diff --git a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/qmldesignerconstants.h b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/qmldesignerconstants.h
index 6c2817d6884..90cb1070be1 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/qmldesignerconstants.h
+++ b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/qmldesignerconstants.h
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ const char * const QML_DESIGNER_SETTINGS_GROUP = "Designer";
 const char * const QML_OPENDESIGNMODE_SETTINGS_KEY = "OpenDesignMode";
 const char * const QML_ITEMSPACING_KEY = "ItemSpacing";
 const char * const QML_SNAPMARGIN_KEY = "SnapMargin";
-enum { QML_OPENDESIGNMODE_DEFAULT = 0 };
+enum { QML_OPENDESIGNMODE_DEFAULT = 0 }; // 0 for text mode, 1 for design mode
 
 namespace Internal {
     enum { debug = 0 };
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/settingspage.cpp b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/settingspage.cpp
index c8ab833df24..adc8d772bef 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/settingspage.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/settingspage.cpp
@@ -38,8 +38,6 @@
 using namespace QmlDesigner;
 using namespace QmlDesigner::Internal;
 
-enum EditModeCombo { EditModeDesign, EditModeEdit };
-
 SettingsPageWidget::SettingsPageWidget(QWidget *parent) :
     QWidget(parent)
 {
@@ -49,7 +47,6 @@ SettingsPageWidget::SettingsPageWidget(QWidget *parent) :
 DesignerSettings SettingsPageWidget::settings() const
 {
     DesignerSettings ds;
-    ds.openDesignMode = m_ui.editorModeComboBox->currentIndex() == EditModeDesign;
     ds.itemSpacing = m_ui.spinItemSpacing->value();
     ds.snapMargin = m_ui.spinSnapMargin->value();
     return ds;
@@ -57,7 +54,6 @@ DesignerSettings SettingsPageWidget::settings() const
 
 void SettingsPageWidget::setSettings(const DesignerSettings &s)
 {
-    m_ui.editorModeComboBox->setCurrentIndex(s.openDesignMode ? EditModeDesign : EditModeEdit);
     m_ui.spinItemSpacing->setValue(s.itemSpacing);
     m_ui.spinSnapMargin->setValue(s.snapMargin);
 }
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/settingspage.ui b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/settingspage.ui
index dfa54673f32..fdd972cb3a4 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmldesigner/settingspage.ui
+++ b/src/plugins/qmldesigner/settingspage.ui
@@ -15,49 +15,6 @@
   </property>
   <layout class="QGridLayout" name="gridLayout_2">
    <item row="2" column="0">
-    <widget class="QGroupBox" name="groupBox_2">
-     <property name="title">
-      <string>Files</string>
-     </property>
-     <layout class="QGridLayout" name="gridLayout_3">
-      <item row="0" column="0">
-       <widget class="QLabel" name="editorModeLabel">
-        <property name="text">
-         <string>Open file in:</string>
-        </property>
-       </widget>
-      </item>
-      <item row="0" column="1">
-       <widget class="QComboBox" name="editorModeComboBox">
-        <item>
-         <property name="text">
-          <string>Design mode</string>
-         </property>
-        </item>
-        <item>
-         <property name="text">
-          <string>Edit mode</string>
-         </property>
-        </item>
-       </widget>
-      </item>
-      <item row="0" column="2">
-       <spacer name="horizontalSpacer_3">
-        <property name="orientation">
-         <enum>Qt::Horizontal</enum>
-        </property>
-        <property name="sizeHint" stdset="0">
-         <size>
-          <width>40</width>
-          <height>20</height>
-         </size>
-        </property>
-       </spacer>
-      </item>
-     </layout>
-    </widget>
-   </item>
-   <item row="3" column="0">
     <widget class="QGroupBox" name="groupBox_3">
      <property name="title">
       <string>Snapping</string>
@@ -141,7 +98,7 @@
      </layout>
     </widget>
    </item>
-   <item row="4" column="0">
+   <item row="3" column="0">
     <spacer name="verticalSpacer">
      <property name="orientation">
       <enum>Qt::Vertical</enum>
diff --git a/src/plugins/qmljseditor/qmljseditor.cpp b/src/plugins/qmljseditor/qmljseditor.cpp
index 9afd59c903b..2114e03dc03 100644
--- a/src/plugins/qmljseditor/qmljseditor.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/qmljseditor/qmljseditor.cpp
@@ -595,16 +595,22 @@ static bool openInDesignMode()
     }
     if (!bauhausPresent)
         return false;
-    // Query the bauhaus setting if it wants to be opened in Design mode.
-    const QString settingsKey = QLatin1String(QmlDesigner::Constants::QML_SETTINGS_GROUP)
-                                + QLatin1Char('/') + QLatin1String(QmlDesigner::Constants::QML_DESIGNER_SETTINGS_GROUP)
-                                + QLatin1Char('/') + QLatin1String(QmlDesigner::Constants::QML_OPENDESIGNMODE_SETTINGS_KEY);
-    const QVariant openDesignMode = Core::ICore::instance()->settings()->value(settingsKey);
-    return openDesignMode.isValid() ? openDesignMode.toBool() : bool(QmlDesigner::Constants::QML_OPENDESIGNMODE_DEFAULT);
+
+    return bool(QmlDesigner::Constants::QML_OPENDESIGNMODE_DEFAULT);
 }
 
 QString QmlJSEditorEditable::preferredMode() const
 {
+    Core::ModeManager *modeManager = Core::ModeManager::instance();
+    if (modeManager->currentMode()->id() == Core::Constants::MODE_DESIGN
+        || modeManager->currentMode()->id() == Core::Constants::MODE_EDIT)
+    {
+        return modeManager->currentMode()->id();
+    }
+
+    // if we are in other mode than edit or design, use the hard-coded default.
+    // because the editor opening decision is modal, it would be confusing to
+    // have the user also access to this failsafe setting.
     if (editor()->mimeType() == QLatin1String(QmlJSEditor::Constants::QML_MIMETYPE)
         && openInDesignMode())
         return QLatin1String(Core::Constants::MODE_DESIGN);