diff --git a/src/plugins/platforms/qnx/qnx.pro b/src/plugins/platforms/qnx/qnx.pro
index 1bd3548b7d..cf82084de0 100644
--- a/src/plugins/platforms/qnx/qnx.pro
+++ b/src/plugins/platforms/qnx/qnx.pro
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ QT += opengl opengl-private platformsupport platformsupport-private widgets-priv
 #DEFINES += QQNXINPUTCONTEXT_DEBUG
 #DEFINES += QQNXINPUTCONTEXT_IMF_EVENT_DEBUG
 #DEFINES += QQNXINTEGRATION_DEBUG
-#DEFINES += QQNXNAVIGATORTHREAD_DEBUG
+#DEFINES += QQNXNAVIGATOREVENTHANDLER_DEBUG
 #DEFINES += QQNXRASTERBACKINGSTORE_DEBUG
 #DEFINES += QQNXROOTWINDOW_DEBUG
 #DEFINES += QQNXSCREEN_DEBUG
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ SOURCES =   main.cpp \
             qqnxglcontext.cpp \
             qqnxglbackingstore.cpp \
             qqnxintegration.cpp \
-            qqnxnavigatorthread.cpp \
+            qqnxnavigatoreventhandler.cpp \
             qqnxscreen.cpp \
             qqnxwindow.cpp \
             qqnxrasterbackingstore.cpp \
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ HEADERS =   qqnxbuffer.h \
             qqnxeventthread.h \
             qqnxkeytranslator.h \
             qqnxintegration.h \
-            qqnxnavigatorthread.h \
+            qqnxnavigatoreventhandler.h \
             qqnxglcontext.h \
             qqnxglbackingstore.h \
             qqnxscreen.h \
diff --git a/src/plugins/platforms/qnx/qqnxintegration.cpp b/src/plugins/platforms/qnx/qqnxintegration.cpp
index 2811661269..cb7f14f963 100644
--- a/src/plugins/platforms/qnx/qqnxintegration.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/platforms/qnx/qqnxintegration.cpp
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
 #include "qqnxeventthread.h"
 #include "qqnxglbackingstore.h"
 #include "qqnxglcontext.h"
-#include "qqnxnavigatorthread.h"
+#include "qqnxnavigatoreventhandler.h"
 #include "qqnxrasterbackingstore.h"
 #include "qqnxscreen.h"
 #include "qqnxwindow.h"
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ QMutex QQnxIntegration::ms_windowMapperMutex;
 QQnxIntegration::QQnxIntegration()
     : QPlatformIntegration()
     , m_eventThread(0)
-    , m_navigatorThread(0)
+    , m_navigatorEventHandler(0)
     , m_inputContext(0)
     , m_fontDatabase(new QGenericUnixFontDatabase())
     , m_paintUsingOpenGL(false)
@@ -109,9 +109,15 @@ QQnxIntegration::QQnxIntegration()
     m_eventThread = new QQnxEventThread(m_screenContext, *QQnxScreen::primaryDisplay());
     m_eventThread->start();
 
-    // Create/start navigator thread
-    m_navigatorThread = new QQnxNavigatorThread(*QQnxScreen::primaryDisplay());
-    m_navigatorThread->start();
+    // Create/start navigator event handler
+    // Not on BlackBerry, it has specialised event dispatcher which also handles navigator events
+#ifndef Q_OS_BLACKBERRY
+    m_navigatorEventHandler = new QQnxNavigatorEventHandler(*QQnxScreen::primaryDisplay());
+
+    // delay invocation of start() to the time the event loop is up and running
+    // needed to have the QThread internals of the main thread properly initialized
+    QMetaObject::invokeMethod(m_navigatorEventHandler, "start", Qt::QueuedConnection);
+#endif
 
     // Create/start the keyboard class.
     QQnxVirtualKeyboard::instance();
@@ -137,7 +143,7 @@ QQnxIntegration::~QQnxIntegration()
     delete m_eventThread;
 
     // Stop/destroy navigator thread
-    delete m_navigatorThread;
+    delete m_navigatorEventHandler;
 
     // Destroy all displays
     QQnxScreen::destroyDisplays();
diff --git a/src/plugins/platforms/qnx/qqnxintegration.h b/src/plugins/platforms/qnx/qqnxintegration.h
index 51d06bd0e6..892bb6e16f 100644
--- a/src/plugins/platforms/qnx/qqnxintegration.h
+++ b/src/plugins/platforms/qnx/qqnxintegration.h
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ QT_BEGIN_NAMESPACE
 
 class QQnxEventThread;
 class QQnxInputContext;
-class QQnxNavigatorThread;
+class QQnxNavigatorEventHandler;
 class QQnxWindow;
 
 #ifndef QT_NO_CLIPBOARD
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ private:
 
     screen_context_t m_screenContext;
     QQnxEventThread *m_eventThread;
-    QQnxNavigatorThread *m_navigatorThread;
+    QQnxNavigatorEventHandler *m_navigatorEventHandler;
     QQnxInputContext *m_inputContext;
     QPlatformFontDatabase *m_fontDatabase;
     bool m_paintUsingOpenGL;
diff --git a/src/plugins/platforms/qnx/qqnxnavigatorthread.cpp b/src/plugins/platforms/qnx/qqnxnavigatoreventhandler.cpp
similarity index 79%
rename from src/plugins/platforms/qnx/qqnxnavigatorthread.cpp
rename to src/plugins/platforms/qnx/qqnxnavigatoreventhandler.cpp
index def4cb7eb1..4db86cb5cf 100644
--- a/src/plugins/platforms/qnx/qqnxnavigatorthread.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/platforms/qnx/qqnxnavigatoreventhandler.cpp
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 **
 ****************************************************************************/
 
-#include "qqnxnavigatorthread.h"
+#include "qqnxnavigatoreventhandler.h"
 #include "qqnxscreen.h"
 
 #include <QtGui/QGuiApplication>
@@ -61,25 +61,30 @@
 static const char *navigatorControlPath = "/pps/services/navigator/control";
 static const int ppsBufferSize = 4096;
 
-QQnxNavigatorThread::QQnxNavigatorThread(QQnxScreen& primaryScreen)
+QQnxNavigatorEventHandler::QQnxNavigatorEventHandler(QQnxScreen& primaryScreen)
     : m_primaryScreen(primaryScreen),
       m_fd(-1),
       m_readNotifier(0)
 {
 }
 
-QQnxNavigatorThread::~QQnxNavigatorThread()
+QQnxNavigatorEventHandler::~QQnxNavigatorEventHandler()
 {
-    // block until thread terminates
-    shutdown();
-
     delete m_readNotifier;
+
+    // close connection to navigator
+    if (m_fd != -1)
+        close(m_fd);
+
+#if defined(QQNXNAVIGATOREVENTHANDLER_DEBUG)
+    qDebug() << "QQNX: navigator event handler stopped";
+#endif
 }
 
-void QQnxNavigatorThread::run()
+void QQnxNavigatorEventHandler::start()
 {
-#if defined(QQNXNAVIGATORTHREAD_DEBUG)
-    qDebug() << "QQNX: navigator thread started";
+#if defined(QQNXNAVIGATOREVENTHANDLER_DEBUG)
+    qDebug() << "QQNX: navigator event handler started";
 #endif
 
     // open connection to navigator
@@ -91,39 +96,12 @@ void QQnxNavigatorThread::run()
     }
 
     m_readNotifier = new QSocketNotifier(m_fd, QSocketNotifier::Read);
-    // using direct connection to get the slot called in this thread's context
-    connect(m_readNotifier, SIGNAL(activated(int)), this, SLOT(readData()), Qt::DirectConnection);
-
-    exec();
-
-    // close connection to navigator
-    close(m_fd);
-
-#if defined(QQNXNAVIGATORTHREAD_DEBUG)
-    qDebug() << "QQNX: navigator thread stopped";
-#endif
+    connect(m_readNotifier, SIGNAL(activated(int)), this, SLOT(readData()));
 }
 
-void QQnxNavigatorThread::shutdown()
+void QQnxNavigatorEventHandler::parsePPS(const QByteArray &ppsData, QByteArray &msg, QByteArray &dat, QByteArray &id)
 {
-#if defined(QQNXNAVIGATORTHREAD_DEBUG)
-    qDebug() << "QQNX: navigator thread shutdown begin";
-#endif
-
-    // signal thread to terminate
-    quit();
-
-    // block until thread terminates
-    wait();
-
-#if defined(QQNXNAVIGATORTHREAD_DEBUG)
-    qDebug() << "QQNX: navigator thread shutdown end";
-#endif
-}
-
-void QQnxNavigatorThread::parsePPS(const QByteArray &ppsData, QByteArray &msg, QByteArray &dat, QByteArray &id)
-{
-#if defined(QQNXNAVIGATORTHREAD_DEBUG)
+#if defined(QQNXNAVIGATOREVENTHANDLER_DEBUG)
     qDebug() << "PPS: data=" << ppsData;
 #endif
 
@@ -141,7 +119,7 @@ void QQnxNavigatorThread::parsePPS(const QByteArray &ppsData, QByteArray &msg, Q
         // tokenize current attribute
         const QByteArray &attr = lines.at(i);
 
-#if defined(QQNXNAVIGATORTHREAD_DEBUG)
+#if defined(QQNXNAVIGATOREVENTHANDLER_DEBUG)
         qDebug() << "PPS: attr=" << attr;
 #endif
 
@@ -160,7 +138,7 @@ void QQnxNavigatorThread::parsePPS(const QByteArray &ppsData, QByteArray &msg, Q
         QByteArray key = attr.left(firstColon);
         QByteArray value = attr.mid(secondColon + 1);
 
-#if defined(QQNXNAVIGATORTHREAD_DEBUG)
+#if defined(QQNXNAVIGATOREVENTHANDLER_DEBUG)
         qDebug() << "PPS: key=" << key;
         qDebug() << "PPS: val=" << value;
 #endif
@@ -178,7 +156,7 @@ void QQnxNavigatorThread::parsePPS(const QByteArray &ppsData, QByteArray &msg, Q
     }
 }
 
-void QQnxNavigatorThread::replyPPS(const QByteArray &res, const QByteArray &id, const QByteArray &dat)
+void QQnxNavigatorEventHandler::replyPPS(const QByteArray &res, const QByteArray &id, const QByteArray &dat)
 {
     // construct pps message
     QByteArray ppsData = "res::";
@@ -191,7 +169,7 @@ void QQnxNavigatorThread::replyPPS(const QByteArray &res, const QByteArray &id,
     }
     ppsData += "\n";
 
-#if defined(QQNXNAVIGATORTHREAD_DEBUG)
+#if defined(QQNXNAVIGATOREVENTHANDLER_DEBUG)
     qDebug() << "PPS reply=" << ppsData;
 #endif
 
@@ -203,9 +181,9 @@ void QQnxNavigatorThread::replyPPS(const QByteArray &res, const QByteArray &id,
     }
 }
 
-void QQnxNavigatorThread::handleMessage(const QByteArray &msg, const QByteArray &dat, const QByteArray &id)
+void QQnxNavigatorEventHandler::handleMessage(const QByteArray &msg, const QByteArray &dat, const QByteArray &id)
 {
-#if defined(QQNXNAVIGATORTHREAD_DEBUG)
+#if defined(QQNXNAVIGATOREVENTHANDLER_DEBUG)
     qDebug() << "PPS: msg=" << msg << ", dat=" << dat << ", id=" << id;
 #endif
 
@@ -213,7 +191,7 @@ void QQnxNavigatorThread::handleMessage(const QByteArray &msg, const QByteArray
     if (msg == "orientationCheck") {
 
         // reply to navigator that (any) orientation is acceptable
-#if defined(QQNXNAVIGATORTHREAD_DEBUG)
+#if defined(QQNXNAVIGATOREVENTHANDLER_DEBUG)
         qDebug() << "PPS: orientation check, o=" << dat;
 #endif
         replyPPS(msg, id, "true");
@@ -221,7 +199,7 @@ void QQnxNavigatorThread::handleMessage(const QByteArray &msg, const QByteArray
     } else if (msg == "orientation") {
 
         // update screen geometry and reply to navigator that we're ready
-#if defined(QQNXNAVIGATORTHREAD_DEBUG)
+#if defined(QQNXNAVIGATOREVENTHANDLER_DEBUG)
         qDebug() << "PPS: orientation, o=" << dat;
 #endif
         m_primaryScreen.setRotation( dat.toInt() );
@@ -231,7 +209,7 @@ void QQnxNavigatorThread::handleMessage(const QByteArray &msg, const QByteArray
     } else if (msg == "SWIPE_DOWN") {
 
         // simulate menu key press
-#if defined(QQNXNAVIGATORTHREAD_DEBUG)
+#if defined(QQNXNAVIGATOREVENTHANDLER_DEBUG)
         qDebug() << "PPS: menu";
 #endif
         QWindow *w = QGuiApplication::focusWindow();
@@ -241,16 +219,16 @@ void QQnxNavigatorThread::handleMessage(const QByteArray &msg, const QByteArray
     } else if (msg == "exit") {
 
         // shutdown everything
-#if defined(QQNXNAVIGATORTHREAD_DEBUG)
+#if defined(QQNXNAVIGATOREVENTHANDLER_DEBUG)
         qDebug() << "PPS: exit";
 #endif
         QCoreApplication::quit();
     }
 }
 
-void QQnxNavigatorThread::readData()
+void QQnxNavigatorEventHandler::readData()
 {
-#if defined(QQNXNAVIGATORTHREAD_DEBUG)
+#if defined(QQNXNAVIGATOREVENTHANDLER_DEBUG)
     qDebug() << "QQNX: reading navigator data";
 #endif
     // allocate buffer for pps data
diff --git a/src/plugins/platforms/qnx/qqnxnavigatorthread.h b/src/plugins/platforms/qnx/qqnxnavigatoreventhandler.h
similarity index 87%
rename from src/plugins/platforms/qnx/qqnxnavigatorthread.h
rename to src/plugins/platforms/qnx/qqnxnavigatoreventhandler.h
index 40b217db73..2e0bd1fa14 100644
--- a/src/plugins/platforms/qnx/qqnxnavigatorthread.h
+++ b/src/plugins/platforms/qnx/qqnxnavigatoreventhandler.h
@@ -39,31 +39,30 @@
 **
 ****************************************************************************/
 
-#ifndef QQNXNAVIGATORTHREAD_H
-#define QQNXNAVIGATORTHREAD_H
+#ifndef QQNXNAVIGATOREVENTHANDLER_H
+#define QQNXNAVIGATOREVENTHANDLER_H
 
-#include <QThread>
+#include <QObject>
 
 QT_BEGIN_NAMESPACE
 
 class QQnxScreen;
 class QSocketNotifier;
 
-class QQnxNavigatorThread : public QThread
+class QQnxNavigatorEventHandler : public QObject
 {
     Q_OBJECT
 public:
-    QQnxNavigatorThread(QQnxScreen &primaryScreen);
-    virtual ~QQnxNavigatorThread();
+    QQnxNavigatorEventHandler(QQnxScreen &primaryScreen);
+    virtual ~QQnxNavigatorEventHandler();
 
-protected:
-    virtual void run();
+public Q_SLOTS:
+    void start();
 
 private Q_SLOTS:
     void readData();
 
 private:
-    void shutdown();
     void parsePPS(const QByteArray &ppsData, QByteArray &msg, QByteArray &dat, QByteArray &id);
     void replyPPS(const QByteArray &res, const QByteArray &id, const QByteArray &dat);
     void handleMessage(const QByteArray &msg, const QByteArray &dat, const QByteArray &id);
@@ -75,4 +74,4 @@ private:
 
 QT_END_NAMESPACE
 
-#endif // QQNXNAVIGATORTHREAD_H
+#endif // QQNXNAVIGATOREVENTHANDLER_H