diff --git a/src/corelib/tools/qarraydataops.h b/src/corelib/tools/qarraydataops.h
index db795e2413..0230677330 100644
--- a/src/corelib/tools/qarraydataops.h
+++ b/src/corelib/tools/qarraydataops.h
@@ -1497,11 +1497,11 @@ public:
         Q_ASSERT(b >= this->begin() && b < this->end());
         Q_ASSERT(e > this->begin() && e <= this->end());
 
-        // Qt5 QList in erase: try to move less data around
-        // Now:
-        const T *begin = this->begin();
-        const T *end = this->end();
-        if (b - begin < end - e) {
+        // Comply with std::vector::erase(): erased elements and all after them
+        // are invalidated. However, erasing from the beginning effectively
+        // means that all iterators are invalidated. We can use this freedom to
+        // erase by moving towards the end.
+        if (b == this->begin()) {
             Base::erase(GrowsBackwardsTag{}, b, e);
         } else {
             Base::erase(GrowsForwardTag{}, b, e);
diff --git a/tests/auto/corelib/tools/qarraydata/tst_qarraydata.cpp b/tests/auto/corelib/tools/qarraydata/tst_qarraydata.cpp
index 2a1294a877..7eaa388118 100644
--- a/tests/auto/corelib/tools/qarraydata/tst_qarraydata.cpp
+++ b/tests/auto/corelib/tools/qarraydata/tst_qarraydata.cpp
@@ -1090,12 +1090,10 @@ void tst_QArrayData::arrayOps2()
         QVERIFY(vs[i].isNull());
 
         QCOMPARE(vo[i].id, i);
-
-        // Erasing closer to begin causes smaller region [begin, begin + 2) to
-        // be moved. Thus, to-be-erased region gets reassigned with the elements
-        // at the beginning
+        // Erasing not from begin always shifts left - consistency with
+        // std::vector::erase. Elements before erase position are not affected.
         QCOMPARE(int(vo[i].flags), CountedObject::DefaultConstructed
-                | CountedObject::CopyConstructed | CountedObject::CopyAssigned);
+                | CountedObject::CopyConstructed);
     }
 
     for (size_t i = 2; i < 4; ++i) {
@@ -1103,9 +1101,8 @@ void tst_QArrayData::arrayOps2()
         QVERIFY(vs[i].isNull());
 
         QCOMPARE(vo[i].id, i + 8);
-
-        // Erasing closer to begin does not affect [begin + 2, begin + 4) region
-        QCOMPARE(int(vo[i].flags), CountedObject::DefaultConstructed);
+        QCOMPARE(int(vo[i].flags), int(CountedObject::DefaultConstructed)
+                | CountedObject::CopyAssigned);
     }
 
     for (size_t i = 4; i < 7; ++i) {
@@ -1113,9 +1110,8 @@ void tst_QArrayData::arrayOps2()
         QCOMPARE(vs[i], QString::number(i + 3));
 
         QCOMPARE(vo[i].id, i + 3);
-
-        // Erasing closer to begin does not affect [begin + 2, begin + 4) region
-        QCOMPARE(int(vo[i].flags), CountedObject::DefaultConstructed);
+        QCOMPARE(int(vo[i].flags), CountedObject::DefaultConstructed
+                | CountedObject::CopyAssigned);
     }
 }