diff --git a/src/widgets/widgets/qdockarealayout.cpp b/src/widgets/widgets/qdockarealayout.cpp
index 32d0f9b345a..961530dec9d 100644
--- a/src/widgets/widgets/qdockarealayout.cpp
+++ b/src/widgets/widgets/qdockarealayout.cpp
@@ -1501,6 +1501,14 @@ QList<int> QDockAreaLayoutInfo::indexOf(QWidget *widget) const
     return QList<int>();
 }
 
+std::unique_ptr<QLayoutItem> QDockAreaLayoutInfo::takeWidgetItem(QWidget *widget)
+{
+    std::unique_ptr<QLayoutItem> widgetItem;
+    if (const auto path = indexOf(widget); !path.isEmpty())
+        widgetItem.reset(item(path).widgetItem);
+    return widgetItem;
+}
+
 QMainWindowLayout *QDockAreaLayoutInfo::mainWindowLayout() const
 {
     QMainWindowLayout *result = qt_mainwindow_layout(mainWindow);
diff --git a/src/widgets/widgets/qdockarealayout_p.h b/src/widgets/widgets/qdockarealayout_p.h
index aa39bf9913c..7ebe3a294f5 100644
--- a/src/widgets/widgets/qdockarealayout_p.h
+++ b/src/widgets/widgets/qdockarealayout_p.h
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@ public:
 
     QList<int> indexOf(QWidget *widget) const;
     QList<int> indexOfPlaceHolder(const QString &objectName) const;
+    std::unique_ptr<QLayoutItem> takeWidgetItem(QWidget *widget);
 
     QDockWidget *apply(bool animate);
 
diff --git a/src/widgets/widgets/qmainwindowlayout.cpp b/src/widgets/widgets/qmainwindowlayout.cpp
index 22ee3dbc5e4..627a9a3abdf 100644
--- a/src/widgets/widgets/qmainwindowlayout.cpp
+++ b/src/widgets/widgets/qmainwindowlayout.cpp
@@ -471,6 +471,12 @@ void QDockWidgetGroupWindow::destroyOrHideIfEmpty()
         if (!wasHidden)
             dw->show();
     }
+    Q_ASSERT(qobject_cast<QMainWindow *>(parentWidget()));
+    auto *mainWindow = static_cast<QMainWindow *>(parentWidget());
+    QMainWindowLayout *mwLayout = qt_mainwindow_layout(mainWindow);
+    QDockAreaLayoutInfo &parentInfo = mwLayout->layoutState.dockAreaLayout.docks[layoutInfo()->dockPos];
+    std::unique_ptr<QLayoutItem> cleanup = parentInfo.takeWidgetItem(this);
+    parentInfo.remove(this);
     deleteLater();
 }
 
@@ -714,7 +720,8 @@ void QDockWidgetGroupWindow::destroyIfSingleItemLeft()
     if (layoutInfo()->indexOf(lastDockWidget).isEmpty())
         return;
 
-    auto *mainWindow = qobject_cast<QMainWindow *>(parentWidget());
+    Q_ASSERT(qobject_cast<QMainWindow *>(parentWidget()));
+    auto *mainWindow = static_cast<QMainWindow *>(parentWidget());
     QMainWindowLayout *mwLayout = qt_mainwindow_layout(mainWindow);
 
     // Unplug the last remaining dock widget and hide the group window, to avoid flickering
@@ -722,17 +729,12 @@ void QDockWidgetGroupWindow::destroyIfSingleItemLeft()
     lastDockWidget->setGeometry(geometry());
     hide();
 
-    // Get the layout info for the main window dock, where dock widgets need to go
-    QDockAreaLayoutInfo &parentInfo = mwLayout->layoutState.dockAreaLayout.docks[layoutInfo()->dockPos];
-
     // Re-parent last dock widget
     reparentToMainWindow(lastDockWidget);
 
     // the group window could still have placeholder items => clear everything
     layoutInfo()->item_list.clear();
 
-    // remove the group window and the dock's item_list pointing to it.
-    parentInfo.remove(this);
     destroyOrHideIfEmpty();
 }
 
@@ -742,13 +744,14 @@ void QDockWidgetGroupWindow::reparentToMainWindow(QDockWidget *dockWidget)
     // - remove it from the floating dock's layout info
     // - insert it to the main dock's layout info
     // Finally, set draggingDock to nullptr, since the drag is finished.
-    auto *mainWindow = qobject_cast<QMainWindow *>(parentWidget());
-    Q_ASSERT(mainWindow);
+    Q_ASSERT(qobject_cast<QMainWindow *>(parentWidget()));
+    auto *mainWindow = static_cast<QMainWindow *>(parentWidget());
     QMainWindowLayout *mwLayout = qt_mainwindow_layout(mainWindow);
     Q_ASSERT(mwLayout);
     QDockAreaLayoutInfo &parentInfo = mwLayout->layoutState.dockAreaLayout.docks[layoutInfo()->dockPos];
     dockWidget->removeEventFilter(this);
     parentInfo.add(dockWidget);
+    std::unique_ptr<QLayoutItem> cleanup = layoutInfo()->takeWidgetItem(dockWidget);
     layoutInfo()->remove(dockWidget);
     const bool wasFloating = dockWidget->isFloating();
     const bool wasVisible = dockWidget->isVisible();