diff --git a/src/corelib/kernel/qcoreapplication_p.h b/src/corelib/kernel/qcoreapplication_p.h
index e676500e8aa..eee4918737e 100644
--- a/src/corelib/kernel/qcoreapplication_p.h
+++ b/src/corelib/kernel/qcoreapplication_p.h
@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@ public:
     std::unique_ptr<char *[]> origArgv;
 
     bool consoleAllocated = false;
+    static void *mainInstanceHandle;    // HINSTANCE without <windows.h>
 #endif
     void appendApplicationPathToLibraryPaths(void);
 
diff --git a/src/corelib/kernel/qcoreapplication_win.cpp b/src/corelib/kernel/qcoreapplication_win.cpp
index 9d146afa713..9011e3fe9e6 100644
--- a/src/corelib/kernel/qcoreapplication_win.cpp
+++ b/src/corelib/kernel/qcoreapplication_win.cpp
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@ QT_BEGIN_NAMESPACE
 
 using namespace Qt::StringLiterals;
 
+// By default, we get the path to the host .exe. ActiveQt can override this
+// with the component's DLL.
+Q_CONSTINIT void *QCoreApplicationPrivate::mainInstanceHandle = nullptr;
 QString qAppFileName()                // get application file name
 {
     /*
@@ -45,7 +48,8 @@ QString qAppFileName()                // get application file name
     do {
         size += MAX_PATH;
         space.resize(int(size));
-        v = GetModuleFileName(NULL, space.data(), DWORD(space.size()));
+        auto hInstance = reinterpret_cast<HINSTANCE>(QCoreApplicationPrivate::mainInstanceHandle);
+        v = GetModuleFileName(hInstance, space.data(), DWORD(space.size()));
     } while (Q_UNLIKELY(v >= size));
 
     return QString::fromWCharArray(space.data(), v);