diff --git a/src/corelib/kernel/qcoreapplication.cpp b/src/corelib/kernel/qcoreapplication.cpp
index 16776fe8f9a..4afe22e8a56 100644
--- a/src/corelib/kernel/qcoreapplication.cpp
+++ b/src/corelib/kernel/qcoreapplication.cpp
@@ -140,10 +140,15 @@ extern QString qAppFileName();
 
 Q_CONSTINIT bool QCoreApplicationPrivate::setuidAllowed = false;
 
+#if QT_VERSION >= QT_VERSION_CHECK(7, 0, 0)
+# warning "Audit remaining direct usages of this variable for memory ordering semantics"
+Q_CONSTINIT QBasicAtomicPointer<QCoreApplication> QCoreApplication::self = nullptr;
+#else
 Q_CONSTINIT QCoreApplication *QCoreApplication::self = nullptr;
 Q_CONSTINIT static QBasicAtomicPointer<QCoreApplication> g_self = nullptr;
 #  undef qApp
 #  define qApp g_self.loadRelaxed()
+#endif
 
 #if !defined(Q_OS_WIN)
 #ifdef Q_OS_DARWIN
@@ -812,8 +817,12 @@ void Q_TRACE_INSTRUMENT(qtcore) QCoreApplicationPrivate::init()
     initLocale();
 
     Q_ASSERT_X(!QCoreApplication::self, "QCoreApplication", "there should be only one application object");
+#if QT_VERSION < QT_VERSION_CHECK(7, 0, 0)
     QCoreApplication::self = q;
     g_self.storeRelaxed(q);
+#else
+    QCoreApplication::self.storeRelaxed(q);
+#endif
 
 #if QT_CONFIG(thread)
 #ifdef Q_OS_WASM
@@ -914,8 +923,13 @@ QCoreApplication::~QCoreApplication()
 
     qt_call_post_routines();
 
+#if QT_VERSION < QT_VERSION_CHECK(7, 0, 0)
     self = nullptr;
     g_self.storeRelaxed(nullptr);
+#else
+    self.storeRelaxed(nullptr);
+#endif
+
 #ifndef QT_NO_QOBJECT
     QCoreApplicationPrivate::is_app_closing = true;
     QCoreApplicationPrivate::is_app_running = false;
diff --git a/src/corelib/kernel/qcoreapplication.h b/src/corelib/kernel/qcoreapplication.h
index e27086aa052..421578117cd 100644
--- a/src/corelib/kernel/qcoreapplication.h
+++ b/src/corelib/kernel/qcoreapplication.h
@@ -94,7 +94,11 @@ public:
     static void setSetuidAllowed(bool allow);
     static bool isSetuidAllowed();
 
+#if QT_VERSION >= QT_VERSION_CHECK(7, 0, 0)
+    static QCoreApplication *instance() noexcept { return self.loadRelaxed(); }
+#else
     static QCoreApplication *instance() noexcept { return self; }
+#endif
 
 #ifndef QT_NO_QOBJECT
     static int exec();
@@ -227,7 +231,11 @@ private:
     static QStringList libraryPathsLocked();
 #endif
 
+#if QT_VERSION >= QT_VERSION_CHECK(7, 0, 0)
+    static QBasicAtomicPointer<QCoreApplication> self;
+#else
     static QCoreApplication *self;
+#endif
 
     Q_DISABLE_COPY(QCoreApplication)