diff --git a/src/corelib/kernel/qmetatype.cpp b/src/corelib/kernel/qmetatype.cpp
index a87b98b12d3..95557bf0212 100644
--- a/src/corelib/kernel/qmetatype.cpp
+++ b/src/corelib/kernel/qmetatype.cpp
@@ -2050,8 +2050,17 @@ bool QMetaType::convert(QMetaType fromType, const void *from, QMetaType toType,
     // handle QObject conversion
     if ((fromType.flags() & QMetaType::PointerToQObject) && (toType.flags() & QMetaType::PointerToQObject)) {
         QObject *fromObject = *static_cast<QObject * const *>(from);
-        *static_cast<QObject **>(to) = fromObject ? fromObject->metaObject()->cast(fromObject) : nullptr;
-        return true;
+        // use dynamic metatype of from if possible
+        if (fromObject && fromObject->metaObject()->inherits(toType.metaObject()))  {
+            *static_cast<QObject **>(to) = toType.metaObject()->cast(fromObject);
+            return true;
+        } else if (!fromObject) {
+            // if fromObject is null, use static fromType to check if conversion works
+            *static_cast<void **>(to) = nullptr;
+            return fromType.metaObject()->inherits(toType.metaObject());
+        } else {
+            return false;
+        }
     }
 #endif
 
diff --git a/tests/auto/corelib/kernel/qvariant/tst_qvariant.cpp b/tests/auto/corelib/kernel/qvariant/tst_qvariant.cpp
index 48d68db2988..8796589df3e 100644
--- a/tests/auto/corelib/kernel/qvariant/tst_qvariant.cpp
+++ b/tests/auto/corelib/kernel/qvariant/tst_qvariant.cpp
@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ private slots:
     void compareCustomTypes() const;
     void timeToDateTime() const;
     void copyingUserTypes() const;
+    void valueClassHierarchyConversion() const;
     void convertBoolToByteArray() const;
     void convertBoolToByteArray_data() const;
     void convertByteArrayToBool() const;
@@ -2894,6 +2895,43 @@ void tst_QVariant::copyingUserTypes() const
     QCOMPARE(copiedType.myValue, 42);
 }
 
+
+struct NonQObjectBase {};
+struct NonQObjectDerived : NonQObjectBase {};
+
+void tst_QVariant::valueClassHierarchyConversion() const
+{
+
+   {
+      // QVariant allows downcasting
+      QScopedPointer<CustomQObjectDerived> derived {new CustomQObjectDerived};
+      QVariant var = QVariant::fromValue(derived.get());
+      CustomQObject *object = var.value<CustomQObject *>();
+      QVERIFY(object);
+   }
+   {
+      // QVariant supports upcasting to the correct dynamic type for QObjects
+      QScopedPointer<CustomQObjectDerived> derived {new CustomQObjectDerived};
+      QVariant var = QVariant::fromValue<CustomQObject *>(derived.get());
+      CustomQObjectDerived *object = var.value<CustomQObjectDerived *>();
+      QVERIFY(object);
+   }
+   {
+      // QVariant forbids unsafe upcasting
+      QScopedPointer<CustomQObject> base {new CustomQObject};
+      QVariant var = QVariant::fromValue(base.get());
+      CustomQObjectDerived *object = var.value<CustomQObjectDerived *>();
+      QVERIFY(!object);
+   }
+   {
+      // QVariant does not support upcastingfor non-QObjects
+      QScopedPointer<NonQObjectDerived> derived {new NonQObjectDerived};
+      QVariant var = QVariant::fromValue<NonQObjectBase *>(derived.get());
+      NonQObjectDerived *object = var.value<NonQObjectDerived *>();
+      QVERIFY(!object);
+   }
+}
+
 void tst_QVariant::convertBoolToByteArray() const
 {
     QFETCH(QByteArray, input);