diff --git a/src/plugins/qmlprojectmanager/fileformat/filefilteritems.cpp b/src/plugins/qmlprojectmanager/fileformat/filefilteritems.cpp
index 2647e342822..4b2eb27d2bd 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmlprojectmanager/fileformat/filefilteritems.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/qmlprojectmanager/fileformat/filefilteritems.cpp
@@ -15,8 +15,7 @@
 
 namespace QmlProjectManager {
 
-FileFilterBaseItem::FileFilterBaseItem(QObject *parent) :
-        QmlProjectContentItem(parent)
+FileFilterBaseItem::FileFilterBaseItem()
 {
     m_updateFileListTimer.setSingleShot(true);
     m_updateFileListTimer.setInterval(50);
@@ -271,8 +270,7 @@ QSet<QString> FileFilterBaseItem::filesInSubTree(const QDir &rootDir, const QDir
     return fileSet;
 }
 
-ImageFileFilterItem::ImageFileFilterItem(QObject *parent)
-    : FileFilterBaseItem(parent)
+ImageFileFilterItem::ImageFileFilterItem()
 {
     QString filter;
     // supported image formats according to
@@ -284,8 +282,7 @@ ImageFileFilterItem::ImageFileFilterItem(QObject *parent)
     setFilter(filter);
 }
 
-FileFilterItem::FileFilterItem(const QString &fileFilter, QObject *parent)
-    : FileFilterBaseItem(parent)
+FileFilterItem::FileFilterItem(const QString &fileFilter)
 {
     setFilter(fileFilter);
 }
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmlprojectmanager/fileformat/filefilteritems.h b/src/plugins/qmlprojectmanager/fileformat/filefilteritems.h
index 77a2490d735..d7fab82465a 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmlprojectmanager/fileformat/filefilteritems.h
+++ b/src/plugins/qmlprojectmanager/fileformat/filefilteritems.h
@@ -20,9 +20,7 @@ class QmlProjectContentItem : public QObject
     Q_OBJECT
 
 public:
-    QmlProjectContentItem(QObject *parent = nullptr)
-        : QObject(parent)
-    {}
+    QmlProjectContentItem() {}
 };
 
 class FileFilterBaseItem : public QmlProjectContentItem {
@@ -35,7 +33,7 @@ class FileFilterBaseItem : public QmlProjectContentItem {
     Q_PROPERTY(QStringList files READ files NOTIFY filesChanged DESIGNABLE false)
 
 public:
-    FileFilterBaseItem(QObject *parent = nullptr);
+    FileFilterBaseItem();
 
     QString directory() const;
     void setDirectory(const QString &directoryPath);
@@ -99,12 +97,12 @@ private:
 
 class FileFilterItem : public FileFilterBaseItem {
 public:
-    FileFilterItem(const QString &fileFilter, QObject *parent = nullptr);
+    FileFilterItem(const QString &fileFilter);
 };
 
 class ImageFileFilterItem : public FileFilterBaseItem {
 public:
-    ImageFileFilterItem(QObject *parent = nullptr);
+    ImageFileFilterItem();
 };
 
 } // namespace QmlProjectManager
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmlprojectmanager/fileformat/qmlprojectfileformat.cpp b/src/plugins/qmlprojectmanager/fileformat/qmlprojectfileformat.cpp
index 71a0c47af3e..5b850e91741 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmlprojectmanager/fileformat/qmlprojectfileformat.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/qmlprojectmanager/fileformat/qmlprojectfileformat.cpp
@@ -52,7 +52,8 @@ std::unique_ptr<QmlProjectManager::FileFilterBaseItem> setupFileFilterItem(
 
 namespace QmlProjectManager {
 
-QmlProjectItem *QmlProjectFileFormat::parseProjectFile(const Utils::FilePath &fileName, QString *errorMessage)
+std::unique_ptr<QmlProjectItem> QmlProjectFileFormat::parseProjectFile(const Utils::FilePath &fileName,
+                                                                       QString *errorMessage)
 {
     QmlJS::SimpleReader simpleQmlJSReader;
 
@@ -67,7 +68,7 @@ QmlProjectItem *QmlProjectFileFormat::parseProjectFile(const Utils::FilePath &fi
     }
 
     if (rootNode->name() == QLatin1String("Project")) {
-        auto projectItem = new QmlProjectItem;
+        auto projectItem = std::make_unique<QmlProjectItem>();
 
         const auto mainFileProperty = rootNode->property(QLatin1String("mainFile"));
         if (mainFileProperty.isValid())
@@ -137,8 +138,7 @@ QmlProjectItem *QmlProjectFileFormat::parseProjectFile(const Utils::FilePath &fi
                     setupFileFilterItem(std::make_unique<FileFilterItem>("*.js"), childNode));
             } else if (childNode->name() == QLatin1String("ImageFiles")) {
                 projectItem->appendContent(
-                    setupFileFilterItem(std::make_unique<ImageFileFilterItem>(projectItem),
-                                        childNode));
+                    setupFileFilterItem(std::make_unique<ImageFileFilterItem>(), childNode));
             } else if (childNode->name() == QLatin1String("CssFiles")) {
                 projectItem->appendContent(
                     setupFileFilterItem(std::make_unique<FileFilterItem>("*.css"), childNode));
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmlprojectmanager/fileformat/qmlprojectfileformat.h b/src/plugins/qmlprojectmanager/fileformat/qmlprojectfileformat.h
index b92a8024053..6b60122491f 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmlprojectmanager/fileformat/qmlprojectfileformat.h
+++ b/src/plugins/qmlprojectmanager/fileformat/qmlprojectfileformat.h
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ class QmlProjectFileFormat
     Q_DECLARE_TR_FUNCTIONS(QmlProjectManager::QmlProjectFileFormat)
 
 public:
-    static QmlProjectItem *parseProjectFile(const Utils::FilePath &fileName,
-                                            QString *errorMessage = nullptr);
+    static std::unique_ptr<QmlProjectItem> parseProjectFile(const Utils::FilePath &fileName,
+                                                            QString *errorMessage = nullptr);
 };
 
 } // namespace QmlProjectManager
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmlprojectmanager/qmlproject.cpp b/src/plugins/qmlprojectmanager/qmlproject.cpp
index 116859cd7b3..170308c1d6c 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmlprojectmanager/qmlproject.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/qmlprojectmanager/qmlproject.cpp
@@ -191,8 +191,7 @@ void QmlBuildSystem::parseProject(RefreshOptions options)
             m_projectItem.reset();
         if (!m_projectItem) {
             QString errorMessage;
-            m_projectItem.reset(
-                QmlProjectFileFormat::parseProjectFile(projectFilePath(), &errorMessage));
+            m_projectItem = QmlProjectFileFormat::parseProjectFile(projectFilePath(), &errorMessage);
             if (m_projectItem) {
                 connect(m_projectItem.get(),
                         &QmlProjectItem::qmlFilesChanged,
diff --git a/tests/auto/qml/qmlprojectmanager/fileformat/tst_fileformat.cpp b/tests/auto/qml/qmlprojectmanager/fileformat/tst_fileformat.cpp
index f3329d97c8e..028a29b01a7 100644
--- a/tests/auto/qml/qmlprojectmanager/fileformat/tst_fileformat.cpp
+++ b/tests/auto/qml/qmlprojectmanager/fileformat/tst_fileformat.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ tst_FileFormat::tst_FileFormat()
 
 static QString testDataDir = QLatin1String(SRCDIR "/data");
 
-static QmlProjectItem *loadQmlProject(QString name, QString *error)
+static std::unique_ptr<QmlProjectItem> loadQmlProject(QString name, QString *error)
 {
     return QmlProjectFileFormat::parseProjectFile(
                 Utils::FilePath::fromString(testDataDir).pathAppended(name + ".qmlproject"), error);
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ void tst_FileFormat::testFileFilter()
     // Search for qml files in directory + subdirectories
     //
     {
-        QmlProjectItem *project = loadQmlProject(QLatin1String("testFileFilter1"), &error);
+        auto project = loadQmlProject(QLatin1String("testFileFilter1"), &error);
         QVERIFY(project);
         QVERIFY(error.isEmpty());
 
@@ -64,14 +64,13 @@ void tst_FileFormat::testFileFilter()
                                                 << testDataDir + "/file2.qml"
                                                 << testDataDir + "/subdir/file3.qml");
         COMPARE_AS_SETS(project->files(), expectedFiles);
-        delete project;
     }
 
     //
     // search for all qml files in directory
     //
     {
-        QmlProjectItem *project = loadQmlProject(QLatin1String("testFileFilter2"), &error);
+        auto project = loadQmlProject(QLatin1String("testFileFilter2"), &error);
         QVERIFY(project);
         QVERIFY(error.isEmpty());
 
@@ -80,14 +79,13 @@ void tst_FileFormat::testFileFilter()
         QStringList expectedFiles(QStringList() << testDataDir + "/file1.qml"
                                                 << testDataDir + "/file2.qml");
         COMPARE_AS_SETS(project->files(), expectedFiles);
-        delete project;
     }
 
     //
     // search for all qml files in subdirectory
     //
     {
-        QmlProjectItem *project = loadQmlProject(QLatin1String("testFileFilter3"), &error);
+        auto project = loadQmlProject(QLatin1String("testFileFilter3"), &error);
         QVERIFY(project);
         QVERIFY(error.isEmpty());
 
@@ -95,14 +93,13 @@ void tst_FileFormat::testFileFilter()
 
         QStringList expectedFiles(QStringList() <<  testDataDir + "/subdir/file3.qml");
         COMPARE_AS_SETS(project->files(), expectedFiles);
-        delete project;
     }
 
     //
     // multiple entries
     //
     {
-        QmlProjectItem *project = loadQmlProject(QLatin1String("testFileFilter4"), &error);
+        auto project = loadQmlProject(QLatin1String("testFileFilter4"), &error);
         QVERIFY(project);
         QVERIFY(error.isEmpty());
 
@@ -113,14 +110,13 @@ void tst_FileFormat::testFileFilter()
                                                 << testDataDir + "/subdir/file3.qml");
         QCOMPARE(project->files().size(), 3);
         COMPARE_AS_SETS(project->files(), expectedFiles);
-        delete project;
     }
 
     //
     // include specific list
     //
     {
-        QmlProjectItem *project = loadQmlProject(QLatin1String("testFileFilter5"), &error);
+        auto project = loadQmlProject(QLatin1String("testFileFilter5"), &error);
         QVERIFY(project);
         QVERIFY(error.isEmpty());
 
@@ -129,14 +125,13 @@ void tst_FileFormat::testFileFilter()
         QStringList expectedFiles(QStringList() << testDataDir + "/file1.qml"
                                                 << testDataDir + "/file2.qml");
         COMPARE_AS_SETS(project->files(), expectedFiles);
-        delete project;
     }
 
     //
     // include specific list
     //
     {
-        QmlProjectItem *project = loadQmlProject(QLatin1String("testFileFilter6"), &error);
+        auto project = loadQmlProject(QLatin1String("testFileFilter6"), &error);
         QVERIFY(project);
         QVERIFY(error.isEmpty());
 
@@ -144,14 +139,13 @@ void tst_FileFormat::testFileFilter()
 
         QStringList expectedFiles(QStringList() << testDataDir + "/image.gif");
         COMPARE_AS_SETS(project->files(), expectedFiles);
-        delete project;
     }
 
     //
     // use wildcards
     //
     {
-        QmlProjectItem *project = loadQmlProject(QLatin1String("testFileFilter7"), &error);
+        auto project = loadQmlProject(QLatin1String("testFileFilter7"), &error);
         QVERIFY(project);
         QVERIFY(error.isEmpty());
 
@@ -159,14 +153,13 @@ void tst_FileFormat::testFileFilter()
 
         QStringList expectedFiles(QStringList() << testDataDir + "/image.gif");
         COMPARE_AS_SETS(project->files(), expectedFiles);
-        delete project;
     }
 
     //
     // use Files element (1.1)
     //
     {
-        QmlProjectItem *project = loadQmlProject(QLatin1String("testFileFilter8"), &error);
+        auto project = loadQmlProject(QLatin1String("testFileFilter8"), &error);
         QVERIFY(project);
         QVERIFY(error.isEmpty());
 
@@ -174,7 +167,6 @@ void tst_FileFormat::testFileFilter()
 
         QStringList expectedFiles(QStringList() << testDataDir + "/image.gif");
         COMPARE_AS_SETS(project->files(), expectedFiles);
-        delete project;
     }
 }
 
@@ -184,7 +176,7 @@ void tst_FileFormat::testMatchesFile()
     //
     // search for qml files in local directory
     //
-    QmlProjectItem *project = loadQmlProject(QLatin1String("testMatchesFile"), &error);
+    auto project = loadQmlProject(QLatin1String("testMatchesFile"), &error);
     QVERIFY(project);
     QVERIFY(error.isEmpty());
 
@@ -195,7 +187,6 @@ void tst_FileFormat::testMatchesFile()
     QVERIFY(project->matchesFile(testDataDir + "/subdir/notyetexistingfile.qml"));
     QVERIFY(project->matchesFile(testDataDir + "/script.js"));
     QVERIFY(!project->matchesFile(testDataDir + "/script.css"));
-    delete project;
 }
 
 void tst_FileFormat::testLibraryPaths()
@@ -204,7 +195,7 @@ void tst_FileFormat::testLibraryPaths()
     //
     // search for qml files in local directory
     //
-    QmlProjectItem *project = loadQmlProject(QLatin1String("testLibraryPaths"), &error);
+    auto project = loadQmlProject(QLatin1String("testLibraryPaths"), &error);
     QVERIFY(project);
     QVERIFY(error.isEmpty());
 
@@ -214,7 +205,6 @@ void tst_FileFormat::testLibraryPaths()
     const QStringList expectedPaths({base.relativeFilePath(SRCDIR "/otherLibrary"),
                                      base.relativeFilePath(SRCDIR "/data/library")});
     COMPARE_AS_SETS(project->importPaths(), expectedPaths);
-    delete project;
 }
 
 void tst_FileFormat::testMainFile()
@@ -223,12 +213,11 @@ void tst_FileFormat::testMainFile()
     //
     // search for qml files in local directory
     //
-    QmlProjectItem *project = loadQmlProject(QLatin1String("testMainFile"), &error);
+    auto project = loadQmlProject(QLatin1String("testMainFile"), &error);
     QVERIFY(project);
     QVERIFY(error.isEmpty());
 
     QCOMPARE(project->mainFile(), QString("file1.qml"));
-    delete project;
 }
 
 QTEST_GUILESS_MAIN(tst_FileFormat);