diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/coreplugin.cpp b/src/plugins/coreplugin/coreplugin.cpp
index 379e198d133..7e7d05cfaa9 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/coreplugin.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/coreplugin.cpp
@@ -71,7 +71,6 @@ using namespace Utils;
 CorePlugin::CorePlugin()
   : m_mainWindow(0)
   , m_editMode(0)
-  , m_designMode(0)
   , m_locator(0)
 {
     qRegisterMetaType<Id>();
@@ -90,11 +89,7 @@ CorePlugin::~CorePlugin()
         delete m_editMode;
     }
 
-    if (m_designMode) {
-        if (DesignMode::designModeIsRequired())
-            removeObject(m_designMode);
-        delete m_designMode;
-    }
+    DesignMode::destroyModeIfRequired();
 
     delete m_mainWindow;
     setCreatorTheme(0);
@@ -159,7 +154,6 @@ bool CorePlugin::initialize(const QStringList &arguments, QString *errorMessage)
         m_editMode = new EditMode;
         addObject(m_editMode);
         ModeManager::activateMode(m_editMode->id());
-        m_designMode = new DesignMode;
         InfoBar::initialize(ICore::settings(), creatorTheme());
     }
 
@@ -226,8 +220,7 @@ bool CorePlugin::initialize(const QStringList &arguments, QString *errorMessage)
 
 void CorePlugin::extensionsInitialized()
 {
-    if (DesignMode::designModeIsRequired())
-        addObject(m_designMode);
+    DesignMode::createModeIfRequired();
     Find::extensionsInitialized();
     m_locator->extensionsInitialized();
     m_mainWindow->extensionsInitialized();
diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/coreplugin.h b/src/plugins/coreplugin/coreplugin.h
index 2f86226a711..32c3f94f2bd 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/coreplugin.h
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/coreplugin.h
@@ -38,9 +38,6 @@ class PathChooser;
 }
 
 namespace Core {
-
-class DesignMode;
-
 namespace Internal {
 
 class EditMode;
@@ -83,7 +80,6 @@ private:
 
     MainWindow *m_mainWindow;
     EditMode *m_editMode;
-    DesignMode *m_designMode;
     Locator *m_locator;
     ReaperPrivate m_reaper;
 };
diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/designmode.cpp b/src/plugins/coreplugin/designmode.cpp
index 33a016129cf..735121192ac 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/designmode.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/designmode.cpp
@@ -29,10 +29,11 @@
 #include <coreplugin/idocument.h>
 #include <coreplugin/modemanager.h>
 #include <coreplugin/editormanager/editormanager.h>
+#include <coreplugin/editormanager/ieditor.h>
 #include <coreplugin/coreconstants.h>
 #include <coreplugin/coreicons.h>
 
-#include <coreplugin/editormanager/ieditor.h>
+#include <extensionsystem/pluginmanager.h>
 
 #include <QPointer>
 #include <QStringList>
@@ -59,7 +60,6 @@ public:
 public:
     QPointer<IEditor> m_currentEditor;
     bool m_isActive = false;
-    bool m_isRequired = false;
     QList<DesignEditorInfo*> m_editors;
     QStackedWidget *m_stackWidget;
     Context m_activeContext;
@@ -79,9 +79,6 @@ static DesignModePrivate *d = nullptr;
 
 DesignMode::DesignMode()
 {
-    m_instance = this;
-    d = new DesignModePrivate;
-
     ICore::addPreCloseListener([]() -> bool {
         m_instance->currentEditorChanged(0);
         return true;
@@ -107,7 +104,6 @@ DesignMode::DesignMode()
 DesignMode::~DesignMode()
 {
     qDeleteAll(d->m_editors);
-    delete d;
 }
 
 DesignMode *DesignMode::instance()
@@ -117,12 +113,9 @@ DesignMode *DesignMode::instance()
 
 void DesignMode::setDesignModeIsRequired()
 {
-    d->m_isRequired = true;
-}
-
-bool DesignMode::designModeIsRequired()
-{
-    return d->m_isRequired;
+    // d != nullptr indicates "isRequired".
+    if (!d)
+        d = new DesignModePrivate;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -227,4 +220,21 @@ void DesignMode::setActiveContext(const Context &context)
     d->m_activeContext = context;
 }
 
+void DesignMode::createModeIfRequired()
+{
+    if (d) {
+        m_instance = new DesignMode;
+        ExtensionSystem::PluginManager::addObject(m_instance);
+    }
+}
+
+void DesignMode::destroyModeIfRequired()
+{
+    if (m_instance) {
+        ExtensionSystem::PluginManager::removeObject(m_instance);
+        delete m_instance;
+    }
+    delete d;
+}
+
 } // namespace Core
diff --git a/src/plugins/coreplugin/designmode.h b/src/plugins/coreplugin/designmode.h
index 0bda118c74d..be9dc897e7f 100644
--- a/src/plugins/coreplugin/designmode.h
+++ b/src/plugins/coreplugin/designmode.h
@@ -42,23 +42,25 @@ class CORE_EXPORT DesignMode : public IMode
     Q_OBJECT
 
 public:
-    explicit DesignMode();
-    virtual ~DesignMode();
-
     static DesignMode *instance();
 
     static void setDesignModeIsRequired();
-    static bool designModeIsRequired();
 
     static void registerDesignWidget(QWidget *widget,
                                      const QStringList &mimeTypes,
                                      const Context &context);
     static void unregisterDesignWidget(QWidget *widget);
 
+    static void createModeIfRequired();
+    static void destroyModeIfRequired();
+
 signals:
     void actionsUpdated(Core::IEditor *editor);
 
 private:
+    DesignMode();
+    ~DesignMode() final;
+
     void updateActions();
 
     void currentEditorChanged(IEditor *editor);
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/qmldesignerplugin.cpp b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/qmldesignerplugin.cpp
index 21fd06824a9..84ab7d25db3 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/qmldesignerplugin.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/qmldesignerplugin.cpp
@@ -199,6 +199,9 @@ bool QmlDesignerPlugin::delayedInitialize()
     d->viewManager.registerFormEditorToolTakingOwnership(new QmlDesigner::TextTool);
     d->viewManager.registerFormEditorToolTakingOwnership(new QmlDesigner::PathTool);
 
+    connect(Core::DesignMode::instance(), &Core::DesignMode::actionsUpdated,
+        &d->shortCutManager, &ShortCutManager::updateActions);
+
     return true;
 }
 
@@ -253,9 +256,6 @@ void QmlDesignerPlugin::integrateIntoQtCreator(QWidget *modeWidget)
 
     Core::DesignMode::registerDesignWidget(modeWidget, mimeTypes, d->context->context());
 
-    connect(Core::DesignMode::instance(), &Core::DesignMode::actionsUpdated,
-        &d->shortCutManager, &ShortCutManager::updateActions);
-
     connect(Core::EditorManager::instance(), &Core::EditorManager::currentEditorChanged, [this] (Core::IEditor *editor) {
         if (d && checkIfEditorIsQtQuick(editor) && isInDesignerMode())
             changeEditor();