diff --git a/lib/sourcesmodel.h b/lib/sourcesmodel.h
--- a/lib/sourcesmodel.h
+++ b/lib/sourcesmodel.h
@@ -88,7 +88,16 @@
     void reloadConfiguration();
     void setQueryString(const QString& str);
     void setQueryLimit(int limit);
+    /**
+     * Clears the model content and resets the runner context, i.e. no new items appear.
+     * Plasma 6 TODO: Replace this with bool clear(bool resetContext=true);
+     */
     void clear();
+    /**
+     * The contained items are removed. If resetContext is false, the runners can
+     * still add matches afterwards.
+     */
+    void clearContent(bool resetContext);
 
     bool run(int index);
     bool runAction(int index, int actionIndex);
diff --git a/lib/sourcesmodel.cpp b/lib/sourcesmodel.cpp
--- a/lib/sourcesmodel.cpp
+++ b/lib/sourcesmodel.cpp
@@ -237,7 +237,8 @@
 void SourcesModel::slotResetTimeout()
 {
     if (!m_modelPopulated) {
-        clear();
+        // The old items are still shown, get rid of them
+        clearContent(false);
     }
 }
 
@@ -313,7 +314,6 @@
         return;
 
     QString matchType = m.matchCategory();
-
     if (!m_types.contains(matchType)) {
         m_types << matchType;
     }
@@ -357,14 +357,21 @@
 }
 
 void SourcesModel::clear()
+{
+    clearContent(true);
+}
+
+void SourcesModel::clearContent(bool resetContext)
 {
     beginResetModel();
     m_matches.clear();
     m_size = 0;
     m_duplicates.clear();
-    m_queryString.clear();
-    m_manager->reset();
-    m_manager->matchSessionComplete();
+    if (resetContext) {
+        m_queryString.clear();
+        m_manager->reset();
+        m_manager->matchSessionComplete();
+    }
     endResetModel();
 }