diff --git a/src/sql/compat/removed_api.cpp b/src/sql/compat/removed_api.cpp
index 2c2b353a3fe..8a440f87f2a 100644
--- a/src/sql/compat/removed_api.cpp
+++ b/src/sql/compat/removed_api.cpp
@@ -119,3 +119,15 @@ QVariant QSqlQuery::value(const QString &name) const
 }
 
 #endif // QT_SQL_REMOVED_SINCE(6, 8)
+
+#if QT_SQL_REMOVED_SINCE(6, 10)
+
+#include "qsqldatabase.h"
+
+const char *QSqlDatabase::defaultConnection = QSqlDatabaseDefaultConnectionName::defaultConnection;
+
+// #include <qotherheader.h>
+// // implement removed functions from qotherheader.h
+// order sections alphabetically to reduce chances of merge conflicts
+
+#endif // QT_SQL_REMOVED_SINCE(6, 10)
diff --git a/src/sql/kernel/qsqldatabase.cpp b/src/sql/kernel/qsqldatabase.cpp
index 0a54529679e..bb7d5a1ea53 100644
--- a/src/sql/kernel/qsqldatabase.cpp
+++ b/src/sql/kernel/qsqldatabase.cpp
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@ using namespace Qt::StringLiterals;
 Q_GLOBAL_STATIC_WITH_ARGS(QFactoryLoader, loader,
                           (QSqlDriverFactoryInterface_iid, "/sqldrivers"_L1))
 
-const char *QSqlDatabase::defaultConnection = "qt_sql_default_connection";
-
 namespace {
     struct QtSqlGlobals
     {
diff --git a/src/sql/kernel/qsqldatabase.h b/src/sql/kernel/qsqldatabase.h
index e1e5b631472..c2595ce658d 100644
--- a/src/sql/kernel/qsqldatabase.h
+++ b/src/sql/kernel/qsqldatabase.h
@@ -34,7 +34,13 @@ public:
     QSqlDriver *createObject() const override { return new T; }
 };
 
-class Q_SQL_EXPORT QSqlDatabase
+struct QSqlDatabaseDefaultConnectionName
+{
+    // separate class because of the static inline constexpr variable
+    static constexpr const char defaultConnection[] = "qt_sql_default_connection";
+};
+
+class Q_SQL_EXPORT QSqlDatabase : public QSqlDatabaseDefaultConnectionName
 {
     Q_GADGET
     Q_PROPERTY(QSql::NumericalPrecisionPolicy numericalPrecisionPolicy READ numericalPrecisionPolicy WRITE setNumericalPrecisionPolicy)
@@ -87,7 +93,9 @@ public:
 
     QSqlDriver* driver() const;
 
+#if QT_SQL_REMOVED_SINCE(6, 10)
     static const char *defaultConnection;
+#endif
 
     static QSqlDatabase addDatabase(const QString& type,
                                  const QString& connectionName = QLatin1StringView(defaultConnection));