case TestSpecialFunction:
+        return otherType == TestDataTag ? findChildByName(other->name()) : nullptr;
+    default:
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+}
+
 bool QtTestTreeItem::modify(const TestParseResult *result)
 {
     QTC_ASSERT(result, return false);
diff --git a/src/plugins/autotest/qtest/qttesttreeitem.h b/src/plugins/autotest/qtest/qttesttreeitem.h
index 2d6d443db5e..9b70b735fad 100644
--- a/src/plugins/autotest/qtest/qttesttreeitem.h
+++ b/src/plugins/autotest/qtest/qttesttreeitem.h
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ public:
     QList<TestConfiguration *> getAllTestConfigurations() const override;
     QList<TestConfiguration *> getSelectedTestConfigurations() const override;
     TestTreeItem *find(const TestParseResult *result) override;
+    TestTreeItem *findChild(const TestTreeItem *other) override;
     bool modify(const TestParseResult *result) override;
     void setInherited(bool inherited) { m_inherited = inherited; }
     bool inherited() const { return m_inherited; }
diff --git a/src/plugins/autotest/quick/quicktesttreeitem.cpp b/src/plugins/autotest/quick/quicktesttreeitem.cpp
index 68a844fbbca..69f3cdc8447 100644
--- a/src/plugins/autotest/quick/quicktesttreeitem.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/autotest/quick/quicktesttreeitem.cpp
@@ -320,6 +320,28 @@ TestTreeItem *QuickTestTreeItem::find(const TestParseResult *result)
     }
 }
 
+TestTreeItem *QuickTestTreeItem::findChild(const TestTreeItem *other)
+{
+    QTC_ASSERT(other, return nullptr);
+    const Type otherType = other->type();
+
+    switch (type()) {
+    case Root:
+        if (otherType == TestCase && other->name().isEmpty())
+            return unnamedQuickTests();
+        return findChildByFileAndType(other->filePath(), otherType);
+    case GroupNode:
+        return findChildByFileAndType(other->filePath(), otherType);
+    case TestCase:
+        if (otherType != TestFunctionOrSet && otherType != TestDataFunction && otherType != TestSpecialFunction)
+            return nullptr;
+        return name().isEmpty() ? findChildByNameAndFile(other->name(), other->filePath())
+                                : findChildByName(other->name());
+    default:
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+}
+
 bool QuickTestTreeItem::modify(const TestParseResult *result)
 {
     QTC_ASSERT(result, return false);
diff --git a/src/plugins/autotest/quick/quicktesttreeitem.h b/src/plugins/autotest/quick/quicktesttreeitem.h
index 88d21bf637c..48c2467de98 100644
--- a/src/plugins/autotest/quick/quicktesttreeitem.h
+++ b/src/plugins/autotest/quick/quicktesttreeitem.h
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ public:
     QList<TestConfiguration *> getAllTestConfigurations() const override;
     QList<TestConfiguration *> getSelectedTestConfigurations() const override;
     TestTreeItem *find(const TestParseResult *result) override;
+    TestTreeItem *findChild(const TestTreeItem *other) override;
     bool modify(const TestParseResult *result) override;
     bool lessThan(const TestTreeItem *other, SortMode mode) const override;
     bool isGroupNodeFor(const TestTreeItem *other) const override;
diff --git a/src/plugins/autotest/testtreeitem.cpp b/src/plugins/autotest/testtreeitem.cpp
index 6d75efb4408..9d42858a99c 100644
--- a/src/plugins/autotest/testtreeitem.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/autotest/testtreeitem.cpp
@@ -229,6 +229,13 @@ TestTreeItem *TestTreeItem::findChildByFile(const QString &filePath)
     });
 }
 
+TestTreeItem *TestTreeItem::findChildByFileAndType(const QString &filePath, Type tType)
+{
+    return findChildBy([filePath, tType](const TestTreeItem *other) {
+        return other->type() == tType && other->filePath() == filePath;
+    });
+}
+
 TestTreeItem *TestTreeItem::findChildByNameAndFile(const QString &name, const QString &filePath)
 {
     return findChildBy([name, filePath](const TestTreeItem *other) -> bool {
diff --git a/src/plugins/autotest/testtreeitem.h b/src/plugins/autotest/testtreeitem.h
index 44a91a1682b..d47097efba2 100644
--- a/src/plugins/autotest/testtreeitem.h
+++ b/src/plugins/autotest/testtreeitem.h
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ public:
 
     TestTreeItem *findChildByName(const QString &name);
     TestTreeItem *findChildByFile(const QString &filePath);
+    TestTreeItem *findChildByFileAndType(const QString &filePath, Type type);
     TestTreeItem *findChildByNameAndFile(const QString &name, const QString &filePath);
 
     virtual bool canProvideTestConfiguration() const { return false; }
@@ -115,6 +116,7 @@ public:
     virtual QList<TestConfiguration *> getSelectedTestConfigurations() const;
     virtual bool lessThan(const TestTreeItem *other, SortMode mode) const;
     virtual TestTreeItem *find(const TestParseResult *result) = 0;
+    virtual TestTreeItem *findChild(const TestTreeItem *other) = 0;
     virtual bool modify(const TestParseResult *result) = 0;
     virtual bool isGroupNodeFor(const TestTreeItem *other) const;
     virtual TestTreeItem *createParentGroupNode() const = 0;
diff --git a/src/plugins/autotest/testtreemodel.cpp b/src/plugins/autotest/testtreemodel.cpp
index d525c717a2c..7260b272ca7 100644
--- a/src/plugins/autotest/testtreemodel.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/autotest/testtreemodel.cpp
@@ -317,6 +317,15 @@ bool TestTreeModel::sweepChildren(TestTreeItem *item)
     return hasChanged;
 }
 
+static TestTreeItem *fullCopyOf(TestTreeItem *other)
+{
+    QTC_ASSERT(other, return nullptr);
+    TestTreeItem *result = other->copyWithoutChildren();
+    for (int row = 0, count = other->childCount(); row < count; ++row)
+        result->appendChild(fullCopyOf(other->childItem(row)));
+    return result;
+}
+
 void TestTreeModel::insertItemInParent(TestTreeItem *item, TestTreeItem *root, bool groupingEnabled)
 {
     TestTreeItem *parentNode = root;
@@ -332,7 +341,16 @@ void TestTreeModel::insertItemInParent(TestTreeItem *item, TestTreeItem *root, b
                 root->appendChild(parentNode);
         }
     }
-    parentNode->appendChild(item);
+    // check if a similar item is already present (can happen for rebuild())
+    if (auto otherChild = parentNode->findChild(item)) {
+        // only handle item's children and add them to the already present one
+        for (int row = 0, count = item->childCount(); row < count; ++row)
+            otherChild->appendChild(fullCopyOf(item->childItem(row)));
+        delete item;
+        item = otherChild; // TODO needed? or early return?
+    } else {
+        parentNode->appendChild(item);
+    }
     if (item->checked() != parentNode->checked())
         revalidateCheckState(parentNode);
 }