diff --git a/kcms/desktoptheme/kcm.h b/kcms/desktoptheme/kcm.h
--- a/kcms/desktoptheme/kcm.h
+++ b/kcms/desktoptheme/kcm.h
@@ -45,9 +45,8 @@
 class KCMDesktopTheme : public KQuickAddons::ConfigModule
 {
     Q_OBJECT
+    Q_PROPERTY(DesktopThemeSettings *desktopThemeSettings READ desktopThemeSettings CONSTANT)
     Q_PROPERTY(QStandardItemModel *desktopThemeModel READ desktopThemeModel CONSTANT)
-    Q_PROPERTY(QString selectedPlugin READ selectedPlugin WRITE setSelectedPlugin NOTIFY selectedPluginChanged)
-    Q_PROPERTY(int selectedPluginIndex READ selectedPluginIndex NOTIFY selectedPluginIndexChanged)
     Q_PROPERTY(bool downloadingFile READ downloadingFile NOTIFY downloadingFileChanged)
     Q_PROPERTY(bool canEditThemes READ canEditThemes CONSTANT)
 
@@ -64,11 +63,10 @@
     KCMDesktopTheme(QObject *parent, const QVariantList &args);
     ~KCMDesktopTheme() override;
 
+    DesktopThemeSettings *desktopThemeSettings() const;
     QStandardItemModel *desktopThemeModel() const;
 
-    QString selectedPlugin() const;
-    void setSelectedPlugin(const QString &plugin);
-    int selectedPluginIndex() const;
+    Q_INVOKABLE int pluginIndex(const QString &pluginName) const;
 
     bool downloadingFile() const;
 
@@ -84,8 +82,6 @@
     Q_INVOKABLE void editTheme(const QString &themeName);
 
 Q_SIGNALS:
-    void selectedPluginChanged(const QString &plugin);
-    void selectedPluginIndexChanged();
     void downloadingFileChanged();
 
     void showSuccessMessage(const QString &message);
@@ -106,7 +102,7 @@
     DesktopThemeSettings *m_settings;
 
     QStandardItemModel *m_model;
-    QString m_selectedPlugin;
+    QString m_currentTheme;
     QStringList m_pendingRemoval;
     QHash<QString, Plasma::Theme*> m_themes;
     bool m_haveThemeExplorerInstalled;
diff --git a/kcms/desktoptheme/kcm.cpp b/kcms/desktoptheme/kcm.cpp
--- a/kcms/desktoptheme/kcm.cpp
+++ b/kcms/desktoptheme/kcm.cpp
@@ -56,6 +56,13 @@
 {
     // Unfortunately doesn't generate a ctor taking the parent as parameter
     m_settings->setParent(this);
+    m_currentTheme = m_settings->name();
+    connect(m_settings, &DesktopThemeSettings::configChanged,
+            this, &KCMDesktopTheme::updateNeedsSave);
+    connect(m_settings, &DesktopThemeSettings::nameChanged,
+            this, &KCMDesktopTheme::updateNeedsSave);
+
+    qmlRegisterType<DesktopThemeSettings>();
     qmlRegisterType<QStandardItemModel>();
 
     KAboutData* about = new KAboutData(QStringLiteral("kcm_desktoptheme"), i18n("Plasma Style"),
@@ -80,30 +87,19 @@
 {
 }
 
-QStandardItemModel *KCMDesktopTheme::desktopThemeModel() const
+DesktopThemeSettings *KCMDesktopTheme::desktopThemeSettings() const
 {
-    return m_model;
+    return m_settings;
 }
 
-QString KCMDesktopTheme::selectedPlugin() const
-{
-    return m_selectedPlugin;
-}
-
-void KCMDesktopTheme::setSelectedPlugin(const QString &plugin)
+QStandardItemModel *KCMDesktopTheme::desktopThemeModel() const
 {
-    if (m_selectedPlugin == plugin) {
-        return;
-    }
-    m_selectedPlugin = plugin;
-    emit selectedPluginChanged(m_selectedPlugin);
-    emit selectedPluginIndexChanged();
-    updateNeedsSave();
+    return m_model;
 }
 
-int KCMDesktopTheme::selectedPluginIndex() const
+int KCMDesktopTheme::pluginIndex(const QString &pluginName) const
 {
-    const auto results = m_model->match(m_model->index(0, 0), PluginNameRole, m_selectedPlugin);
+    const auto results = m_model->match(m_model->index(0, 0), PluginNameRole, pluginName);
     if (results.count() == 1) {
         return results.first().row();
     }
@@ -122,13 +118,11 @@
 
     m_model->setData(idx, pending, PendingDeletionRole);
 
-    if (pending && selectedPluginIndex() == index) {
+    if (pending && pluginIndex(m_settings->name()) == index) {
         // move to the next non-pending theme
         const auto nonPending = m_model->match(idx, PendingDeletionRole, false);
-        setSelectedPlugin(nonPending.first().data(PluginNameRole).toString());
+        m_settings->setName(nonPending.first().data(PluginNameRole).toString());
     }
-
-    updateNeedsSave();
 }
 
 void KCMDesktopTheme::getNewStuff(QQuickItem *ctx)
@@ -284,28 +278,26 @@
     m_model->setSortRole(ThemeNameRole); // FIXME the model should really be just using Qt::DisplayRole
     m_model->sort(0 /*column*/);
 
-    setSelectedPlugin(m_settings->name());
+    m_settings->load();
+    m_currentTheme = m_settings->name();
 
-    emit selectedPluginIndexChanged();
-
-    updateNeedsSave();
+    // Model has been cleared so pretend the theme name changed to force view update
+    emit m_settings->nameChanged();
 }
 
 void KCMDesktopTheme::save()
 {
-    if (m_settings->name() != m_selectedPlugin) {
-        m_settings->setName(m_selectedPlugin);
-        m_settings->save();
-        Plasma::Theme().setThemeName(m_settings->name());
-    }
-
+    m_settings->save();
+    m_currentTheme = m_settings->name();
+    Plasma::Theme().setThemeName(m_settings->name());
     processPendingDeletions();
     updateNeedsSave();
 }
 
 void KCMDesktopTheme::defaults()
 {
-    setSelectedPlugin(m_settings->defaultNameValue());
+    m_settings->setDefaults();
+    m_currentTheme = m_settings->name();
 
     // can this be done more elegantly?
     const auto pendingDeletions = m_model->match(m_model->index(0, 0), PendingDeletionRole, true);
@@ -327,7 +319,7 @@
 void KCMDesktopTheme::updateNeedsSave()
 {
     setNeedsSave(!m_model->match(m_model->index(0, 0), PendingDeletionRole, true).isEmpty()
-                    || m_selectedPlugin != m_settings->name());
+                    || m_currentTheme != m_settings->name());
 }
 
 void KCMDesktopTheme::processPendingDeletions()
@@ -346,7 +338,7 @@
         const QString pluginName = idx.data(PluginNameRole).toString();
         const QString displayName = idx.data(Qt::DisplayRole).toString();
 
-        Q_ASSERT(pluginName != m_selectedPlugin);
+        Q_ASSERT(pluginName != m_settings->name());
 
         const QStringList arguments = {QStringLiteral("-t"), QStringLiteral("theme"), QStringLiteral("-r"), pluginName};
 
diff --git a/kcms/desktoptheme/package/contents/ui/main.qml b/kcms/desktoptheme/package/contents/ui/main.qml
--- a/kcms/desktoptheme/package/contents/ui/main.qml
+++ b/kcms/desktoptheme/package/contents/ui/main.qml
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
    Copyright (c) 2014 Marco Martin <mart@kde.org>
    Copyright (c) 2016 David Rosca <nowrep@gmail.com>
    Copyright (c) 2018 Kai Uwe Broulik <kde@privat.broulik.de>
+   Copyright (c) 2019 Kevin Ottens <kevin.ottens@enioka.com>
 
    This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
    modify it under the terms of the GNU Library General Public
@@ -30,7 +31,7 @@
     KCM.ConfigModule.quickHelp: i18n("This module lets you choose the Plasma style.")
 
     view.model: kcm.desktopThemeModel
-    view.currentIndex: kcm.selectedPluginIndex
+    view.currentIndex: kcm.pluginIndex(kcm.desktopThemeSettings.name)
 
     enabled: !kcm.downloadingFile
 
@@ -86,7 +87,7 @@
         ]
 
         onClicked: {
-            kcm.selectedPlugin = model.pluginName;
+            kcm.desktopThemeSettings.name = model.pluginName;
             view.forceActiveFocus();
         }
     }