diff --git a/plugins/platforms/virtual/screens_virtual.cpp b/plugins/platforms/virtual/screens_virtual.cpp
--- a/plugins/platforms/virtual/screens_virtual.cpp
+++ b/plugins/platforms/virtual/screens_virtual.cpp
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
     if (screen >= outputs.size()) {
         return QRect();
     }
-    return outputs.at(screen).geometry();
+    return outputs.at(screen)->geometry();
 }
 
 QSize VirtualScreens::size(int screen) const
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@
     int minDistance = INT_MAX;
     const auto outputs = m_backend->outputs();
     for (int i = 0; i < outputs.size(); ++i) {
-        const QRect &geo = outputs.at(i).geometry();
+        const QRect &geo = outputs.at(i)->geometry();
         if (geo.contains(pos)) {
             return i;
         }
diff --git a/plugins/platforms/virtual/virtual_backend.h b/plugins/platforms/virtual/virtual_backend.h
--- a/plugins/platforms/virtual/virtual_backend.h
+++ b/plugins/platforms/virtual/virtual_backend.h
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 #ifndef KWIN_VIRTUAL_BACKEND_H
 #define KWIN_VIRTUAL_BACKEND_H
 #include "platform.h"
-#include "virtual_output.h"
 
 #include <kwin_export.h>
 
@@ -33,7 +32,7 @@
 
 namespace KWin
 {
-struct ColorCorrect::GammaRamp;
+class VirtualOutput;
 
 class KWIN_EXPORT VirtualBackend : public Platform
 {
@@ -49,7 +48,7 @@
     int outputCount() const {
         return m_outputs.size();
     }
-    const QVector<VirtualOutput> outputs() const {
+    const QVector<VirtualOutput*> outputs() const {
         return m_outputs;
     }
     qreal outputScale() const {
@@ -95,7 +94,7 @@
     void virtualOutputsSet(bool countChanged);
 
 private:
-    QVector<VirtualOutput> m_outputs;
+    QVector<VirtualOutput*> m_outputs;
 
     qreal m_outputScale = 1;
 
diff --git a/plugins/platforms/virtual/virtual_backend.cpp b/plugins/platforms/virtual/virtual_backend.cpp
--- a/plugins/platforms/virtual/virtual_backend.cpp
+++ b/plugins/platforms/virtual/virtual_backend.cpp
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 *********************************************************************/
 #include "virtual_backend.h"
+#include "virtual_output.h"
 #include "scene_qpainter_virtual_backend.h"
 #include "screens_virtual.h"
 #include "wayland_server.h"
@@ -33,7 +34,6 @@
 #if HAVE_GBM
 #include <gbm.h>
 #endif
-#include <colorcorrection/manager.h>
 
 namespace KWin
 {
@@ -75,8 +75,8 @@
      * TODO: rewrite all tests to explicitly set the outputs.
      */
     if (!m_outputs.size()) {
-        auto dummyOutput = VirtualOutput(this);
-        dummyOutput.m_geo = QRect(QPoint(0, 0), initialWindowSize());
+        VirtualOutput *dummyOutput = new VirtualOutput(this);
+        dummyOutput->m_geo = QRect(QPoint(0, 0), initialWindowSize());
         m_outputs = { dummyOutput };
     }
 
@@ -118,29 +118,31 @@
     Q_ASSERT(geometries.size() == 0 || geometries.size() == count);
 
     bool countChanged = m_outputs.size() != count;
+    qDeleteAll(m_outputs.begin(), m_outputs.end());
     m_outputs.resize(count);
 
     int sumWidth = 0;
     for (int i = 0; i < count; i++) {
-        VirtualOutput& o = m_outputs[i];
+        VirtualOutput *vo = new VirtualOutput(this);
         if (geometries.size()) {
-            o.m_geo = geometries.at(i);
-        } else if (!o.m_geo.isValid()) {
-            o.m_geo = QRect(QPoint(sumWidth, 0), initialWindowSize());
-            sumWidth += o.m_geo.width();
+            vo->m_geo = geometries.at(i);
+        } else if (!vo->m_geo.isValid()) {
+            vo->m_geo = QRect(QPoint(sumWidth, 0), initialWindowSize());
+            sumWidth += vo->m_geo.width();
         }
+        m_outputs[i] = vo;
     }
 
     emit virtualOutputsSet(countChanged);
 }
 
 int VirtualBackend::gammaRampSize(int screen) const {
-    return m_outputs[screen].m_gammaSize;
+    return m_outputs[screen]->m_gammaSize;
 }
 
 bool VirtualBackend::setGammaRamp(int screen, ColorCorrect::GammaRamp &gamma) {
     Q_UNUSED(gamma);
-    return m_outputs[screen].m_gammaResult;
+    return m_outputs[screen]->m_gammaResult;
 }
 
 }