diff --git a/src/MainWindow.cpp b/src/MainWindow.cpp
--- a/src/MainWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/MainWindow.cpp
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@
     // emulator (as they are reserved for use by terminal applications)
     correctStandardShortcuts();
 
-    setProfileList(new ProfileList(true, this));
+    setProfileList(new ProfileList(false, this));
 
     // this must come at the end
     applyKonsoleSettings();
diff --git a/src/ProfileManager.h b/src/ProfileManager.h
--- a/src/ProfileManager.h
+++ b/src/ProfileManager.h
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 
 // Konsole
 #include "Profile.h"
+#include "ProfileList.h"
 
 namespace Konsole {
 /**
@@ -211,6 +212,7 @@
      */
     Profile::Ptr findByShortcut(const QKeySequence &shortcut);
 
+    ProfileList *getProfileList();
 Q_SIGNALS:
 
     /** Emitted when a profile is added to the manager. */
@@ -288,6 +290,8 @@
     // finds out if it's a internal profile or an external one,
     // fixing the path to point to the correct location for the profile.
     QString normalizePath(const QString& path) const;
+
+    ProfileList *_profileList;
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/ProfileManager.cpp b/src/ProfileManager.cpp
--- a/src/ProfileManager.cpp
+++ b/src/ProfileManager.cpp
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@
     , _loadedAllProfiles(false)
     , _loadedFavorites(false)
     , _shortcuts(QMap<QKeySequence, ShortcutData>())
+    , _profileList(nullptr)
 {
     //load fallback profile
     _fallbackProfile = Profile::Ptr(new Profile());
@@ -697,3 +698,10 @@
     return QKeySequence();
 }
 
+ProfileList *ProfileManager::getProfileList()
+{
+    if (_profileList == nullptr) {
+        _profileList = new ProfileList(true, this);
+    }
+    return _profileList;
+}
diff --git a/src/SessionController.cpp b/src/SessionController.cpp
--- a/src/SessionController.cpp
+++ b/src/SessionController.cpp
@@ -97,7 +97,6 @@
     , _session(session)
     , _view(view)
     , _copyToGroup(nullptr)
-    , _profileList(nullptr)
     , _sessionIcon(QIcon())
     , _sessionIconName(QString())
     , _previousState(-1)
@@ -223,6 +222,10 @@
     _bookmarkValidProgramsToClear << QStringLiteral("tcsh") << QStringLiteral("zsh");
     setupSearchBar();
     _searchBar->setVisible(_isSearchBarEnabled);
+
+    _profileList = ProfileManager::instance()->getProfileList();
+    connect(_profileList, &ProfileList::actionsChanged, this, &Konsole::SessionController::prepareSwitchProfileMenu);
+    prepareSwitchProfileMenu();
 }
 
 SessionController::~SessionController()
@@ -490,6 +493,9 @@
         // second, connect the newly focused view to listen for the session's bell signal
         connect(_session.data(), &Konsole::Session::bellRequest, _view.data(), &Konsole::TerminalDisplay::bell);
 
+        disconnect(_profileList, &Konsole::ProfileList::profileSelected, nullptr, nullptr);
+        connect(_profileList, &Konsole::ProfileList::profileSelected, this, &Konsole::SessionController::switchProfile);
+
         if ((_copyInputToAllTabsAction != nullptr) && _copyInputToAllTabsAction->isChecked()) {
             // A session with "Copy To All Tabs" has come into focus:
             // Ensure that newly created sessions are included in _copyToGroup!
@@ -621,7 +627,6 @@
 
     _switchProfileMenu = new KActionMenu(i18n("Switch Profile"), this);
     collection->addAction(QStringLiteral("switch-profile"), _switchProfileMenu);
-    connect(_switchProfileMenu->menu(), &QMenu::aboutToShow, this, &Konsole::SessionController::prepareSwitchProfileMenu);
 
     // History
     _findAction = KStandardAction::find(this, SLOT(searchBarEvent()), collection);
@@ -780,17 +785,16 @@
 
 void SessionController::switchProfile(Profile::Ptr profile)
 {
+    if (isReadOnly()) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     SessionManager::instance()->setSessionProfile(_session, profile);
     updateFilterList(profile);
 }
 
 void SessionController::prepareSwitchProfileMenu()
 {
-    if (_switchProfileMenu->menu()->isEmpty()) {
-        _profileList = new ProfileList(false, this);
-        connect(_profileList, &Konsole::ProfileList::profileSelected, this, &Konsole::SessionController::switchProfile);
-    }
-
     _switchProfileMenu->menu()->clear();
     _switchProfileMenu->menu()->addActions(_profileList->actions());
 }
diff --git a/src/SessionManager.cpp b/src/SessionManager.cpp
--- a/src/SessionManager.cpp
+++ b/src/SessionManager.cpp
@@ -156,6 +156,10 @@
 
     Q_ASSERT(profile);
 
+    if (_sessionProfiles[session] == profile) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     _sessionProfiles[session] = profile;
 
     applyProfile(session, profile, false);