diff --git a/src/libs/utils/treemodel.cpp b/src/libs/utils/treemodel.cpp
index 4869e0d238f..54b2be99894 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/treemodel.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/utils/treemodel.cpp
@@ -1027,23 +1027,24 @@ void TreeModel::clear()
    \note The item is not destroyed, ownership is effectively passed to the caller.
    */
 
-void TreeModel::takeItem(TreeItem *item)
+TreeItem *TreeModel::takeItem(TreeItem *item)
 {
 #if USE_MODEL_TEST
     (void) new ModelTest(this, this);
 #endif
 
-    QTC_ASSERT(item, return);
+    QTC_ASSERT(item, return item);
     TreeItem *parent = item->parent();
-    QTC_ASSERT(parent, return);
+    QTC_ASSERT(parent, return item);
     int pos = parent->m_children.indexOf(item);
-    QTC_ASSERT(pos != -1, return);
+    QTC_ASSERT(pos != -1, return item);
 
     QModelIndex idx = indexForItem(parent);
     beginRemoveRows(idx, pos, pos);
     item->m_parent = 0;
     parent->m_children.removeAt(pos);
     endRemoveRows();
+    return item;
 }
 
 //
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/treemodel.h b/src/libs/utils/treemodel.h
index 9be4dc805a3..6cd3dc9adf7 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/treemodel.h
+++ b/src/libs/utils/treemodel.h
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ public:
         return Utils::findOrDefault(itemsAtLevel<T>(level, start), f);
     }
 
-    void takeItem(TreeItem *item); // item is not destroyed.
+    TreeItem *takeItem(TreeItem *item); // item is not destroyed.
 
 signals:
     void requestExpansion(QModelIndex);
diff --git a/src/plugins/baremetal/gdbserverproviderssettingspage.cpp b/src/plugins/baremetal/gdbserverproviderssettingspage.cpp
index 7757bd7a91a..84708e8356d 100644
--- a/src/plugins/baremetal/gdbserverproviderssettingspage.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/baremetal/gdbserverproviderssettingspage.cpp
@@ -265,8 +265,7 @@ void GdbServerProviderModel::removeProvider(GdbServerProvider *provider)
     }
 
     n = findNode(rootItem()->children(), provider);
-    takeItem(n);
-    delete n;
+    delete takeItem(n);
 
     emit providerStateChanged();
 }
diff --git a/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakesettingspage.cpp b/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakesettingspage.cpp
index 3436b87e5dc..35808e404cf 100644
--- a/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakesettingspage.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakesettingspage.cpp
@@ -237,10 +237,8 @@ void CMakeToolItemModel::removeCMakeTool(const Core::Id &id)
     CMakeToolTreeItem *treeItem = cmakeToolItem(id);
     QTC_ASSERT(treeItem, return);
 
-    takeItem(treeItem);
+    delete takeItem(treeItem);
     m_removedItems.append(id);
-
-    delete treeItem;
 }
 
 void CMakeToolItemModel::apply()
diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/breakhandler.cpp b/src/plugins/debugger/breakhandler.cpp
index 7c9d7b1d62e..969b011a9c5 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/breakhandler.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/breakhandler.cpp
@@ -412,8 +412,7 @@ void BreakHandler::deletionHelper(BreakpointModelId id)
 {
     Breakpoint b = breakpointById(id);
     QTC_ASSERT(b, return);
-    takeItem(b.b);
-    delete b.b;
+    delete takeItem(b.b);
 }
 
 Breakpoint BreakHandler::findWatchpoint(const BreakpointParameters &params) const
@@ -1235,8 +1234,7 @@ void BreakHandler::changeLineNumberFromMarkerHelper(BreakpointModelId id)
     Breakpoint b = breakpointById(id);
     QTC_ASSERT(b, return);
     BreakpointParameters params = b.parameters();
-    takeItem(b.b);
-    delete b.b;
+    delete takeItem(b.b);
     appendBreakpoint(params);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggeroptionspage.cpp b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggeroptionspage.cpp
index 00198db40ed..1715cc9cbe6 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/debuggeroptionspage.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/debuggeroptionspage.cpp
@@ -165,8 +165,7 @@ void DebuggerItemModel::removeCurrentDebugger()
     QVariant id = m_currentTreeItem->m_item.id();
     DebuggerTreeItem *treeItem = m_currentTreeItem;
     m_currentTreeItem = 0;
-    takeItem(treeItem);
-    delete treeItem;
+    delete takeItem(treeItem);
     m_removedItems.append(id);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/debugger/watchhandler.cpp b/src/plugins/debugger/watchhandler.cpp
index 3c57479d157..4dbfdc30d38 100644
--- a/src/plugins/debugger/watchhandler.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/debugger/watchhandler.cpp
@@ -1251,8 +1251,7 @@ void WatchHandler::removeItemByIName(const QByteArray &iname)
         theWatcherNames.remove(item->exp);
         saveWatchers();
     }
-    m_model->takeItem(item);
-    delete item;
+    delete m_model->takeItem(item);
     updateWatchersWindow();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/kitmodel.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/kitmodel.cpp
index fd24304194e..cd676c70fc0 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/kitmodel.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/kitmodel.cpp
@@ -359,8 +359,7 @@ void KitModel::removeKit(Kit *k)
     if (node == m_defaultNode)
         setDefaultNode(findItemAtLevel<KitNode *>(2, [node](KitNode *kn) { return kn != node; }));
 
-    takeItem(node);
-    delete node;
+    delete takeItem(node);
 
     validateKitNames();
     emit kitStateChanged();
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/toolchainoptionspage.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/toolchainoptionspage.cpp
index 6482acebdb4..54fabc78668 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/toolchainoptionspage.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/toolchainoptionspage.cpp
@@ -259,8 +259,7 @@ void ToolChainOptionsWidget::removeToolChain(ToolChain *tc)
     TreeItem *parent = m_model.rootItem()->child(tc->isAutoDetected() ? 0 : 1);
     foreach (ToolChainTreeItem *item, m_model.itemsAtLevel<ToolChainTreeItem *>(1, parent)) {
         if (item->toolChain == tc) {
-            m_model.takeItem(item);
-            delete item;
+            delete m_model.takeItem(item);
             break;
         }
     }