diff --git a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/CMakeLists.txt b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/CMakeLists.txt
index b748886cfbe..d3da2d341c3 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ add_qtc_plugin(QmlDesigner
     dynamiclicensecheck.h
     generateresource.cpp generateresource.h
     openuiqmlfiledialog.cpp openuiqmlfiledialog.h openuiqmlfiledialog.ui
+    puppetenvironmentbuilder.cpp puppetenvironmentbuilder.h
     qmldesignerconstants.h
     qmldesignericons.h
     qmldesignerplugin.cpp qmldesignerplugin.h
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/designercore/instances/puppetstartdata.h b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/designercore/instances/puppetstartdata.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1cd476759ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/designercore/instances/puppetstartdata.h
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2022 The Qt Company Ltd.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: LicenseRef-Qt-Commercial OR GPL-3.0+ OR GPL-3.0 WITH Qt-GPL-exception-1.0
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include <QProcessEnvironment>
+#include <QString>
+
+namespace QmlDesigner {
+
+class PuppetStartData
+{
+public:
+    QString puppetPath;
+    QString workingDirectoryPath;
+    QString forwardOutput;
+    QString freeTypeOption;
+    QString debugPuppet;
+    QProcessEnvironment environment;
+};
+} // namespace QmlDesigner
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/designercore/instances/puppetstarter.cpp b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/designercore/instances/puppetstarter.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..63b2ad53599
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/designercore/instances/puppetstarter.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2022 The Qt Company Ltd.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: LicenseRef-Qt-Commercial OR GPL-3.0+ OR GPL-3.0 WITH Qt-GPL-exception-1.0
+
+#include "puppetstarter.h"
+
+#include <QCoreApplication>
+#include <QMessageBox>
+#include <QProcess>
+
+namespace QmlDesigner {
+
+PuppetStarter::PuppetStarter(ProjectExplorer::Target *target, const Model *model)
+
+    : m_target(target)
+    , m_availablePuppetType(FallbackPuppet)
+    , m_model(model)
+{
+}
+
+QProcessUniquePointer PuppetStarter::createPuppetProcess(
+    const PuppetStartData &data,
+    const QString &puppetMode,
+    const QString &socketToken,
+    std::function<void()> processOutputCallback,
+    std::function<void(int, QProcess::ExitStatus)> processFinishCallback,
+    const QStringList &customOptions) const
+{
+    return puppetProcess(data.puppetPath,
+                         data.workingDirectoryPath,
+                         data.forwardOutput,
+                         data.freeTypeOption,
+                         data.debugPuppet,
+                         data.environment,
+                         puppetMode,
+                         socketToken,
+                         processOutputCallback,
+                         processFinishCallback,
+                         customOptions);
+}
+
+QProcessUniquePointer PuppetStarter::puppetProcess(
+    const QString &puppetPath,
+    const QString &workingDirectory,
+    const QString &forwardOutput,
+    const QString &freeTypeOption,
+    const QString &debugPuppet,
+    const QProcessEnvironment &processEnvironment,
+    const QString &puppetMode,
+    const QString &socketToken,
+    std::function<void()> processOutputCallback,
+    std::function<void(int, QProcess::ExitStatus)> processFinishCallback,
+    const QStringList &customOptions) const
+{
+    QProcessUniquePointer puppetProcess{new QProcess};
+    puppetProcess->setObjectName(puppetMode);
+    puppetProcess->setProcessEnvironment(processEnvironment);
+
+    QObject::connect(QCoreApplication::instance(),
+                     &QCoreApplication::aboutToQuit,
+                     puppetProcess.get(),
+                     &QProcess::kill);
+    QObject::connect(puppetProcess.get(),
+                     static_cast<void (QProcess::*)(int, QProcess::ExitStatus)>(&QProcess::finished),
+                     processFinishCallback);
+
+    if (forwardOutput == puppetMode || forwardOutput == "all") {
+        puppetProcess->setProcessChannelMode(QProcess::MergedChannels);
+        QObject::connect(puppetProcess.get(), &QProcess::readyRead, processOutputCallback);
+    }
+    puppetProcess->setWorkingDirectory(workingDirectory);
+
+    QStringList processArguments;
+    if (puppetMode == "custom")
+        processArguments = customOptions;
+    else
+        processArguments = {socketToken, puppetMode};
+
+    processArguments.push_back("-graphicssystem raster");
+    processArguments.push_back(freeTypeOption);
+
+    puppetProcess->start(puppetPath, processArguments);
+
+    if (debugPuppet == puppetMode || debugPuppet == "all") {
+        QMessageBox::information(
+            nullptr,
+            QCoreApplication::translate("PuppetStarter", "Puppet is starting..."),
+            QCoreApplication::translate(
+                "PuppetStarter",
+                "You can now attach your debugger to the %1 puppet with process id: %2.")
+                .arg(puppetMode, QString::number(puppetProcess->processId())));
+    }
+
+    return puppetProcess;
+}
+
+} // namespace QmlDesigner
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/designercore/instances/puppetstarter.h b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/designercore/instances/puppetstarter.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9bae37cdb6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/designercore/instances/puppetstarter.h
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2022 The Qt Company Ltd.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: LicenseRef-Qt-Commercial OR GPL-3.0+ OR GPL-3.0 WITH Qt-GPL-exception-1.0
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include "qprocessuniqueptr.h"
+
+#include <puppetstartdata.h>
+
+#include <utils/id.h>
+
+#include <QString>
+#include <QProcessEnvironment>
+
+#include <designersettings.h>
+
+namespace ProjectExplorer {
+class Target;
+} // namespace ProjectExplorer
+
+namespace QmlDesigner {
+
+class PuppetBuildProgressDialog;
+class Model;
+
+class PuppetStarter
+{
+public:
+    enum PuppetType { FallbackPuppet, UserSpacePuppet, BinPathPuppet };
+
+    PuppetStarter(ProjectExplorer::Target *target, const Model *model);
+
+    void createQml2PuppetExecutableIfMissing();
+
+    QProcessUniquePointer createPuppetProcess(
+        const PuppetStartData &data,
+        const QString &puppetMode,
+        const QString &socketToken,
+        std::function<void()> processOutputCallback,
+        std::function<void(int, QProcess::ExitStatus)> processFinishCallback,
+        const QStringList &customOptions = {}) const;
+
+    void setQrcMappingString(const QString qrcMapping);
+
+    static QString defaultPuppetToplevelBuildDirectory();
+    static QString defaultPuppetFallbackDirectory();
+    static QString qmlPuppetFallbackDirectory(const DesignerSettings &settings);
+
+protected:
+    bool startBuildProcess(const QString &buildDirectoryPath,
+                           const QString &command,
+                           const QStringList &processArguments = QStringList(),
+                           PuppetBuildProgressDialog *progressDialog = nullptr) const;
+    static QString puppetSourceDirectoryPath();
+    static QString qml2PuppetProjectFile();
+
+    bool checkPuppetIsReady(const QString &puppetPath) const;
+    bool qtIsSupported() const;
+    QProcessUniquePointer puppetProcess(const QString &puppetPath,
+                                        const QString &workingDirectory,
+                                        const QString &forwardOutput,
+                                        const QString &freeTypeOption,
+                                        const QString &debugPuppet,
+                                        const QProcessEnvironment &processEnvironment,
+                                        const QString &puppetMode,
+                                        const QString &socketToken,
+                                        std::function<void()> processOutputCallback,
+                                        std::function<void(int, QProcess::ExitStatus)> processFinishCallback,
+                                        const QStringList &customOptions) const;
+
+    QProcessEnvironment processEnvironment() const;
+
+    QString buildCommand() const;
+    QString qmakeCommand() const;
+
+    QByteArray qtHash() const;
+    QDateTime qtLastModified() const;
+    QDateTime puppetSourceLastModified() const;
+
+    bool useOnlyFallbackPuppet() const;
+    QString getStyleConfigFileName() const;
+    bool usesVirtualKeyboard() const;
+
+private:
+    mutable QString m_compileLog;
+    ProjectExplorer::Target *m_target = nullptr;
+    PuppetType m_availablePuppetType;
+    static QHash<Utils::Id, PuppetType> m_qml2PuppetForKitPuppetHash;
+    const Model *m_model = nullptr;
+    QString m_qrcMapping;
+};
+
+} // namespace QmlDesigner
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/puppetenvironmentbuilder.cpp b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/puppetenvironmentbuilder.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..24e0469f048
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/puppetenvironmentbuilder.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,241 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2022 The Qt Company Ltd.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: LicenseRef-Qt-Commercial OR GPL-3.0+ OR GPL-3.0 WITH Qt-GPL-exception-1.0
+
+#include "puppetenvironmentbuilder.h"
+#include "designersettings.h"
+#include "qmldesignerplugin.h"
+
+#include <model.h>
+
+#include <projectexplorer/kit.h>
+#include <projectexplorer/target.h>
+#include <utils/algorithm.h>
+#include <utils/hostosinfo.h>
+#include <qmlprojectmanager/qmlmultilanguageaspect.h>
+#include <qmlprojectmanager/qmlproject.h>
+#include <qtsupport/qtkitinformation.h>
+#include <qtsupport/qtversions.h>
+
+#include <QLibraryInfo>
+
+namespace QmlDesigner {
+
+namespace {
+Q_LOGGING_CATEGORY(puppetEnvirmentBuild, "qtc.puppet.environmentBuild", QtWarningMsg)
+
+void filterOutQtBaseImportPath(QStringList *stringList)
+{
+    Utils::erase(*stringList, [](const QString &string) {
+        QDir dir(string);
+        return dir.dirName() == "qml"
+               && !dir.entryInfoList(QStringList("QtTest"), QDir::Dirs).isEmpty();
+    });
+}
+
+Utils::FilePath pathForBinPuppet(ProjectExplorer::Target *target)
+{
+    if (!target || !target->kit())
+        return {};
+
+    QtSupport::QtVersion *currentQtVersion = QtSupport::QtKitAspect::qtVersion(target->kit());
+
+    if (currentQtVersion)
+        return currentQtVersion->binPath().pathAppended("qml2puppet").withExecutableSuffix();
+
+    return {};
+}
+
+} // namespace
+
+QProcessEnvironment PuppetEnvironmentBuilder::processEnvironment() const
+{
+    qCInfo(puppetEnvirmentBuild) << Q_FUNC_INFO;
+    m_availablePuppetType = determinePuppetType();
+    m_environment = Utils::Environment::systemEnvironment();
+
+    addKit();
+    addRendering();
+    addControls();
+    addPixelRatio();
+    addVirtualKeyboard();
+    addForceQApplication();
+    addImportPaths();
+    addCustomFileSelectors();
+
+    qCInfo(puppetEnvirmentBuild) << "Puppet environment:" << m_environment.toStringList();
+
+    return m_environment.toProcessEnvironment();
+}
+
+bool PuppetEnvironmentBuilder::usesVirtualKeyboard() const
+{
+    if (m_target) {
+        auto *qmlbuild = qobject_cast<QmlProjectManager::QmlBuildSystem *>(m_target->buildSystem());
+
+        const Utils::EnvironmentItem virtualKeyboard("QT_IM_MODULE", "qtvirtualkeyboard");
+        return qmlbuild && qmlbuild->environment().indexOf(virtualKeyboard);
+    }
+
+    return false;
+}
+
+QString PuppetEnvironmentBuilder::getStyleConfigFileName() const
+{
+    if (m_target) {
+        for (const Utils::FilePath &fileName :
+             m_target->project()->files(ProjectExplorer::Project::SourceFiles)) {
+            if (fileName.fileName() == "qtquickcontrols2.conf")
+                return fileName.toString();
+        }
+    }
+
+    return {};
+}
+
+void PuppetEnvironmentBuilder::addKit() const
+{
+    if (m_target) {
+        if (m_availablePuppetType == PuppetType::Kit) {
+            m_target->kit()->addToBuildEnvironment(m_environment);
+            const QtSupport::QtVersion *qt = QtSupport::QtKitAspect::qtVersion(m_target->kit());
+            if (qt) { // Kits without a Qt version should not have a puppet!
+                // Update PATH to include QT_HOST_BINS
+                m_environment.prependOrSetPath(qt->hostBinPath());
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+void PuppetEnvironmentBuilder::addRendering() const
+{
+    m_environment.set("QML_BAD_GUI_RENDER_LOOP", "true");
+    m_environment.set("QML_PUPPET_MODE", "true");
+    m_environment.set("QML_DISABLE_DISK_CACHE", "true");
+    m_environment.set("QMLPUPPET_RENDER_EFFECTS", "true");
+    if (!m_environment.hasKey("QT_SCREEN_SCALE_FACTORS") && !m_environment.hasKey("QT_SCALE_FACTOR"))
+        m_environment.set("QT_AUTO_SCREEN_SCALE_FACTOR", "1");
+
+    const bool smoothRendering = m_designerSettings.value(DesignerSettingsKey::SMOOTH_RENDERING).toBool();
+
+    if (smoothRendering)
+        m_environment.set("QMLPUPPET_SMOOTH_RENDERING", "true");
+}
+
+void PuppetEnvironmentBuilder::addControls() const
+{
+    const QString controlsStyle = m_designerSettings.value(DesignerSettingsKey::CONTROLS_STYLE).toString();
+
+    if (!controlsStyle.isEmpty()) {
+        m_environment.set("QT_QUICK_CONTROLS_STYLE", controlsStyle);
+        m_environment.set("QT_LABS_CONTROLS_STYLE", controlsStyle);
+    }
+
+    const QString styleConfigFileName = getStyleConfigFileName();
+
+    if (!styleConfigFileName.isEmpty())
+        m_environment.appendOrSet("QT_QUICK_CONTROLS_CONF", styleConfigFileName);
+}
+
+void PuppetEnvironmentBuilder::addPixelRatio() const
+{
+    m_environment.set("FORMEDITOR_DEVICE_PIXEL_RATIO",
+                      QString::number(QmlDesignerPlugin::formEditorDevicePixelRatio()));
+}
+
+void PuppetEnvironmentBuilder::addVirtualKeyboard() const
+{
+    if (usesVirtualKeyboard()) {
+        m_environment.set("QT_IM_MODULE", "qtvirtualkeyboard");
+        m_environment.set("QT_VIRTUALKEYBOARD_DESKTOP_DISABLE", "1");
+    }
+}
+
+void PuppetEnvironmentBuilder::addQuick3D() const
+{
+    // set env var if QtQuick3D import exists
+    QmlDesigner::Import import = QmlDesigner::Import::createLibraryImport("QtQuick3D", "1.0");
+    if (m_model.hasImport(import, true, true))
+        m_environment.set("QMLDESIGNER_QUICK3D_MODE", "true");
+
+    import = QmlDesigner::Import::createLibraryImport("QtQuick3D.Particles3D", "1.0");
+    if (m_model.hasImport(import, true, true))
+        m_environment.set("QMLDESIGNER_QUICK3D_PARTICLES3D_MODE", "true");
+
+    bool particlemode = m_designerSettings.value("particleMode").toBool();
+    if (!particlemode)
+        m_environment.set("QT_QUICK3D_DISABLE_PARTICLE_SYSTEMS", "1");
+    else
+        m_environment.set("QT_QUICK3D_EDITOR_PARTICLE_SYSTEMS", "1");
+}
+
+void PuppetEnvironmentBuilder::addForceQApplication() const
+{
+    auto import = QmlDesigner::Import::createLibraryImport("QtCharts", "2.0");
+    if (m_model.hasImport(import, true, true)) {
+        m_environment.set("QMLDESIGNER_FORCE_QAPPLICATION", "true");
+    } else if (m_target) {
+        auto bs = qobject_cast<QmlProjectManager::QmlBuildSystem *>(m_target->buildSystem());
+        if (bs && bs->widgetApp())
+            m_environment.set("QMLDESIGNER_FORCE_QAPPLICATION", "true");
+    }
+}
+
+void PuppetEnvironmentBuilder::addMultiLanguageDatatbase() const
+{
+    if (m_target) {
+        if (auto multiLanguageAspect = QmlProjectManager::QmlMultiLanguageAspect::current(m_target)) {
+            if (!multiLanguageAspect->databaseFilePath().isEmpty())
+                m_environment.set("QT_MULTILANGUAGE_DATABASE",
+                                  multiLanguageAspect->databaseFilePath().toString());
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+void PuppetEnvironmentBuilder::addImportPaths() const
+{
+    QStringList importPaths = m_model.importPaths();
+
+    if (m_availablePuppetType == PuppetType::Fallback)
+        filterOutQtBaseImportPath(&importPaths);
+
+    if (m_target) {
+        QStringList designerImports = m_target->additionalData("QmlDesignerImportPath").toStringList();
+        importPaths.append(designerImports);
+    }
+
+    if (m_availablePuppetType == PuppetType::Fallback)
+        importPaths.prepend(QLibraryInfo::location(QLibraryInfo::Qml2ImportsPath));
+
+    constexpr auto pathSep = Utils::HostOsInfo::pathListSeparator();
+    m_environment.appendOrSet("QML2_IMPORT_PATH", importPaths.join(pathSep), pathSep);
+
+    qCInfo(puppetEnvirmentBuild) << "Puppet import paths:" << importPaths;
+}
+
+void PuppetEnvironmentBuilder::addCustomFileSelectors() const
+{
+    QStringList customFileSelectors;
+
+    if (m_target)
+        customFileSelectors = m_target->additionalData("CustomFileSelectorsData").toStringList();
+
+    customFileSelectors.append("DesignMode");
+
+    constexpr auto pathSep = Utils::HostOsInfo::pathListSeparator();
+    if (!customFileSelectors.isEmpty())
+        m_environment.appendOrSet("QML_FILE_SELECTORS", customFileSelectors.join(","), pathSep);
+
+    qCInfo(puppetEnvirmentBuild) << "Puppet selectors:" << customFileSelectors;
+}
+
+PuppetType PuppetEnvironmentBuilder::determinePuppetType() const
+{
+    if (m_target && m_target->kit() && m_target->kit()->isValid()) {
+        if (pathForBinPuppet(m_target).isExecutableFile())
+            return PuppetType::Kit;
+    }
+
+    return PuppetType::Fallback;
+}
+
+} // namespace QmlDesigner
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/puppetenvironmentbuilder.h b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/puppetenvironmentbuilder.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..09aab672a20
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/puppetenvironmentbuilder.h
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2022 The Qt Company Ltd.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: LicenseRef-Qt-Commercial OR GPL-3.0+ OR GPL-3.0 WITH Qt-GPL-exception-1.0
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include <utils/environment.h>
+
+#include <QProcessEnvironment>
+
+namespace ProjectExplorer {
+class Target;
+}
+
+namespace QmlDesigner {
+
+enum class PuppetType { Fallback, UserSpace, Kit };
+
+class PuppetEnvironmentBuilder
+{
+public:
+    PuppetEnvironmentBuilder(ProjectExplorer::Target *target,
+                             const class DesignerSettings &designerSettings,
+                             const class Model &model)
+        : m_target(target)
+        , m_designerSettings(designerSettings)
+        , m_model(model)
+    {}
+
+    QProcessEnvironment processEnvironment() const;
+
+private:
+    PuppetType determinePuppetType() const;
+    bool usesVirtualKeyboard() const;
+    QString getStyleConfigFileName() const;
+    void addKit() const;
+    void addRendering() const;
+    void addControls() const;
+    void addPixelRatio() const;
+    void addVirtualKeyboard() const;
+    void addQuick3D() const;
+    void addForceQApplication() const;
+    void addMultiLanguageDatatbase() const;
+    void addImportPaths() const;
+    void addCustomFileSelectors() const;
+
+private:
+    ProjectExplorer::Target *m_target = nullptr;
+    const DesignerSettings &m_designerSettings;
+    const Model &m_model;
+    mutable PuppetType m_availablePuppetType = {};
+    mutable Utils::Environment m_environment;
+};
+
+} // namespace QmlDesigner
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/qmldesignercore.cmake b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/qmldesignercore.cmake
index c2dd2d6d5a3..7863ba30726 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/qmldesignercore.cmake
+++ b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/qmldesignercore.cmake
@@ -225,6 +225,9 @@ function(extend_with_qmldesigner_core target_name)
       instances/puppetbuildprogressdialog.h
       instances/puppetcreator.cpp
       instances/puppetcreator.h
+      instances/puppetstarter.cpp
+      instances/puppetstarter.h
+      instances/puppetstartdata.h
       instances/puppetdialog.cpp
       instances/puppetdialog.h
       instances/qprocessuniqueptr.h