diff --git a/components/sessionsprivate/sessionsmodel.h b/components/sessionsprivate/sessionsmodel.h
--- a/components/sessionsprivate/sessionsmodel.h
+++ b/components/sessionsprivate/sessionsmodel.h
@@ -86,9 +86,11 @@
 
 signals:
     void shouldLockChanged();
-
     void countChanged();
 
+    void switchedUser(int vt);
+    void startedNewSession();
+
 private:
     void checkScreenLocked(const std::function<void (bool)> &cb);
 
diff --git a/components/sessionsprivate/sessionsmodel.cpp b/components/sessionsprivate/sessionsmodel.cpp
--- a/components/sessionsprivate/sessionsmodel.cpp
+++ b/components/sessionsprivate/sessionsmodel.cpp
@@ -45,8 +45,10 @@
         if (active) {
             if (m_pendingVt) {
                 m_displayManager.switchVT(m_pendingVt);
+                emit switchedUser(m_pendingVt);
             } else if (m_pendingReserve) {
                 m_displayManager.startReserve();
+                emit startNewSession();
             }
 
             m_pendingVt = 0;
@@ -78,13 +80,15 @@
 
     if (!shouldLock) {
         m_displayManager.switchVT(vt);
+        emit switchedUser(vt);
         return;
     }
 
     checkScreenLocked([this, vt](bool locked) {
         if (locked) {
             // already locked, switch right away
             m_displayManager.switchVT(vt);
+            emit switchedUser(vt);
         } else {
             m_pendingReserve = false;
             m_pendingVt = vt;
@@ -101,13 +105,15 @@
 
     if (!shouldLock) {
         m_displayManager.startReserve();
+        emit startedNewSession();
         return;
     }
 
     checkScreenLocked([this](bool locked) {
         if (locked) {
             // already locked, switch right away
             m_displayManager.startReserve();
+            emit startedNewSession();
         } else {
             m_pendingReserve = true;
             m_pendingVt = 0;
diff --git a/lookandfeel/contents/userswitcher/UserSwitcher.qml b/lookandfeel/contents/userswitcher/UserSwitcher.qml
--- a/lookandfeel/contents/userswitcher/UserSwitcher.qml
+++ b/lookandfeel/contents/userswitcher/UserSwitcher.qml
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@
 
     SessionsModel {
         id: sessionsModel
+        // the calls takes place asynchronously; if we were to dismiss the dialog right
+        // after startNewSession/switchUser we would be destroyed before the reply
+        // returned leaving us do nothing (Bug 356945)
+        onStartedNewSession: root.dismissed()
+        onSwitchedUser: root.dismissed()
     }
 
     Controls.Action {
@@ -125,7 +130,6 @@
                 visible: sessionsModel.canStartNewSession
                 onClicked: {
                     sessionsModel.startNewSession(sessionsModel.shouldLock)
-                    root.dismissed()
                 }
             }
 
@@ -148,7 +152,6 @@
                     visible: sessionsModel.count > 0
                     onClicked: {
                         sessionsModel.switchUser(block.mainItem.selectedItem.vtNumber, sessionsModel.shouldLock)
-                        root.dismissed()
                     }
 
                     Controls.Action {