diff --git a/src/network/kernel/qnetworkinformation.cpp b/src/network/kernel/qnetworkinformation.cpp
index 0c41a3a42e..d09ed949cc 100644
--- a/src/network/kernel/qnetworkinformation.cpp
+++ b/src/network/kernel/qnetworkinformation.cpp
@@ -56,6 +56,11 @@ QT_BEGIN_NAMESPACE
 Q_DECLARE_LOGGING_CATEGORY(lcNetInfo)
 Q_LOGGING_CATEGORY(lcNetInfo, "qt.network.info");
 
+struct QNetworkInformationDeleter
+{
+    void operator()(QNetworkInformation *information) { delete information; }
+};
+
 Q_GLOBAL_STATIC_WITH_ARGS(QFactoryLoader, loader,
                           (QNetworkInformationBackendFactory_iid,
                            QStringLiteral("/networkinformationbackends")))
@@ -63,7 +68,7 @@ Q_GLOBAL_STATIC_WITH_ARGS(QFactoryLoader, loader,
 struct QStaticNetworkInformationDataHolder
 {
     QMutex instanceMutex;
-    std::unique_ptr<QNetworkInformation> instanceHolder;
+    std::unique_ptr<QNetworkInformation, QNetworkInformationDeleter> instanceHolder;
     QList<QNetworkInformationBackendFactory *> factories;
 };
 Q_GLOBAL_STATIC(QStaticNetworkInformationDataHolder, dataHolder);
diff --git a/src/network/kernel/qnetworkinformation.h b/src/network/kernel/qnetworkinformation.h
index 658e152491..6d804fa4ee 100644
--- a/src/network/kernel/qnetworkinformation.h
+++ b/src/network/kernel/qnetworkinformation.h
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ QT_BEGIN_NAMESPACE
 
 class QNetworkInformationBackend;
 class QNetworkInformationPrivate;
+struct QNetworkInformationDeleter;
 class Q_NETWORK_EXPORT QNetworkInformation : public QObject
 {
     Q_OBJECT
@@ -70,8 +71,6 @@ public:
     Q_DECLARE_FLAGS(Features, Feature)
     Q_FLAG(Features)
 
-    ~QNetworkInformation() override;
-
     Reachability reachability() const;
 
     QString backendName() const;
@@ -87,8 +86,10 @@ Q_SIGNALS:
     void reachabilityChanged(Reachability newReachability);
 
 private:
+    friend struct QNetworkInformationDeleter;
     friend class QNetworkInformationPrivate;
     QNetworkInformation(QNetworkInformationBackend *backend);
+    ~QNetworkInformation() override;
 
     Q_DISABLE_COPY_MOVE(QNetworkInformation)
 };