diff --git a/src/widgets/widgets/qdockwidget.cpp b/src/widgets/widgets/qdockwidget.cpp
index 2699d43d7e3..69679291cb6 100644
--- a/src/widgets/widgets/qdockwidget.cpp
+++ b/src/widgets/widgets/qdockwidget.cpp
@@ -1828,17 +1828,16 @@ QDebug operator<<(QDebug dbg, const QDockWidget *dockWidget)
 {
     QDebugStateSaver saver(dbg);
     dbg.nospace();
-    return dockWidget ? dbg << *dockWidget : dbg << "QDockWidget(0x0)";
-}
 
-QDebug operator<<(QDebug dbg, const QDockWidget &dockWidget)
-{
-    QDebugStateSaver saver(dbg);
-    dbg.nospace();
-    dbg << "QDockWidget(" << static_cast<const void *>(&dockWidget);
-    dbg << "->(ObjectName=" << dockWidget.objectName();
-    dbg << "; floating=" << dockWidget.isFloating();
-    dbg << "; features=" << dockWidget.features();
+    if (!dockWidget) {
+        dbg << "QDockWidget(0x0)";
+        return dbg;
+    }
+
+    dbg << "QDockWidget(" << static_cast<const void *>(dockWidget);
+    dbg << "->(ObjectName=" << dockWidget->objectName();
+    dbg << "; floating=" << dockWidget->isFloating();
+    dbg << "; features=" << dockWidget->features();
     dbg << ";))";
     return dbg;
 }
diff --git a/src/widgets/widgets/qdockwidget.h b/src/widgets/widgets/qdockwidget.h
index 5dfa41a4fcf..82538ff1b67 100644
--- a/src/widgets/widgets/qdockwidget.h
+++ b/src/widgets/widgets/qdockwidget.h
@@ -65,7 +65,6 @@ public:
     { return (allowedAreas() & area) == area; }
 
 #ifndef QT_NO_DEBUG_STREAM
-    friend Q_WIDGETS_EXPORT QDebug operator<<(QDebug dbg, const QDockWidget &dockWidget);
     friend Q_WIDGETS_EXPORT QDebug operator<<(QDebug dbg, const QDockWidget *dockWidget);
 #endif