diff --git a/src/plugins/cpptools/cpptoolsplugin.cpp b/src/plugins/cpptools/cpptoolsplugin.cpp
index 39144d05a2f..b811ddb88c9 100644
--- a/src/plugins/cpptools/cpptoolsplugin.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/cpptools/cpptoolsplugin.cpp
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ using namespace CPlusPlus;
 
 enum { debug = 0 };
 
-CppToolsPlugin *CppToolsPlugin::m_instance = 0;
+static CppToolsPlugin *m_instance = 0;
 
 CppToolsPlugin::CppToolsPlugin() :
     m_modelManager(0),
@@ -310,9 +310,9 @@ QString CppToolsPlugin::correspondingHeaderOrSourceI(const QString &fileName) co
     return QString();
 }
 
-QString CppToolsPlugin::correspondingHeaderOrSource(const QString &fileName) const
+QString CppToolsPlugin::correspondingHeaderOrSource(const QString &fileName)
 {
-    const QString rc = correspondingHeaderOrSourceI(fileName);
+    const QString rc = m_instance->correspondingHeaderOrSourceI(fileName);
     if (debug)
         qDebug() << Q_FUNC_INFO << fileName << rc;
     return rc;
diff --git a/src/plugins/cpptools/cpptoolsplugin.h b/src/plugins/cpptools/cpptoolsplugin.h
index a7a5dcac073..14eca4461fb 100644
--- a/src/plugins/cpptools/cpptoolsplugin.h
+++ b/src/plugins/cpptools/cpptoolsplugin.h
@@ -64,8 +64,6 @@ class CppToolsPlugin : public ExtensionSystem::IPlugin
     Q_DISABLE_COPY(CppToolsPlugin)
     Q_OBJECT
 public:
-    static CppToolsPlugin *instance() { return m_instance; }
-
     CppToolsPlugin();
     ~CppToolsPlugin();
 
@@ -73,7 +71,7 @@ public:
     void extensionsInitialized();
     ShutdownFlag aboutToShutdown();
     CppModelManager *cppModelManager() { return m_modelManager; }
-    QString correspondingHeaderOrSource(const QString &fileName) const;
+    static QString correspondingHeaderOrSource(const QString &fileName);
 
 private slots:
     void switchHeaderSource();
@@ -85,8 +83,6 @@ private:
     CppModelManager *m_modelManager;
     QSharedPointer<CppFileSettings> m_fileSettings;
     CppToolsSettings *m_settings;
-
-    static CppToolsPlugin *m_instance;
 };
 
 } // namespace Internal
diff --git a/src/plugins/cpptools/insertionpointlocator.cpp b/src/plugins/cpptools/insertionpointlocator.cpp
index fb02c149e40..b239038e5a7 100644
--- a/src/plugins/cpptools/insertionpointlocator.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/cpptools/insertionpointlocator.cpp
@@ -330,8 +330,7 @@ QList<InsertionLocation> InsertionPointLocator::methodDefinition(
                                                    declaration->fileNameLength());
     QString target = declFileName;
     if (!isSourceFile(declFileName)) {
-        Internal::CppToolsPlugin *cpptools = Internal::CppToolsPlugin::instance();
-        QString candidate = cpptools->correspondingHeaderOrSource(declFileName);
+        QString candidate = Internal::CppToolsPlugin::correspondingHeaderOrSource(declFileName);
         if (!candidate.isEmpty())
             target = candidate;
     }