diff --git a/src/plugins/help/helpplugin.cpp b/src/plugins/help/helpplugin.cpp
index 20570594835..4595ff3151b 100644
--- a/src/plugins/help/helpplugin.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/help/helpplugin.cpp
@@ -349,6 +349,7 @@ HelpViewer *HelpPlugin::externalHelpViewer()
     if (m_externalWindow)
         return m_externalWindow->currentViewer();
     doSetupIfNeeded();
+    // Deletion for this widget is taken care of in HelpPlugin::aboutToShutdown().
     m_externalWindow = createHelpWidget(Context(Constants::C_HELP_EXTERNAL),
                                         HelpWidget::ExternalWindow);
     if (m_externalWindowState.isNull()) {
@@ -535,6 +536,8 @@ void HelpPlugin::showInHelpViewer(const QUrl &url, HelpViewer *viewer)
     viewer->stop();
     viewer->setSource(url);
     ICore::raiseWindow(viewer);
+    // Show the parent top-level-widget in case it was closed previously.
+    viewer->window()->show();
 }
 
 HelpViewer *HelpPlugin::viewerForContextHelp()
diff --git a/src/plugins/help/helpwidget.cpp b/src/plugins/help/helpwidget.cpp
index feb6c3ffa43..79336520f03 100644
--- a/src/plugins/help/helpwidget.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/help/helpwidget.cpp
@@ -127,7 +127,6 @@ HelpWidget::HelpWidget(const Core::Context &context, WidgetStyle style, QWidget
         static int windowId = 0;
         Core::ICore::registerWindow(this,
                                     Core::Context(Core::Id("Help.Window.").withSuffix(++windowId)));
-        setAttribute(Qt::WA_DeleteOnClose);
         setAttribute(Qt::WA_QuitOnClose, false); // don't prevent Qt Creator from closing
     }
     if (style != SideBarWidget) {