diff --git a/src/network/kernel/qnetworkproxy.cpp b/src/network/kernel/qnetworkproxy.cpp
index 8d30e81c3b3..501afce6fc7 100644
--- a/src/network/kernel/qnetworkproxy.cpp
+++ b/src/network/kernel/qnetworkproxy.cpp
@@ -278,6 +278,8 @@ public:
     void setApplicationProxyFactory(QNetworkProxyFactory *factory)
     {
         QMutexLocker lock(&mutex);
+        if (factory == applicationLevelProxyFactory)
+            return;
         if (applicationLevelProxy)
             *applicationLevelProxy = QNetworkProxy();
         delete applicationLevelProxyFactory;