diff --git a/src/widgets/itemviews/qtablewidget.cpp b/src/widgets/itemviews/qtablewidget.cpp
index 67886be94fb..f9d2c8d59c5 100644
--- a/src/widgets/itemviews/qtablewidget.cpp
+++ b/src/widgets/itemviews/qtablewidget.cpp
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ void QTableModel::setHorizontalHeaderItem(int section, QTableWidgetItem *item)
 
     if (item) {
         item->view = view;
-        item->itemFlags = Qt::ItemFlags(int(item->itemFlags)|ItemIsHeaderItem);
+        item->d->headerItem = true;
     }
     horizontalHeaderItems[section] = item;
     emit headerDataChanged(Qt::Horizontal, section, section);
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ void QTableModel::setVerticalHeaderItem(int section, QTableWidgetItem *item)
 
     if (item) {
         item->view = view;
-        item->itemFlags = Qt::ItemFlags(int(item->itemFlags)|ItemIsHeaderItem);
+        item->d->headerItem = true;
     }
     verticalHeaderItems[section] = item;
     emit headerDataChanged(Qt::Vertical, section, section);
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ QTableWidgetItem *QTableModel::takeHorizontalHeaderItem(int section)
     QTableWidgetItem *itm = horizontalHeaderItems.at(section);
     if (itm) {
         itm->view = nullptr;
-        itm->itemFlags &= ~ItemIsHeaderItem;
+        itm->d->headerItem = false;
         horizontalHeaderItems[section] = 0;
     }
     return itm;
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ QTableWidgetItem *QTableModel::takeVerticalHeaderItem(int section)
     QTableWidgetItem *itm = verticalHeaderItems.at(section);
     if (itm) {
         itm->view = nullptr;
-        itm->itemFlags &= ~ItemIsHeaderItem;
+        itm->d->headerItem = false;
         verticalHeaderItems[section] = 0;
     }
     return itm;
@@ -761,7 +761,7 @@ void QTableModel::itemChanged(QTableWidgetItem *item, const QList<int> &roles)
 {
     if (!item)
         return;
-    if (item->flags() & ItemIsHeaderItem) {
+    if (item->d->headerItem) {
         int row = verticalHeaderItems.indexOf(item);
         if (row >= 0) {
             emit headerDataChanged(Qt::Vertical, row, row);
diff --git a/src/widgets/itemviews/qtablewidget_p.h b/src/widgets/itemviews/qtablewidget_p.h
index 1d893224c04..6bfa355edb8 100644
--- a/src/widgets/itemviews/qtablewidget_p.h
+++ b/src/widgets/itemviews/qtablewidget_p.h
@@ -53,10 +53,6 @@ class QTableModel : public QAbstractTableModel
     friend class QTableWidget;
 
 public:
-    enum ItemFlagsExtension {
-        ItemIsHeaderItem = 128
-    }; // we need this to separate header items from other items
-
     QTableModel(int rows, int columns, QTableWidget *parent);
     ~QTableModel();
 
@@ -173,9 +169,10 @@ public:
 class QTableWidgetItemPrivate
 {
 public:
-    QTableWidgetItemPrivate(QTableWidgetItem *item) : q(item), id(-1) {}
+    QTableWidgetItemPrivate(QTableWidgetItem *item) : q(item), id(-1), headerItem(false) {}
     QTableWidgetItem *q;
     int id;
+    bool headerItem; // Qt 7 TODO: inline this stuff in the public class.
 };
 
 QT_END_NAMESPACE
diff --git a/tests/auto/widgets/itemviews/qtablewidget/tst_qtablewidget.cpp b/tests/auto/widgets/itemviews/qtablewidget/tst_qtablewidget.cpp
index 02d93bd3565..2892c124d6f 100644
--- a/tests/auto/widgets/itemviews/qtablewidget/tst_qtablewidget.cpp
+++ b/tests/auto/widgets/itemviews/qtablewidget/tst_qtablewidget.cpp
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ private slots:
     void task219380_removeLastRow();
     void task262056_sortDuplicate();
     void itemWithHeaderItems();
+    void checkHeaderItemFlagsConflict();
     void mimeData();
     void selectedRowAfterSorting();
     void search();
@@ -1669,6 +1670,25 @@ void tst_QTableWidget::itemWithHeaderItems()
     QCOMPARE(table.item(0, 1), nullptr);
 }
 
+void tst_QTableWidget::checkHeaderItemFlagsConflict()
+{
+    // QTBUG-113209
+    // Check that setting header item doesn't set Qt::ItemNeverHasChildren
+    // Chech that header items do not emit itemChanged.
+    QTableWidget table(1, 1);
+    QSignalSpy itemChangeSpy(&table, &QTableWidget::itemChanged);
+    QVERIFY(itemChangeSpy.isValid());
+
+    QTableWidgetItem *item = new QTableWidgetItem("Initial");
+    table.setHorizontalHeaderItem(0, item);
+
+    QVERIFY(!(item->flags() & Qt::ItemNeverHasChildren));
+
+    item->setData(Qt::DisplayRole, "updated");
+
+    QCOMPARE(itemChangeSpy.size(), 0);
+}
+
 class TestTableWidget : public QTableWidget
 {
     Q_OBJECT