diff --git a/src/views/versioncontrol/versioncontrolobserver.h b/src/views/versioncontrol/versioncontrolobserver.h
--- a/src/views/versioncontrol/versioncontrolobserver.h
+++ b/src/views/versioncontrol/versioncontrolobserver.h
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@
      * Returns a matching plugin for the given directory.
      * 0 is returned, if no matching plugin has been found.
      */
-    KVersionControlPlugin* searchPlugin(const QUrl& directory) const;
+    KVersionControlPlugin* searchPlugin(const QUrl& directory);
 
     /**
      * Returns true, if the directory contains a version control information.
@@ -143,7 +143,9 @@
 
     QTimer* m_dirVerificationTimer;
 
+    bool m_pluginsInitialized;
     KVersionControlPlugin* m_plugin;
+    QList<KVersionControlPlugin*> m_plugins;
     UpdateItemStatesThread* m_updateItemStatesThread;
 
     friend class UpdateItemStatesThread;
diff --git a/src/views/versioncontrol/versioncontrolobserver.cpp b/src/views/versioncontrol/versioncontrolobserver.cpp
--- a/src/views/versioncontrol/versioncontrolobserver.cpp
+++ b/src/views/versioncontrol/versioncontrolobserver.cpp
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
     m_silentUpdate(false),
     m_model(nullptr),
     m_dirVerificationTimer(nullptr),
+    m_pluginsInitialized(false),
     m_plugin(nullptr),
     m_updateItemStatesThread(nullptr)
 {
@@ -256,35 +257,29 @@
     return index - firstIndex; // number of processed items
 }
 
-KVersionControlPlugin* VersionControlObserver::searchPlugin(const QUrl& directory) const
+KVersionControlPlugin* VersionControlObserver::searchPlugin(const QUrl& directory)
 {
-    static bool pluginsAvailable = true;
-    static QList<KVersionControlPlugin*> plugins;
-
-    if (!pluginsAvailable) {
-        // A searching for plugins has already been done, but no
-        // plugins are installed
-        return nullptr;
-    }
-
-    if (plugins.isEmpty()) {
+    if (!m_pluginsInitialized) {
         // No searching for plugins has been done yet. Query the KServiceTypeTrader for
         // all fileview version control plugins and remember them in 'plugins'.
         const QStringList enabledPlugins = VersionControlSettings::enabledPlugins();
 
         const KService::List pluginServices = KServiceTypeTrader::self()->query(QStringLiteral("FileViewVersionControlPlugin"));
         for (KService::List::ConstIterator it = pluginServices.constBegin(); it != pluginServices.constEnd(); ++it) {
             if (enabledPlugins.contains((*it)->name())) {
-                KVersionControlPlugin* plugin = (*it)->createInstance<KVersionControlPlugin>();
+                KVersionControlPlugin* plugin = (*it)->createInstance<KVersionControlPlugin>(this);
                 if (plugin) {
-                    plugins.append(plugin);
+                    m_plugins.append(plugin);
                 }
             }
         }
-        if (plugins.isEmpty()) {
-            pluginsAvailable = false;
-            return nullptr;
-        }
+        m_pluginsInitialized = true;
+    }
+
+    if (m_plugins.empty()) {
+        // A searching for plugins has already been done, but no
+        // plugins are installed
+        return nullptr;
     }
 
     // We use the number of upUrl() calls to find the best matching plugin
@@ -294,7 +289,7 @@
 
     // Verify whether the current directory contains revision information
     // like .svn, .git, ...
-    foreach (KVersionControlPlugin* plugin, plugins) {
+    foreach (KVersionControlPlugin* plugin, m_plugins) {
         const QString fileName = directory.path() + '/' + plugin->fileName();
         if (QFile::exists(fileName)) {
             // The score of this plugin is 0 (best), so we can just return this plugin,