diff --git a/src/corelib/kernel/qmetaobject.cpp b/src/corelib/kernel/qmetaobject.cpp
index b8b5c0de46..666bb6eace 100644
--- a/src/corelib/kernel/qmetaobject.cpp
+++ b/src/corelib/kernel/qmetaobject.cpp
@@ -235,6 +235,12 @@ QObject *QMetaObject::newInstance(QGenericArgument val0,
                                   QGenericArgument val8,
                                   QGenericArgument val9) const
 {
+    if (!inherits(&QObject::staticMetaObject))
+    {
+        qWarning("QMetaObject::newInstance: type %s does not inherit QObject", className());
+        return nullptr;
+    }
+
     QByteArray constructorName = className();
     {
         int idx = constructorName.lastIndexOf(':');
diff --git a/tests/auto/corelib/kernel/qmetaobject/tst_qmetaobject.cpp b/tests/auto/corelib/kernel/qmetaobject/tst_qmetaobject.cpp
index 9855bec520..cfe1443fd3 100644
--- a/tests/auto/corelib/kernel/qmetaobject/tst_qmetaobject.cpp
+++ b/tests/auto/corelib/kernel/qmetaobject/tst_qmetaobject.cpp
@@ -40,6 +40,13 @@ struct MyStruct
     int i;
 };
 
+class MyGadget
+{
+    Q_GADGET
+public:
+    Q_INVOKABLE MyGadget() {}
+};
+
 namespace MyNamespace {
     // Used in tst_QMetaObject::checkScope
     class MyClass : public QObject
@@ -1207,6 +1214,12 @@ void tst_QMetaObject::invokeMetaConstructor()
         QCOMPARE(obj2->parent(), (QObject*)&obj);
         QVERIFY(qobject_cast<NamespaceWithConstructibleClass::ConstructibleClass*>(obj2) != 0);
     }
+    // gadget shouldn't return a valid pointer
+    {
+        QCOMPARE(MyGadget::staticMetaObject.constructorCount(), 1);
+        QTest::ignoreMessage(QtWarningMsg, "QMetaObject::newInstance: type MyGadget does not inherit QObject");
+        QVERIFY(!MyGadget::staticMetaObject.newInstance());
+    }
 }
 
 void tst_QMetaObject::invokeTypedefTypes()