diff --git a/src/plugins/texteditor/outlinefactory.cpp b/src/plugins/texteditor/outlinefactory.cpp
index 8c736a45396..e34d50c8b85 100644
--- a/src/plugins/texteditor/outlinefactory.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/texteditor/outlinefactory.cpp
@@ -7,14 +7,15 @@
 #include "ioutlinewidget.h"
 
 #include <coreplugin/coreconstants.h>
-#include <coreplugin/icore.h>
 #include <coreplugin/editormanager/editormanager.h>
 #include <coreplugin/editormanager/ieditor.h>
+#include <coreplugin/icore.h>
+#include <coreplugin/inavigationwidgetfactory.h>
 
-#include <utils/utilsicons.h>
 #include <utils/qtcassert.h>
 #include <utils/store.h>
 #include <utils/stylehelper.h>
+#include <utils/utilsicons.h>
 
 #include <QDebug>
 #include <QLabel>
@@ -25,9 +26,37 @@
 using namespace Utils;
 
 namespace TextEditor {
+namespace Internal {
+
+class OutlineFactory : public Core::INavigationWidgetFactory
+{
+    Q_OBJECT
+
+public:
+    OutlineFactory();
+
+    Core::NavigationView createWidget() override;
+    void saveSettings(Utils::QtcSettings *settings, int position, QWidget *widget) override;
+    void restoreSettings(Utils::QtcSettings *settings, int position, QWidget *widget) override;
+
+signals:
+    void updateOutline();
+};
+
+OutlineFactory &outlineFactory()
+{
+    static OutlineFactory theOutlineFactory;
+    return theOutlineFactory;
+}
+
+void setupOutlineFactory()
+{
+    (void) outlineFactory();
+}
+
+} // Internal
 
 static QList<IOutlineWidgetFactory *> g_outlineWidgetFactories;
-static QPointer<Internal::OutlineFactory> g_outlineFactory;
 
 IOutlineWidgetFactory::IOutlineWidgetFactory()
 {
@@ -41,8 +70,7 @@ IOutlineWidgetFactory::~IOutlineWidgetFactory()
 
 void IOutlineWidgetFactory::updateOutline()
 {
-    if (QTC_GUARD(!g_outlineFactory.isNull()))
-        emit g_outlineFactory->updateOutline();
+    emit Internal::outlineFactory().updateOutline();
 }
 
 namespace Internal {
@@ -243,8 +271,6 @@ void OutlineWidgetStack::updateEditor(Core::IEditor *editor)
 
 OutlineFactory::OutlineFactory()
 {
-    QTC_CHECK(g_outlineFactory.isNull());
-    g_outlineFactory = this;
     setDisplayName(Tr::tr("Outline"));
     setId("Outline");
     setPriority(600);
diff --git a/src/plugins/texteditor/outlinefactory.h b/src/plugins/texteditor/outlinefactory.h
index eae3efb7fcc..71357de8293 100644
--- a/src/plugins/texteditor/outlinefactory.h
+++ b/src/plugins/texteditor/outlinefactory.h
@@ -3,24 +3,8 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
-#include <coreplugin/inavigationwidgetfactory.h>
-
 namespace TextEditor::Internal {
 
-class OutlineFactory : public Core::INavigationWidgetFactory
-{
-    Q_OBJECT
-
-public:
-    OutlineFactory();
-
-    // from INavigationWidgetFactory
-    Core::NavigationView createWidget() override;
-    void saveSettings(Utils::QtcSettings *settings, int position, QWidget *widget) override;
-    void restoreSettings(Utils::QtcSettings *settings, int position, QWidget *widget) override;
-
-signals:
-    void updateOutline();
-};
+void setupOutlineFactory();
 
 } // TextEditor::Internal
diff --git a/src/plugins/texteditor/texteditorplugin.cpp b/src/plugins/texteditor/texteditorplugin.cpp
index f30dac41180..875d9f6e9ea 100644
--- a/src/plugins/texteditor/texteditorplugin.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/texteditor/texteditorplugin.cpp
@@ -101,7 +101,6 @@ public:
 
     TextEditorSettings settings;
     LineNumberFilter lineNumberFilter; // Goto line functionality for quick open
-    OutlineFactory outlineFactory;
 
     FindInFiles findInFilesFilter;
     FindInCurrentFile findInCurrentFileFilter;
@@ -284,6 +283,8 @@ TextEditorPlugin *TextEditorPlugin::instance()
 
 void TextEditorPlugin::initialize()
 {
+    setupOutlineFactory();
+
     d = new TextEditorPluginPrivate;
 
     Context context(TextEditor::Constants::C_TEXTEDITOR);