diff --git a/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakeprojectplugin.cpp b/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakeprojectplugin.cpp
index 21de63dc3ce..e497279fc54 100644
--- a/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakeprojectplugin.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmakeprojectplugin.cpp
@@ -46,9 +46,6 @@ namespace CMakeProjectManager::Internal {
 class CMakeProjectPluginPrivate : public QObject
 {
 public:
-    // This can't be stand-alone yet as it registers in the plugin object pool
-    CMakeToolManager cmakeToolManager;
-
     Action buildTargetContextAction{
         Tr::tr("Build"),
         Tr::tr("Build \"%1\""),
@@ -79,6 +76,8 @@ class CMakeProjectPlugin final : public ExtensionSystem::IPlugin
 
     void initialize() final
     {
+        setupCMakeToolManager(this);
+
         d = new CMakeProjectPluginPrivate;
 
         setupCMakeManager();
diff --git a/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmaketoolmanager.cpp b/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmaketoolmanager.cpp
index 19d7d5f2c12..b6caf2a7f4e 100644
--- a/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmaketoolmanager.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmaketoolmanager.cpp
@@ -170,13 +170,10 @@ public:
 };
 
 static CMakeToolManagerPrivate *d = nullptr;
-CMakeToolManager *CMakeToolManager::m_instance = nullptr;
+static CMakeToolManager *m_instance = nullptr;
 
 CMakeToolManager::CMakeToolManager()
 {
-    QTC_ASSERT(!m_instance, return);
-    m_instance = this;
-
     qRegisterMetaType<QString *>();
 
     d = new CMakeToolManagerPrivate;
@@ -224,7 +221,7 @@ bool CMakeToolManager::registerCMakeTool(std::unique_ptr<CMakeTool> &&tool)
 
     d->m_cmakeTools.emplace_back(std::move(tool));
 
-    emit CMakeToolManager::m_instance->cmakeAdded(toolId);
+    emit m_instance->cmakeAdded(toolId);
 
     ensureDefaultCMakeToolIsValid();
 
@@ -438,4 +435,10 @@ void CMakeToolManager::ensureDefaultCMakeToolIsValid()
         emit m_instance->defaultCMakeChanged();
 }
 
+void Internal::setupCMakeToolManager(QObject *guard)
+{
+    m_instance = new CMakeToolManager;
+    m_instance->setParent(guard);
+}
+
 } // CMakeProjectManager
diff --git a/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmaketoolmanager.h b/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmaketoolmanager.h
index 761ba22ad76..3377e1733f5 100644
--- a/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmaketoolmanager.h
+++ b/src/plugins/cmakeprojectmanager/cmaketoolmanager.h
@@ -64,10 +64,10 @@ signals:
 private:
     static void saveCMakeTools();
     static void ensureDefaultCMakeToolIsValid();
-
-    static CMakeToolManager *m_instance;
 };
 
+namespace Internal { void setupCMakeToolManager(QObject *guard); }
+
 } // namespace CMakeProjectManager
 
 Q_DECLARE_METATYPE(QString *)