diff --git a/src/plugins/cpptools/cpptoolsplugin.cpp b/src/plugins/cpptools/cpptoolsplugin.cpp
index 401086ec54e..f52358c2d31 100644
--- a/src/plugins/cpptools/cpptoolsplugin.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/cpptools/cpptoolsplugin.cpp
@@ -82,7 +82,6 @@ class CppToolsPluginPrivate
 public:
     CppToolsPluginPrivate()
     {
-        StringTable::initialize();
         CppModelManager::createCppModelManager(m_instance);
         m_settings = new CppToolsSettings(m_instance); // force registration of cpp tools settings
         m_codeModelSettings.fromSettings(ICore::settings());
@@ -91,12 +90,12 @@ public:
 
     ~CppToolsPluginPrivate()
     {
-        StringTable::destroy();
         if (m_cppCodeStyleSettingsPage)
             delete m_cppCodeStyleSettingsPage;
         ExtensionSystem::PluginManager::removeObject(&m_cppProjectUpdaterFactory);
     }
 
+    StringTable stringTable;
     CppCodeModelSettings m_codeModelSettings;
     CppToolsSettings *m_settings = nullptr;
     CppFileSettings m_fileSettings;
diff --git a/src/plugins/cpptools/stringtable.cpp b/src/plugins/cpptools/stringtable.cpp
index ec055e0fece..d3a9f51a2af 100644
--- a/src/plugins/cpptools/stringtable.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/cpptools/stringtable.cpp
@@ -111,12 +111,12 @@ void StringTable::scheduleGC()
     QMetaObject::invokeMethod(&m_instance->m_gcCountDown, "start", Qt::QueuedConnection);
 }
 
-void StringTable::initialize()
+StringTable::StringTable()
 {
     m_instance = new StringTablePrivate;
 }
 
-void StringTable::destroy()
+StringTable::~StringTable()
 {
     delete m_instance;
     m_instance = nullptr;
diff --git a/src/plugins/cpptools/stringtable.h b/src/plugins/cpptools/stringtable.h
index fdac41f1b1e..db8201ab00d 100644
--- a/src/plugins/cpptools/stringtable.h
+++ b/src/plugins/cpptools/stringtable.h
@@ -30,8 +30,6 @@
 namespace CppTools {
 namespace Internal {
 
-class CppToolsPluginPrivate;
-
 class StringTable
 {
 public:
@@ -40,8 +38,8 @@ public:
 
 private:
     friend class CppToolsPluginPrivate;
-    static void initialize();
-    static void destroy();
+    StringTable();
+    ~StringTable();
 };
 
 } // Internal