diff --git a/libs/image/kis_update_job_item.h b/libs/image/kis_update_job_item.h
--- a/libs/image/kis_update_job_item.h
+++ b/libs/image/kis_update_job_item.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include "kis_spontaneous_job.h"
 #include "kis_base_rects_walker.h"
 #include "kis_async_merger.h"
+#include "kis_updater_context.h"
 
 
 class KisUpdateJobItem :  public QObject, public QRunnable
@@ -43,8 +44,8 @@
     };
 
 public:
-    KisUpdateJobItem(QReadWriteLock *exclusiveJobLock)
-        : m_exclusiveJobLock(exclusiveJobLock),
+    KisUpdateJobItem(KisUpdaterContext *updaterContext)
+        : m_updaterContext(updaterContext),
           m_atomicType(Type::EMPTY),
           m_runnableJob(0)
     {
@@ -76,9 +77,9 @@
             KIS_SAFE_ASSERT_RECOVER_RETURN(isRunning());
 
             if(m_exclusive) {
-                m_exclusiveJobLock->lockForWrite();
+                m_updaterContext->m_exclusiveJobLock.lockForWrite();
             } else {
-                m_exclusiveJobLock->lockForRead();
+                m_updaterContext->m_exclusiveJobLock.lockForRead();
             }
 
             if(m_atomicType == Type::MERGE) {
@@ -93,12 +94,12 @@
             setDone();
 
 
-            emit sigDoSomeUsefulWork();
+            m_updaterContext->doSomeUsefulWork();
 
             // may flip the current state from Waiting -> Running again
-            emit sigJobFinished();
+            m_updaterContext->jobFinished();
 
-            m_exclusiveJobLock->unlock();
+            m_updaterContext->m_exclusiveJobLock.unlock();
 
             // try to exit the loop. Please note, that no one can flip the state from
             // WAITING to EMPTY except ourselves!
@@ -117,7 +118,7 @@
         m_merger.startMerge(*m_walker);
 
         QRect changeRect = m_walker->changeRect();
-        emit sigContinueUpdate(changeRect);
+        m_updaterContext->continueUpdate(changeRect);
     }
 
     // return true if the thread should actually be started
@@ -191,11 +192,6 @@
         return m_strokeJobSequentiality;
     }
 
-Q_SIGNALS:
-    void sigContinueUpdate(const QRect& rc);
-    void sigDoSomeUsefulWork();
-    void sigJobFinished();
-
 private:
     /**
      * Open walker and stroke job for the testing suite.
@@ -222,10 +218,7 @@
     }
 
 private:
-    /**
-     * \see KisUpdaterContext::m_exclusiveJobLock
-     */
-    QReadWriteLock *m_exclusiveJobLock;
+    KisUpdaterContext *m_updaterContext;
 
     bool m_exclusive;
 
diff --git a/libs/image/kis_update_scheduler.h b/libs/image/kis_update_scheduler.h
--- a/libs/image/kis_update_scheduler.h
+++ b/libs/image/kis_update_scheduler.h
@@ -204,6 +204,10 @@
     bool wrapAroundModeSupported() const;
     int currentLevelOfDetail() const;
 
+    void continueUpdate(const QRect &rect);
+    void doSomeUsefulWork();
+    void spareThreadAppeared();
+
 protected:
     // Trivial constructor for testing support
     KisUpdateScheduler();
@@ -216,11 +220,6 @@
      */
     void updateSettings();
 
-private Q_SLOTS:
-    void continueUpdate(const QRect &rect);
-    void doSomeUsefulWork();
-    void spareThreadAppeared();
-
 private:
     friend class UpdatesBlockTester;
     bool haveUpdatesRunning();
diff --git a/libs/image/kis_update_scheduler.cpp b/libs/image/kis_update_scheduler.cpp
--- a/libs/image/kis_update_scheduler.cpp
+++ b/libs/image/kis_update_scheduler.cpp
@@ -117,16 +117,6 @@
 
 void KisUpdateScheduler::connectSignals()
 {
-    connect(&m_d->updaterContext, SIGNAL(sigContinueUpdate(const QRect&)),
-            SLOT(continueUpdate(const QRect&)),
-            Qt::DirectConnection);
-
-    connect(&m_d->updaterContext, SIGNAL(sigDoSomeUsefulWork()),
-            SLOT(doSomeUsefulWork()), Qt::DirectConnection);
-
-    connect(&m_d->updaterContext, SIGNAL(sigSpareThreadAppeared()),
-            SLOT(spareThreadAppeared()), Qt::DirectConnection);
-
     connect(KisImageConfigNotifier::instance(), SIGNAL(configChanged()),
             SLOT(updateSettings()));
 }
diff --git a/libs/image/kis_updater_context.h b/libs/image/kis_updater_context.h
--- a/libs/image/kis_updater_context.h
+++ b/libs/image/kis_updater_context.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "kis_lock_free_lod_counter.h"
 
 #include "KisUpdaterContextSnapshotEx.h"
+#include "kis_update_scheduler.h"
 
 class KisUpdateJobItem;
 class KisSpontaneousJob;
@@ -138,14 +139,11 @@
      */
     int threadsLimit() const;
 
+    void continueUpdate(const QRect& rc);
+    void doSomeUsefulWork();
+    void jobFinished();
 
-Q_SIGNALS:
-    void sigContinueUpdate(const QRect& rc);
-    void sigDoSomeUsefulWork();
-    void sigSpareThreadAppeared();
-
-protected Q_SLOTS:
-    void slotJobFinished();
+    friend class KisUpdateJobItem;
 
 protected:
     static bool walkerIntersectsJob(KisBaseRectsWalkerSP walker,
@@ -165,6 +163,7 @@
     QVector<KisUpdateJobItem*> m_jobs;
     QThreadPool m_threadPool;
     KisLockFreeLodCounter m_lodCounter;
+    KisUpdateScheduler *m_scheduler;
 };
 
 class KRITAIMAGE_EXPORT KisTestableUpdaterContext : public KisUpdaterContext
@@ -186,6 +185,8 @@
 
     const QVector<KisUpdateJobItem*> getJobs();
     void clear();
+
+    friend class KisUpdateJobItem;
 };
 
 
diff --git a/libs/image/kis_updater_context.cpp b/libs/image/kis_updater_context.cpp
--- a/libs/image/kis_updater_context.cpp
+++ b/libs/image/kis_updater_context.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 const int KisUpdaterContext::useIdealThreadCountTag = -1;
 
 KisUpdaterContext::KisUpdaterContext(qint32 threadCount, QObject *parent)
-    : QObject(parent)
+    : QObject(parent), m_scheduler(qobject_cast<KisUpdateScheduler *>(parent))
 {
     if(threadCount <= 0) {
         threadCount = QThread::idealThreadCount();
@@ -244,14 +244,6 @@
     return -1;
 }
 
-void KisUpdaterContext::slotJobFinished()
-{
-    m_lodCounter.removeLod();
-
-    // Be careful. This slot can be called asynchronously without locks.
-    emit sigSpareThreadAppeared();
-}
-
 void KisUpdaterContext::lock()
 {
     m_lock.lock();
@@ -278,16 +270,7 @@
     m_jobs.resize(value);
 
     for(qint32 i = 0; i < m_jobs.size(); i++) {
-        m_jobs[i] = new KisUpdateJobItem(&m_exclusiveJobLock);
-        connect(m_jobs[i], SIGNAL(sigContinueUpdate(const QRect&)),
-                SIGNAL(sigContinueUpdate(const QRect&)),
-                Qt::DirectConnection);
-
-        connect(m_jobs[i], SIGNAL(sigDoSomeUsefulWork()),
-                SIGNAL(sigDoSomeUsefulWork()), Qt::DirectConnection);
-
-        connect(m_jobs[i], SIGNAL(sigJobFinished()),
-                SLOT(slotJobFinished()), Qt::DirectConnection);
+        m_jobs[i] = new KisUpdateJobItem(this);
     }
 }
 
@@ -297,6 +280,22 @@
     return m_jobs.size();
 }
 
+void KisUpdaterContext::continueUpdate(const QRect& rc)
+{
+    if (m_scheduler) m_scheduler->continueUpdate(rc);
+}
+
+void KisUpdaterContext::doSomeUsefulWork()
+{
+    if (m_scheduler) m_scheduler->doSomeUsefulWork();
+}
+
+void KisUpdaterContext::jobFinished()
+{
+    m_lodCounter.removeLod();
+    if (m_scheduler) m_scheduler->spareThreadAppeared();
+}
+
 KisTestableUpdaterContext::KisTestableUpdaterContext(qint32 threadCount)
     : KisUpdaterContext(threadCount)
 {