diff --git a/applets/kickoff/package/contents/ui/FavoritesView.qml b/applets/kickoff/package/contents/ui/FavoritesView.qml
--- a/applets/kickoff/package/contents/ui/FavoritesView.qml
+++ b/applets/kickoff/package/contents/ui/FavoritesView.qml
@@ -68,8 +68,6 @@
     }
 
     DropArea {
-        property int startRow: -1
-
         anchors.fill: parent
         enabled: plasmoid.immutability !== PlasmaCore.Types.SystemImmutable
 
@@ -91,9 +89,15 @@
             }
         }
 
-        onDragEnter: {
-            syncTarget(event);
-            startRow = favoritesView.currentIndex;
+        onDragEnter: syncTarget(event)
+
+        onDragLeave: {
+            // restore favorites order if the user
+            // drags the item outside (e.g. to the desktop)
+            var source = kickoff.dragSource;
+            if (isChildOf(source, favoritesView)) {
+                favoritesView.model.moveRow(source.itemIndex, kickoff.dragStartRow);
+            }
         }
 
         onDragMove: syncTarget(event)
diff --git a/applets/kickoff/package/contents/ui/Kickoff.qml b/applets/kickoff/package/contents/ui/Kickoff.qml
--- a/applets/kickoff/package/contents/ui/Kickoff.qml
+++ b/applets/kickoff/package/contents/ui/Kickoff.qml
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@
     }
 
     property Item dragSource: null
+    property int dragStartRow: -1
 
     Kicker.ProcessRunner {
         id: processRunner;
diff --git a/applets/kickoff/package/contents/ui/KickoffListView.qml b/applets/kickoff/package/contents/ui/KickoffListView.qml
--- a/applets/kickoff/package/contents/ui/KickoffListView.qml
+++ b/applets/kickoff/package/contents/ui/KickoffListView.qml
@@ -165,6 +165,7 @@
 
             if (pressed && pressX != -1 && pressed.url && dragHelper.isDrag(pressX, pressY, mouse.x, mouse.y)) {
                 kickoff.dragSource = item;
+                kickoff.dragStartRow = item.itemIndex;
                 dragHelper.startDrag(root, pressed.url, pressed.decoration);
                 pressed = null;
                 pressX = -1;