diff --git a/src/gui/text/qstatictext.cpp b/src/gui/text/qstatictext.cpp
index efced94397..a7868f36ab 100644
--- a/src/gui/text/qstatictext.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/text/qstatictext.cpp
@@ -722,14 +722,19 @@ QStaticTextItem::~QStaticTextItem()
 {
     if (m_userData != 0 && !m_userData->ref.deref())
         delete m_userData;
-    m_fontEngine->ref.deref();
+    setFontEngine(0);
 }
 
 void QStaticTextItem::setFontEngine(QFontEngine *fe)
 {
-    if (m_fontEngine != 0)
-        m_fontEngine->ref.deref();
+    if (m_fontEngine == fe)
+        return;
+
+    if (m_fontEngine != 0 && !m_fontEngine->ref.deref())
+        delete m_fontEngine;
+
     m_fontEngine = fe;
+
     if (m_fontEngine != 0)
         m_fontEngine->ref.ref();
 }