diff --git a/src/widgets/graphicsview/qgraphicsitem.cpp b/src/widgets/graphicsview/qgraphicsitem.cpp
index f9b8cb83dad..3ba9b89e342 100644
--- a/src/widgets/graphicsview/qgraphicsitem.cpp
+++ b/src/widgets/graphicsview/qgraphicsitem.cpp
@@ -1436,6 +1436,7 @@ QGraphicsItem::~QGraphicsItem()
 #endif
 
     clearFocus();
+    setFocusProxy(0);
 
     // Update focus scope item ptr.
     QGraphicsItem *p = d_ptr->parent;
diff --git a/tests/auto/widgets/graphicsview/qgraphicsitem/tst_qgraphicsitem.cpp b/tests/auto/widgets/graphicsview/qgraphicsitem/tst_qgraphicsitem.cpp
index 687d44808de..2d379d3c07b 100644
--- a/tests/auto/widgets/graphicsview/qgraphicsitem/tst_qgraphicsitem.cpp
+++ b/tests/auto/widgets/graphicsview/qgraphicsitem/tst_qgraphicsitem.cpp
@@ -8485,7 +8485,9 @@ void tst_QGraphicsItem::focusProxyDeletion()
 
     rect2 = new QGraphicsRectItem;
     rect->setFocusProxy(rect2);
+    QGraphicsItem **danglingFocusProxyRef = &rect->d_ptr->focusProxy;
     delete rect; // don't crash
+    QVERIFY(!rect2->d_ptr->focusProxyRefs.contains(danglingFocusProxyRef));
 
     rect = new QGraphicsRectItem;
     rect->setFocusProxy(rect2);