diff --git a/src/corelib/itemmodels/qabstractitemmodel.cpp b/src/corelib/itemmodels/qabstractitemmodel.cpp
index 216db3b42a5..5b9b215eabe 100644
--- a/src/corelib/itemmodels/qabstractitemmodel.cpp
+++ b/src/corelib/itemmodels/qabstractitemmodel.cpp
@@ -606,7 +606,8 @@ QModelIndex QPersistentModelIndex::sibling(int row, int column) const
 
 /*!
     Returns the data for the given \a role for the item referred to by the
-    index.
+    index, or a default-constructed QVariant if this persistent model index
+    is \l{isValid()}{invalid}.
 
     \sa Qt::ItemDataRole, QAbstractItemModel::setData()
 */
@@ -1315,7 +1316,8 @@ void QAbstractItemModel::resetInternalData()
     \fn QVariant QModelIndex::data(int role) const
 
     Returns the data for the given \a role for the item referred to by the
-    index.
+    index, or a default-constructed QVariant if this model index is
+    \l{isValid()}{invalid}.
 */
 
 /*!
diff --git a/tests/auto/corelib/itemmodels/qabstractitemmodel/tst_qabstractitemmodel.cpp b/tests/auto/corelib/itemmodels/qabstractitemmodel/tst_qabstractitemmodel.cpp
index c48b79b2600..8a2643c0f36 100644
--- a/tests/auto/corelib/itemmodels/qabstractitemmodel/tst_qabstractitemmodel.cpp
+++ b/tests/auto/corelib/itemmodels/qabstractitemmodel/tst_qabstractitemmodel.cpp
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ private slots:
     void parent();
     void hasChildren();
     void data();
+    void invalidModelIndexDataReturnsInvalidQVariant();
+    void invalidPersistentModelIndexDataReturnsInvalidQVariant();
     void headerData();
     void itemData();
     void itemFlags();
@@ -390,6 +392,33 @@ void tst_QAbstractItemModel::data()
     QCOMPARE(model.setHeaderData(0, Qt::Horizontal, QVariant(0), 0), false);
 }
 
+void tst_QAbstractItemModel::invalidModelIndexDataReturnsInvalidQVariant()
+{
+    const QModelIndex invalid;
+    QVERIFY(!invalid.isValid());
+    QVERIFY(!invalid.data(Qt::ItemDataRole::DisplayRole).isValid());
+
+    QtTestModel model(1, 1);
+    const QModelIndex mi = model.index(0, 1);
+    QVERIFY(!mi.isValid());
+    QVERIFY(!mi.data(Qt::ItemDataRole::DisplayRole).isValid());
+}
+
+void tst_QAbstractItemModel::invalidPersistentModelIndexDataReturnsInvalidQVariant()
+{
+    const QPersistentModelIndex invalid;
+    QVERIFY(!invalid.isValid());
+    QVERIFY(!invalid.data(Qt::ItemDataRole::DisplayRole).isValid());
+
+    QtTestModel model(1, 1);
+    const QPersistentModelIndex pmi = model.index(0, 0);
+    QVERIFY(pmi.isValid());
+    QVERIFY(pmi.data(Qt::ItemDataRole::DisplayRole).isValid());
+    model.removeRows(0, 1);
+    QVERIFY(!pmi.isValid());
+    QVERIFY(!pmi.data(Qt::ItemDataRole::DisplayRole).isValid());
+}
+
 void tst_QAbstractItemModel::headerData()
 {
     QtTestModel model(1, 1);