diff --git a/autotests/klineedit_unittest.cpp b/autotests/klineedit_unittest.cpp
--- a/autotests/klineedit_unittest.cpp
+++ b/autotests/klineedit_unittest.cpp
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 */
 
 #include <QClipboard>
+#include <QToolButton>
 #include <QtTest>
 #include <klineedit.h>
 #include <kcompletionbox.h>
@@ -278,6 +279,20 @@
         QApplication::clipboard()->setText(origText);
     }
 
+    void testClearButtonClicked()
+    {
+        KLineEdit w;
+        w.setText(QStringLiteral("Hello world"));
+        w.setClearButtonEnabled(true);
+        w.setClearButtonEnabled(false);
+        w.setClearButtonEnabled(true);
+        QSignalSpy spy(&w, &KLineEdit::clearButtonClicked);
+        QToolButton *tb = w.findChild<QToolButton*>();
+        QTest::mouseClick(tb, Qt::LeftButton, Qt::NoModifier);
+        QCOMPARE(w.text(), QString());
+        QCOMPARE(spy.count(), 1);
+    }
+
 };
 
 QTEST_MAIN(KLineEdit_UnitTest)
diff --git a/src/klineedit.cpp b/src/klineedit.cpp
--- a/src/klineedit.cpp
+++ b/src/klineedit.cpp
@@ -165,10 +165,6 @@
 void KLineEdit::setClearButtonShown(bool show)
 {
     setClearButtonEnabled(show);
-    if (show) {
-        QAction *clearAction = findChild<QAction *>(QLatin1String("_q_qlineeditclearaction"));
-        connect(clearAction, &QAction::triggered, this, &KLineEdit::clearButtonClicked);
-    }
 }
 
 bool KLineEdit::isClearButtonShown() const
@@ -1057,6 +1053,16 @@
         d->previousHighlightedTextColor = p.color(QPalette::Normal, QPalette::HighlightedText);
         d->previousHighlightColor = p.color(QPalette::Normal, QPalette::Highlight);
         setUserSelection(d->userSelection);
+    } else if (ev->type() == QEvent::ChildAdded) {
+        QObject *obj = static_cast<QChildEvent*>(ev)->child();
+        if (obj) {
+            connect(obj, &QObject::objectNameChanged, this, [this, obj] {
+                if (obj->objectName() == QLatin1String("_q_qlineeditclearaction")) {
+                    QAction *action = qobject_cast<QAction*>(obj);
+                    connect(action, &QAction::triggered, this, &KLineEdit::clearButtonClicked);
+                }
+            });
+        }
     }
 
     return QLineEdit::event(ev);
diff --git a/tests/klineedittest.cpp b/tests/klineedittest.cpp
--- a/tests/klineedittest.cpp
+++ b/tests/klineedittest.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
     m_lineedit->setObjectName(QStringLiteral("klineedittest"));
     m_lineedit->completionObject()->setItems(list);
     m_lineedit->setSqueezedTextEnabled(true);
-    m_lineedit->setClearButtonShown(true);
+    m_lineedit->setClearButtonEnabled(true);
     connect(m_lineedit, SIGNAL(returnPressed()), SLOT(slotReturnPressed()));
     connect(m_lineedit, SIGNAL(returnPressed(QString)),
             SLOT(slotReturnPressed(QString)));