diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/iprojectpanelfactory.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/iprojectpanelfactory.cpp
index aa81b05ccd6..debade23a90 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/iprojectpanelfactory.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/iprojectpanelfactory.cpp
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@
 
 using namespace ProjectExplorer;
 
+QList<IProjectPanelFactory *> IProjectPanelFactory::s_factories;
+
 IProjectPanelFactory::IProjectPanelFactory()
     : m_priority(0),
       m_supportsFunction(&supportsAllProjects)
@@ -67,6 +69,17 @@ bool IProjectPanelFactory::supportsAllProjects(Project *)
     return true;
 }
 
+void IProjectPanelFactory::registerFactory(IProjectPanelFactory *factory)
+{
+    auto it = std::lower_bound(s_factories.begin(), s_factories.end(), factory, &IProjectPanelFactory::prioritySort);
+    s_factories.insert(it, factory);
+}
+
+QList<IProjectPanelFactory *> IProjectPanelFactory::factories()
+{
+    return s_factories;
+}
+
 bool IProjectPanelFactory::supports(Project *project)
 {
     return m_supportsFunction(project);
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/iprojectpanelfactory.h b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/iprojectpanelfactory.h
index 20f84dc81d9..cf061be5611 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/iprojectpanelfactory.h
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/iprojectpanelfactory.h
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@
 #include "propertiespanel.h"
 #include "panelswidget.h"
 
-#include <QObject>
 #include <QIcon>
 #include <QWidget>
 
@@ -44,9 +43,8 @@ namespace ProjectExplorer {
 class Project;
 class Target;
 
-class PROJECTEXPLORER_EXPORT IProjectPanelFactory : public QObject
+class PROJECTEXPLORER_EXPORT IProjectPanelFactory
 {
-    Q_OBJECT
 public:
     IProjectPanelFactory();
     // simple properties
@@ -93,11 +91,16 @@ public:
 
     static bool supportsAllProjects(Project *);
 
+    static void registerFactory(IProjectPanelFactory *factory);
+
+    static QList<IProjectPanelFactory *> factories();
+
 private:
     int m_priority;
     QString m_displayName;
     std::function<bool (Project *)> m_supportsFunction;
     std::function<QWidget *(Project *)> m_createWidgetFunction;
+    static QList<IProjectPanelFactory *> s_factories;
 };
 
 } // namespace ProjectExplorer
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.cpp
index 84f7da59963..4ccc56801a2 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectexplorer.cpp
@@ -321,6 +321,7 @@ ProjectExplorerPlugin::~ProjectExplorerPlugin()
     // Force sequence of deletion:
     delete d->m_kitManager; // remove all the profile informations
     delete d->m_toolChainManager;
+    qDeleteAll(IProjectPanelFactory::s_factories);
 
     delete d;
 }
@@ -476,7 +477,7 @@ bool ProjectExplorerPlugin::initialize(const QStringList &arguments, QString *er
     editorSettingsPanelFactory->setDisplayName(displayName);
     QIcon icon = QIcon(QLatin1String(":/projectexplorer/images/EditorSettings.png"));
     editorSettingsPanelFactory->setSimpleCreateWidgetFunction<EditorSettingsWidget>(icon);
-    addAutoReleasedObject(editorSettingsPanelFactory);
+    IProjectPanelFactory::registerFactory(editorSettingsPanelFactory);
 
     auto codeStyleSettingsPanelFactory = new IProjectPanelFactory;
     codeStyleSettingsPanelFactory->setPriority(40);
@@ -484,7 +485,7 @@ bool ProjectExplorerPlugin::initialize(const QStringList &arguments, QString *er
     codeStyleSettingsPanelFactory->setDisplayName(displayName);
     icon = QIcon(QLatin1String(":/projectexplorer/images/CodeStyleSettings.png"));
     codeStyleSettingsPanelFactory->setSimpleCreateWidgetFunction<CodeStyleSettingsWidget>(icon);
-    addAutoReleasedObject(codeStyleSettingsPanelFactory);
+    IProjectPanelFactory::registerFactory(codeStyleSettingsPanelFactory);
 
     auto dependenciesPanelFactory = new IProjectPanelFactory;
     dependenciesPanelFactory->setPriority(50);
@@ -492,7 +493,7 @@ bool ProjectExplorerPlugin::initialize(const QStringList &arguments, QString *er
     dependenciesPanelFactory->setDisplayName(displayName);
     icon = QIcon(QLatin1String(":/projectexplorer/images/ProjectDependencies.png"));
     dependenciesPanelFactory->setSimpleCreateWidgetFunction<DependenciesWidget>(icon);
-    addAutoReleasedObject(dependenciesPanelFactory);
+    IProjectPanelFactory::registerFactory(dependenciesPanelFactory);
 
     auto unconfiguredProjectPanel = new IProjectPanelFactory;
     unconfiguredProjectPanel->setPriority(-10);
@@ -502,7 +503,7 @@ bool ProjectExplorerPlugin::initialize(const QStringList &arguments, QString *er
     });
     icon = QIcon(QLatin1String(":/projectexplorer/images/unconfigured.png"));
     unconfiguredProjectPanel->setSimpleCreateWidgetFunction<TargetSetupPageWrapper>(icon);
-    addAutoReleasedObject(unconfiguredProjectPanel);
+    IProjectPanelFactory::registerFactory(unconfiguredProjectPanel);
 
     auto targetSettingsPanelFactory = new IProjectPanelFactory;
     targetSettingsPanelFactory->setPriority(-10);
@@ -515,7 +516,7 @@ bool ProjectExplorerPlugin::initialize(const QStringList &arguments, QString *er
     targetSettingsPanelFactory->setCreateWidgetFunction([](Project *project) {
         return new TargetSettingsPanelWidget(project);
     });
-    addAutoReleasedObject(targetSettingsPanelFactory);
+    IProjectPanelFactory::registerFactory(targetSettingsPanelFactory);
 
     addAutoReleasedObject(new ProcessStepFactory);
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectwindow.cpp b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectwindow.cpp
index 1fd136f1960..4e2a460976a 100644
--- a/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectwindow.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/projectexplorer/projectwindow.cpp
@@ -120,10 +120,8 @@ void ProjectWindow::projectUpdated(Project *p)
 
 QStringList ProjectWindow::tabDisplayNamesFor(Project *project)
 {
-    QList<IProjectPanelFactory *> factories = ExtensionSystem::PluginManager::getObjects<IProjectPanelFactory>();
-    Utils::sort(factories, &IProjectPanelFactory::prioritySort);
     QStringList subTabs;
-    foreach (IProjectPanelFactory *panelFactory, factories) {
+    foreach (IProjectPanelFactory *panelFactory, IProjectPanelFactory::factories()) {
         if (panelFactory->supports(project))
             subTabs << panelFactory->displayName();
     }
@@ -218,9 +216,7 @@ void ProjectWindow::showProperties(int index, int subIndex)
     int pos = 0;
     IProjectPanelFactory *fac = 0;
 
-    QList<IProjectPanelFactory *> factories = ExtensionSystem::PluginManager::getObjects<IProjectPanelFactory>();
-    Utils::sort(factories, &IProjectPanelFactory::prioritySort);
-    foreach (IProjectPanelFactory *panelFactory, factories) {
+    foreach (IProjectPanelFactory *panelFactory, IProjectPanelFactory::factories()) {
         if (panelFactory->supports(project)) {
             if (subIndex == pos) {
                 fac = panelFactory;