diff --git a/src/libs/qmleditorwidgets/gradientline.cpp b/src/libs/qmleditorwidgets/gradientline.cpp
index 2992ab951b2..7dd238f03b7 100644
--- a/src/libs/qmleditorwidgets/gradientline.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/qmleditorwidgets/gradientline.cpp
@@ -54,8 +54,6 @@ void GradientLine::setGradient(const QLinearGradient &gradient)
     m_gradient = gradient;
     m_useGradient = true;
     readGradient();
-    emit gradientChanged();
-
 }
 
 static inline QColor invertColor(const QColor color)
@@ -106,6 +104,8 @@ void GradientLine::setActiveColor(const QColor &newColor)
     m_colorList.removeAt(currentColorIndex());
     m_colorList.insert(currentColorIndex(), m_activeColor);
     updateGradient();
+    emit gradientChanged();
+    emit activeColorChanged();
     update();
 }
 
@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@ void GradientLine::keyPressEvent(QKeyEvent * event)
             m_stops.removeAt(currentColorIndex());
             m_colorList.removeAt(currentColorIndex());
             updateGradient();
+            emit gradientChanged();
             setCurrentIndex(0);
             //delete item
         }
@@ -271,6 +272,7 @@ void GradientLine::mouseReleaseEvent(QMouseEvent *event)
                 m_stops.removeAt(currentColorIndex());
                 m_colorList.removeAt(currentColorIndex());
                 updateGradient();
+                emit gradientChanged();
                 setCurrentIndex(0);
                 //delete item
             }
@@ -293,6 +295,7 @@ void GradientLine::mouseReleaseEvent(QMouseEvent *event)
     m_dragActive = false;
     m_yOffset = 0;
     updateGradient();
+    emit gradientChanged();
     update();
     setFocus(Qt::MouseFocusReason);
 }
@@ -349,7 +352,6 @@ void GradientLine::updateGradient()
             stops.append(QPair<qreal, QColor>(m_stops.at(i), m_colorList.at(i)));
         }
         m_gradient.setStops(stops);
-        emit gradientChanged();
     } else {
         if (!active())
             return;
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/components/propertyeditor/gradientlineqmladaptor.cpp b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/components/propertyeditor/gradientlineqmladaptor.cpp
index b6c3ad0f322..b92dfcec98a 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/components/propertyeditor/gradientlineqmladaptor.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/components/propertyeditor/gradientlineqmladaptor.cpp
@@ -94,8 +94,8 @@ void GradientLineQmlAdaptor::setupGradient()
         foreach (const ModelNode &stopNode, stopList) {
             QmlObjectNode stopObjectNode = stopNode;
             if (stopObjectNode.isValid()) {
-                qreal position = stopNode.variantProperty("position").value().toReal();
-                QColor color = stopNode.variantProperty("color").value().value<QColor>();
+                qreal position = stopObjectNode.modelValue("position").toReal();
+                QColor color = stopObjectNode.modelValue("color").value<QColor>();
                 stops.append( QPair<qreal, QColor>(position, color));
             }
         }
@@ -119,8 +119,6 @@ void GradientLineQmlAdaptor::writeGradient()
     if (!m_itemNode.modelNode().metaInfo().hasProperty(gradientName()))
         return;
     try {
-        RewriterTransaction transaction = m_itemNode.modelNode().view()->beginRewriterTransaction();
-
         ModelNode modelNode = m_itemNode.modelNode();
 
         QString oldId;
@@ -132,6 +130,9 @@ void GradientLineQmlAdaptor::writeGradient()
             }
 
             ModelNode gradientNode = modelNode.view()->createModelNode("QtQuick.Gradient", 1, 0);
+            modelNode.nodeProperty(gradientName()).reparentHere(gradientNode);
+
+            RewriterTransaction transaction = m_itemNode.modelNode().view()->beginRewriterTransaction();
 
             if (!oldId.isNull())
                 gradientNode.setId(oldId);
@@ -142,7 +143,6 @@ void GradientLineQmlAdaptor::writeGradient()
                 gradientStopNode.variantProperty("color") = normalizeColor(stops.at(i).second);
                 gradientNode.nodeListProperty("stops").reparentHere(gradientStopNode);
             }
-            modelNode.nodeProperty(gradientName()).reparentHere(gradientNode);
         } else { //state
             if  (!modelNode.hasProperty(gradientName())) {
                 qWarning(" GradientLine::updateGradient: no gradient in state");