diff --git a/src/corelib/io/qdir.cpp b/src/corelib/io/qdir.cpp
index 2d6b6e6f22..8529cf1dd2 100644
--- a/src/corelib/io/qdir.cpp
+++ b/src/corelib/io/qdir.cpp
@@ -153,19 +153,10 @@ inline void QDirPrivate::setPath(const QString &path)
     }
 
     dirEntry = QFileSystemEntry(p, QFileSystemEntry::FromInternalPath());
-    metaData.clear();
-    initFileEngine();
-    clearFileLists();
+    clearCache(IncludingMetaData);
     absoluteDirEntry = QFileSystemEntry();
 }
 
-inline void QDirPrivate::clearFileLists()
-{
-    fileListsInitialized = false;
-    files.clear();
-    fileInfos.clear();
-}
-
 inline void QDirPrivate::resolveAbsoluteEntry() const
 {
     if (!absoluteDirEntry.isEmpty() || dirEntry.isEmpty())
@@ -316,8 +307,13 @@ inline void QDirPrivate::initFileLists(const QDir &dir) const
     }
 }
 
-inline void QDirPrivate::initFileEngine()
+inline void QDirPrivate::clearCache(MetaDataClearing mode)
 {
+    if (mode == IncludingMetaData)
+        metaData.clear();
+    fileListsInitialized = false;
+    files.clear();
+    fileInfos.clear();
     fileEngine.reset(QFileSystemEngine::resolveEntryAndCreateLegacyEngine(dirEntry, metaData));
 }
 
@@ -1014,9 +1010,7 @@ QStringList QDir::nameFilters() const
 void QDir::setNameFilters(const QStringList &nameFilters)
 {
     Q_D(QDir);
-    d->initFileEngine();
-    d->clearFileLists();
-
+    d->clearCache(QDirPrivate::KeepMetaData);
     d->nameFilters = nameFilters;
 }
 
@@ -1195,9 +1189,7 @@ QDir::Filters QDir::filter() const
 void QDir::setFilter(Filters filters)
 {
     Q_D(QDir);
-    d->initFileEngine();
-    d->clearFileLists();
-
+    d->clearCache(QDirPrivate::KeepMetaData);
     d->filters = filters;
 }
 
@@ -1252,9 +1244,7 @@ QDir::SortFlags QDir::sorting() const
 void QDir::setSorting(SortFlags sort)
 {
     Q_D(QDir);
-    d->initFileEngine();
-    d->clearFileLists();
-
+    d->clearCache(QDirPrivate::KeepMetaData);
     d->sort = sort;
 }
 
@@ -2352,9 +2342,7 @@ bool QDir::isRelativePath(const QString &path)
 void QDir::refresh() const
 {
     QDirPrivate *d = const_cast<QDir *>(this)->d_func();
-    d->metaData.clear();
-    d->initFileEngine();
-    d->clearFileLists();
+    d->clearCache(QDirPrivate::IncludingMetaData);
 }
 
 /*!
diff --git a/src/corelib/io/qdir_p.h b/src/corelib/io/qdir_p.h
index 9f6be858e5..415f8e2ce6 100644
--- a/src/corelib/io/qdir_p.h
+++ b/src/corelib/io/qdir_p.h
@@ -41,7 +41,6 @@ public:
 
     bool exists() const;
 
-    void initFileEngine();
     void initFileLists(const QDir &dir) const;
 
     static void sortFileList(QDir::SortFlags, const QFileInfoList &, QStringList *, QFileInfoList *);
@@ -52,7 +51,8 @@ public:
 
     void setPath(const QString &path);
 
-    void clearFileLists();
+    enum MetaDataClearing { KeepMetaData, IncludingMetaData };
+    void clearCache(MetaDataClearing mode);
 
     void resolveAbsoluteEntry() const;