diff --git a/autotests/client/test_plasma_window_model.cpp b/autotests/client/test_plasma_window_model.cpp
--- a/autotests/client/test_plasma_window_model.cpp
+++ b/autotests/client/test_plasma_window_model.cpp
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@
     void testRequests();
     // TODO: minimized geometry
     // TODO: model reset
+    void testCreateWithUnmappedWindow();
 
 private:
     bool testBooleanData(PlasmaWindowModel::AdditionalRoles role, void (PlasmaWindowInterface::*function)(bool));
@@ -681,5 +682,38 @@
     QCOMPARE(shadeRequestedSpy.last().first().toBool(), false);
 }
 
+void PlasmaWindowModelTest::testCreateWithUnmappedWindow()
+{
+    // this test verifies that creating the model just when an unmapped window exists doesn't cause problems
+    // that is the unmapped window should be added (as expected), but also be removed again
+
+    // create a window in "normal way"
+    QSignalSpy windowCreatedSpy(m_pw, &PlasmaWindowManagement::windowCreated);
+    QVERIFY(windowCreatedSpy.isValid());
+    auto w = m_pwInterface->createWindow(m_pwInterface);
+    QVERIFY(w);
+    QVERIFY(windowCreatedSpy.wait());
+    PlasmaWindow *window = windowCreatedSpy.first().first().value<PlasmaWindow*>();
+    QVERIFY(window);
+    QSignalSpy unmappedSpy(window, &PlasmaWindow::unmapped);
+    QVERIFY(unmappedSpy.isValid());
+    QSignalSpy destroyedSpy(window, &PlasmaWindow::destroyed);
+    QVERIFY(destroyedSpy.isValid());
+    // unmap should be triggered, but not yet the destroyed
+    w->unmap();
+    QVERIFY(unmappedSpy.wait());
+    QVERIFY(destroyedSpy.isEmpty());
+
+    auto model = m_pw->createWindowModel();
+    QVERIFY(model);
+    QCOMPARE(model->rowCount(), 1);
+    QSignalSpy rowRemovedSpy(model, &PlasmaWindowModel::rowsRemoved);
+    QVERIFY(rowRemovedSpy.isValid());
+    QVERIFY(rowRemovedSpy.wait());
+    QCOMPARE(rowRemovedSpy.count(), 1);
+    QCOMPARE(model->rowCount(), 0);
+    QCOMPARE(destroyedSpy.count(), 1);
+}
+
 QTEST_GUILESS_MAIN(PlasmaWindowModelTest)
 #include "test_plasma_window_model.moc"
diff --git a/src/client/plasmawindowmodel.cpp b/src/client/plasmawindowmodel.cpp
--- a/src/client/plasmawindowmodel.cpp
+++ b/src/client/plasmawindowmodel.cpp
@@ -57,16 +57,17 @@
     windows.append(window);
     q->endInsertRows();
 
-    QObject::connect(window, &PlasmaWindow::unmapped,
-        [window, this] {
-            const int row = windows.indexOf(window);
-            if (row != -1) {
-                q->beginRemoveRows(QModelIndex(), row, row);
-                windows.removeAt(row);
-                q->endRemoveRows();
-            }
+    auto removeWindow = [window, this] {
+        const int row = windows.indexOf(window);
+        if (row != -1) {
+            q->beginRemoveRows(QModelIndex(), row, row);
+            windows.removeAt(row);
+            q->endRemoveRows();
         }
-    );
+    };
+
+    QObject::connect(window, &PlasmaWindow::unmapped, q, removeWindow);
+    QObject::connect(window, &QObject::destroyed, q, removeWindow);
 
     QObject::connect(window, &PlasmaWindow::titleChanged,
         [window, this] { this->dataChanged(window, Qt::DisplayRole); }