diff --git a/src/corelib/ipc/qtipccommon.cpp b/src/corelib/ipc/qtipccommon.cpp
index f5b576962f3..06c6932f509 100644
--- a/src/corelib/ipc/qtipccommon.cpp
+++ b/src/corelib/ipc/qtipccommon.cpp
@@ -375,8 +375,7 @@ QNativeIpcKey::Type QNativeIpcKey::defaultTypeForOs_internal() noexcept
 */
 void QNativeIpcKey::copy_internal(const QNativeIpcKey &other)
 {
-    auto copy = new QNativeIpcKeyPrivate(*other.d_func());
-    d = quintptr(copy) & 1;
+    d = new QNativeIpcKeyPrivate(*other.d);
 }
 
 void QNativeIpcKey::move_internal(QNativeIpcKey &&) noexcept
@@ -386,21 +385,13 @@ void QNativeIpcKey::move_internal(QNativeIpcKey &&) noexcept
 
 QNativeIpcKey &QNativeIpcKey::assign_internal(const QNativeIpcKey &other)
 {
-    QNativeIpcKeyPrivate *us = (d & 1) ? d_func() : nullptr;
-    const QNativeIpcKeyPrivate *them = (other.d & 1) ? other.d_func() : nullptr;
-    if (us && !them) {
-        // don't need the extra info, reset to skinny object
-        typeAndFlags = {};
-        typeAndFlags.type = us->type;
-        delete us;
-    } else {
-        // do need the extra info, so create if necessary
-        if (us)
-            *us = *them;
-        else
-            us = new QNativeIpcKeyPrivate(*them);
-        d = quintptr(us) | 1;
-    }
+    Q_ASSERT(d || other.d);     // only 3 cases to handle
+    if (d && !other.d)
+        *d = {};
+    else if (d)
+        *d = *other.d;
+    else
+        d = new QNativeIpcKeyPrivate(*other.d);
     return *this;
 }
 
@@ -411,7 +402,6 @@ QNativeIpcKey &QNativeIpcKey::assign_internal(const QNativeIpcKey &other)
 */
 void QNativeIpcKey::destroy_internal() noexcept
 {
-    Q_D(QNativeIpcKey);
     delete d;
 }
 
@@ -458,11 +448,6 @@ void QNativeIpcKey::destroy_internal() noexcept
 
     \sa nativeKey(), setType()
 */
-QNativeIpcKey::Type QNativeIpcKey::type_internal() const noexcept
-{
-    Q_D(const QNativeIpcKey);
-    return d->type;
-}
 
 /*!
     \fn QNativeIpcKey::setType(Type type)
@@ -473,8 +458,7 @@ QNativeIpcKey::Type QNativeIpcKey::type_internal() const noexcept
 */
 void QNativeIpcKey::setType_internal(Type type)
 {
-    Q_D(QNativeIpcKey);
-    d->type = type;
+    Q_UNUSED(type);
 }
 
 /*!
@@ -520,7 +504,8 @@ size_t qHash(const QNativeIpcKey &ipcKey, size_t seed) noexcept
 */
 int QNativeIpcKey::compare_internal(const QNativeIpcKey &lhs, const QNativeIpcKey &rhs) noexcept
 {
-    return *lhs.d_func() == *rhs.d_func() ? 0 : 1;
+    Q_UNUSED(lhs); Q_UNUSED(rhs);
+    return 0;
 }
 
 /*!
diff --git a/src/corelib/ipc/qtipccommon.h b/src/corelib/ipc/qtipccommon.h
index ba26681787a..bf0936cb42a 100644
--- a/src/corelib/ipc/qtipccommon.h
+++ b/src/corelib/ipc/qtipccommon.h
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ class QNativeIpcKey
 {
     Q_GADGET_EXPORT(Q_CORE_EXPORT)
 public:
-    enum class Type : quintptr {
+    enum class Type : quint16 {
         // 0 is reserved for the invalid type
         // keep 1 through 0xff free, except for SystemV
         SystemV = 0x51,         // 'Q'
@@ -37,31 +37,28 @@ public:
             ;
     static Type legacyDefaultTypeForOs() noexcept;
 
-    constexpr QNativeIpcKey() noexcept
-        : QNativeIpcKey(DefaultTypeForOs)
-    {}
+    constexpr QNativeIpcKey() noexcept = default;
 
     explicit constexpr QNativeIpcKey(Type type) noexcept
-        : d()
+        : typeAndFlags{type}
     {
-        typeAndFlags.type = type;
     }
 
     Q_IMPLICIT QNativeIpcKey(const QString &k, Type type = DefaultTypeForOs)
-        : d(), key(k)
+        : key(k), typeAndFlags{type}
     {
-        typeAndFlags.type = type;
     }
 
     QNativeIpcKey(const QNativeIpcKey &other)
-        : d(other.d), key(other.key)
+        : d(other.d), key(other.key), typeAndFlags(other.typeAndFlags)
     {
         if (isSlowPath())
             copy_internal(other);
     }
 
     QNativeIpcKey(QNativeIpcKey &&other) noexcept
-        : d(std::exchange(other.d, 0)), key(std::move(other.key))
+        : d(std::exchange(other.d, nullptr)), key(std::move(other.key)),
+          typeAndFlags(std::move(other.typeAndFlags))
     {
         if (isSlowPath())
             move_internal(std::move(other));
@@ -75,10 +72,11 @@ public:
 
     QNativeIpcKey &operator=(const QNativeIpcKey &other)
     {
+        typeAndFlags = other.typeAndFlags;
         key = other.key;
         if (isSlowPath() || other.isSlowPath())
             return assign_internal(other);
-        d = other.d;
+        Q_ASSERT(!d);
         return *this;
     }
 
@@ -87,6 +85,7 @@ public:
     {
         std::swap(d, other.d);
         key.swap(other.key);
+        typeAndFlags.swap(other.typeAndFlags);
     }
 
     bool isEmpty() const noexcept
@@ -101,8 +100,6 @@ public:
 
     constexpr Type type() const noexcept
     {
-        if (isSlowPath())
-            return type_internal();
         return typeAndFlags.type;
     }
 
@@ -114,7 +111,9 @@ public:
     }
 
     QString nativeKey() const noexcept
-    { return key; }
+    {
+        return key;
+    }
     void setNativeKey(const QString &newKey)
     {
         key = newKey;
@@ -127,36 +126,32 @@ public:
 
 private:
     struct TypeAndFlags {
-#if Q_BYTE_ORDER == Q_LITTLE_ENDIAN
-        // this is the LSB
-        quintptr isExtended : 1;
-        Type type : 15;
-#endif
+        Type type = DefaultTypeForOs;
+        quint16 reserved1 = {};
+        quint32 reserved2 = {};
 
-        quintptr reserved : sizeof(quintptr) * 8 - 16;
+        void swap(TypeAndFlags &other) noexcept
+        {
+            std::swap(type, other.type);
+            std::swap(reserved1, other.reserved1);
+            std::swap(reserved2, other.reserved2);
+        }
 
-#if Q_BYTE_ORDER == Q_BIG_ENDIAN
-        Type type : 15;
-        quint16 isExtended : 1;
-        // this was the LSB
-#endif
-    };
-
-    // Bit 0: if set, holds a pointer (with the LSB set); if clear, holds the
-    // the TypeAndFlags structure.
-    union {
-        quintptr d = 0;
-        TypeAndFlags typeAndFlags;
-        static_assert(sizeof(typeAndFlags) == sizeof(d));
+        friend constexpr bool operator==(const TypeAndFlags &lhs, const TypeAndFlags &rhs) noexcept
+        {
+            return lhs.type == rhs.type &&
+                    lhs.reserved1 == rhs.reserved1 &&
+                    lhs.reserved2 == rhs.reserved2;
+        }
     };
 
+    QNativeIpcKeyPrivate *d = nullptr;
     QString key;
+    TypeAndFlags typeAndFlags;
 
     friend class QNativeIpcKeyPrivate;
-    QNativeIpcKeyPrivate *d_func();
-    const QNativeIpcKeyPrivate *d_func() const;
     constexpr bool isSlowPath() const noexcept
-    { return Q_UNLIKELY(typeAndFlags.isExtended); }
+    { return Q_UNLIKELY(d); }
 
     friend Q_CORE_EXPORT size_t qHash(const QNativeIpcKey &ipcKey, size_t seed) noexcept;
     friend size_t qHash(const QNativeIpcKey &ipcKey) noexcept
@@ -164,13 +159,13 @@ private:
 
     friend bool operator==(const QNativeIpcKey &lhs, const QNativeIpcKey &rhs) noexcept
     {
+        if (!(lhs.typeAndFlags == rhs.typeAndFlags))
+            return false;
         if (lhs.key != rhs.key)
             return false;
         if (lhs.d == rhs.d)
             return true;
-        if (lhs.isSlowPath() && rhs.isSlowPath())
-            return compare_internal(lhs, rhs) == 0;
-        return false;
+        return compare_internal(lhs, rhs) == 0;
     }
     friend bool operator!=(const QNativeIpcKey &lhs, const QNativeIpcKey &rhs) noexcept
     {
@@ -181,7 +176,6 @@ private:
     Q_CORE_EXPORT void move_internal(QNativeIpcKey &&other) noexcept;
     Q_CORE_EXPORT QNativeIpcKey &assign_internal(const QNativeIpcKey &other);
     Q_CORE_EXPORT void destroy_internal() noexcept;
-    Q_DECL_PURE_FUNCTION Q_CORE_EXPORT Type type_internal() const noexcept;
     Q_CORE_EXPORT void setType_internal(Type);
     Q_CORE_EXPORT void setNativeKey_internal(const QString &);
     Q_DECL_PURE_FUNCTION Q_CORE_EXPORT static int
diff --git a/src/corelib/ipc/qtipccommon_p.h b/src/corelib/ipc/qtipccommon_p.h
index b2cb3d02e21..3d6ad0903b8 100644
--- a/src/corelib/ipc/qtipccommon_p.h
+++ b/src/corelib/ipc/qtipccommon_p.h
@@ -31,26 +31,8 @@ QT_BEGIN_NAMESPACE
 class QNativeIpcKeyPrivate
 {
 public:
-    QNativeIpcKey::Type type = {};
-
-    friend bool operator==(const QNativeIpcKeyPrivate &lhs, const QNativeIpcKeyPrivate &rhs)
-    {
-        return lhs.type == rhs.type;
-    }
 };
 
-inline QNativeIpcKeyPrivate *QNativeIpcKey::d_func()
-{
-    Q_ASSERT(d & 1);    // Q_ASSERT(isSlowPath) but without the unlikely
-    return reinterpret_cast<QNativeIpcKeyPrivate *>(d & ~1);
-}
-
-inline const QNativeIpcKeyPrivate *QNativeIpcKey::d_func() const
-{
-    Q_ASSERT(d & 1);    // Q_ASSERT(isSlowPath) but without the unlikely
-    return reinterpret_cast<QNativeIpcKeyPrivate *>(d & ~1);
-}
-
 namespace QtIpcCommon {
 enum class IpcType {
     SharedMemory,