diff --git a/src/core/slavebase.h b/src/core/slavebase.h
--- a/src/core/slavebase.h
+++ b/src/core/slavebase.h
@@ -333,14 +333,26 @@
      */
     MetaData allMetaData() const;
 
+    /**
+     * Returns a map to query config/meta-data information from.
+     *
+     * The application provides the slave with all configuration information
+     * relevant for the current protocol and host.
+     * @since 5.64
+     */
+    QMap<QString, QVariant> mapConfig() const;
+
     /**
      * Returns a configuration object to query config/meta-data information
      * from.
      *
      * The application provides the slave with all configuration information
      * relevant for the current protocol and host.
+     *
+     * TODO KF6: remove
+     * @deprecated since 5.64 use mapConfig instead
      */
-    KConfigGroup *config();
+    KIOCORE_DEPRECATED KConfigGroup *config();
 
     /**
      * Returns an object that can translate remote filenames into proper
diff --git a/src/core/slavebase.cpp b/src/core/slavebase.cpp
--- a/src/core/slavebase.cpp
+++ b/src/core/slavebase.cpp
@@ -35,12 +35,14 @@
 #include <process.h>
 #endif
 
+#include <QtGlobal>
 #include <QFile>
 #include <QList>
 #include <QDateTime>
 #include <QElapsedTimer>
 #include <QCoreApplication>
 #include <QDataStream>
+#include <QMap>
 
 #include <kconfig.h>
 #include <kconfiggroup.h>
@@ -115,6 +117,7 @@
     MetaData configData;
     KConfig *config;
     KConfigGroup *configGroup;
+    QMap<QString, QVariant> mapConfig;
     QUrl onHoldUrl;
 
     QElapsedTimer lastTimeout;
@@ -170,19 +173,24 @@
     // Reconstructs configGroup from configData and mIncomingMetaData
     void rebuildConfig()
     {
-        configGroup->deleteGroup(KConfigGroup::WriteConfigFlags());
+        mapConfig.clear();
 
         // mIncomingMetaData cascades over config, so we write config first,
         // to let it be overwritten
         MetaData::ConstIterator end = configData.constEnd();
         for (MetaData::ConstIterator it = configData.constBegin(); it != end; ++it) {
-            configGroup->writeEntry(it.key(), it->toUtf8(), KConfigGroup::WriteConfigFlags());
+            mapConfig.insert(it.key(), it->toUtf8());
         }
 
         end = q->mIncomingMetaData.constEnd();
         for (MetaData::ConstIterator it = q->mIncomingMetaData.constBegin(); it != end; ++it) {
-            configGroup->writeEntry(it.key(), it->toUtf8(), KConfigGroup::WriteConfigFlags());
+            mapConfig.insert(it.key(), it->toUtf8());
         }
+
+        delete configGroup;
+        configGroup = nullptr;
+        delete config;
+        config = nullptr;
     }
 
     void verifyState(const char *cmdName)
@@ -271,9 +279,7 @@
     d->slaveid = QString::fromUtf8(protocol) + QString::number(getpid());
     d->resume = false;
     d->needSendCanResume = false;
-    d->config = new KConfig(QString(), KConfig::SimpleConfig);
-    // The KConfigGroup needs the KConfig to exist during its whole lifetime.
-    d->configGroup = new KConfigGroup(d->config, QString());
+    d->mapConfig = QMap<QString, QVariant>();
     d->onHold = false;
     d->wasKilled = false;
 //    d->processed_size = 0;
@@ -404,8 +410,25 @@
     return false;
 }
 
+QMap<QString, QVariant> SlaveBase::mapConfig() const
+{
+    return d->mapConfig;
+}
+
 KConfigGroup *SlaveBase::config()
 {
+    if (!d->config) {
+        d->config = new KConfig(QString(), KConfig::SimpleConfig);
+
+        d->configGroup = new KConfigGroup(d->config, QString());
+
+        auto end = d->mapConfig.cend();
+        for (auto it = d->mapConfig.cbegin(); it != end; ++it)
+        {
+            d->configGroup->writeEntry(it.key(), it->toString().toUtf8(), KConfigGroup::WriteConfigFlags());
+        }
+    }
+
     return d->configGroup;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/ioslaves/file/file.cpp b/src/ioslaves/file/file.cpp
--- a/src/ioslaves/file/file.cpp
+++ b/src/ioslaves/file/file.cpp
@@ -338,7 +338,7 @@
 void FileProtocol::redirect(const QUrl &url)
 {
     QUrl redir(url);
-    redir.setScheme(config()->readEntry("DefaultRemoteProtocol", "smb"));
+    redir.setScheme(mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("DefaultRemoteProtocol"), QStringLiteral("smb")).toString());
 
     // if we would redirect into the Windows world, let's also check for the
     // DavWWWRoot "token" which in the Windows world tells win explorer to access
@@ -595,7 +595,7 @@
     QT_STATBUF buff_orig;
     const bool bOrigExists = (QT_LSTAT(QFile::encodeName(dest_orig).constData(), &buff_orig) != -1);
     bool bPartExists = false;
-    const bool bMarkPartial = config()->readEntry("MarkPartial", true);
+    const bool bMarkPartial = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("MarkPartial"), true).toBool();
 
     if (bMarkPartial) {
         QT_STATBUF buff_part;
@@ -723,7 +723,7 @@
 
             QT_STATBUF buff;
             if (QT_STAT(QFile::encodeName(dest).constData(), &buff) == 0) {
-                int size = config()->readEntry("MinimumKeepSize", DEFAULT_MINIMUM_KEEP_SIZE);
+                int size = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("MinimumKeepSize"), QVariant(DEFAULT_MINIMUM_KEEP_SIZE)).toInt();
                 if (buff.st_size <  size) {
                     QFile::remove(dest);
                 }
diff --git a/src/ioslaves/file/file_unix.cpp b/src/ioslaves/file/file_unix.cpp
--- a/src/ioslaves/file/file_unix.cpp
+++ b/src/ioslaves/file/file_unix.cpp
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@
 {
     if (!isLocalFileSameHost(url)) {
         QUrl redir(url);
-        redir.setScheme(config()->readEntry("DefaultRemoteProtocol", "smb"));
+        redir.setScheme(mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("DefaultRemoteProtocol"), QStringLiteral("smb")).toString());
         redirection(redir);
         // qDebug() << "redirecting to " << redir;
         finished();
diff --git a/src/ioslaves/file/file_win.cpp b/src/ioslaves/file/file_win.cpp
--- a/src/ioslaves/file/file_win.cpp
+++ b/src/ioslaves/file/file_win.cpp
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@
 
     if (!url.isLocalFile()) {
         QUrl redir(url);
-        redir.setScheme(config()->readEntry("DefaultRemoteProtocol", "smb"));
+        redir.setScheme(mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("DefaultRemoteProtocol"), QStringLiteral("smb")).toString());
         redirection(redir);
         // qDebug() << "redirecting to " << redir;
         finished();
diff --git a/src/ioslaves/ftp/ftp.cpp b/src/ioslaves/ftp/ftp.cpp
--- a/src/ioslaves/ftp/ftp.cpp
+++ b/src/ioslaves/ftp/ftp.cpp
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@
     qCDebug(KIO_FTP) << _host << "port=" << _port << "user=" << _user;
 
     m_proxyURL.clear();
-    m_proxyUrls = config()->readEntry("ProxyUrls", QStringList());
+    m_proxyUrls = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("MarkPartial"), QVariant(QStringList())).toStringList();
     qCDebug(KIO_FTP) << "proxy urls:" << m_proxyUrls;
 
     if (m_host != _host || m_port != _port ||
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@
         }
     }
 
-    m_bTextMode = config()->readEntry("textmode", false);
+    m_bTextMode = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("textmode"), false).toBool();
     connected();
 
     // Redirected due to credential change...
@@ -518,11 +518,11 @@
     QString user(m_user);
     QString pass(m_pass);
 
-    if (config()->readEntry("EnableAutoLogin", false)) {
-        QString au = config()->readEntry("autoLoginUser");
+    if (mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("EnableAutoLogin"), false).toBool()) {
+        QString au = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("autoLoginUser"), QVariant("")).toString();
         if (!au.isEmpty()) {
             user = au;
-            pass = config()->readEntry("autoLoginPass");
+            pass = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("autoLoginPass"), QVariant("")).toString();
         }
     }
 
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@
 
     // Check for cached authentication first and fallback to
     // anonymous login when no stored credentials are found.
-    if (!config()->readEntry("TryAnonymousLoginFirst", false) &&
+    if (!mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("TryAnonymousLoginFirst"), false).toBool() &&
             pass.isEmpty() && checkCachedAuthentication(info)) {
         user = info.username;
         pass = info.password;
@@ -585,7 +585,7 @@
             info.keepPassword = true; // Prompt the user for persistence as well.
             info.setModified(false);  // Default the modified flag since we reuse authinfo.
 
-            const bool disablePassDlg = config()->readEntry("DisablePassDlg", false);
+            const bool disablePassDlg = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("DisablePassDlg"), false).toBool();
             if (disablePassDlg) {
                 error(ERR_USER_CANCELED, m_host);
                 return false;
@@ -686,7 +686,7 @@
         qCWarning(KIO_FTP) << "SYST failed";
     }
 
-    if (config()->readEntry("EnableAutoLoginMacro", false)) {
+    if (mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("EnableAutoLoginMacro"), false).toBool()) {
         ftpAutoLoginMacro();
     }
 
@@ -954,15 +954,15 @@
     int  iErrCodePASV = 0;  // Remember error code from PASV
 
     // First try passive (EPSV & PASV) modes
-    if (!config()->readEntry("DisablePassiveMode", false)) {
+    if (!mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("DisablePassiveMode"), false).toBool()) {
         iErrCode = ftpOpenPASVDataConnection();
         if (iErrCode == 0) {
             return 0;    // success
         }
         iErrCodePASV = iErrCode;
         ftpCloseDataConnection();
 
-        if (!config()->readEntry("DisableEPSV", false)) {
+        if (!mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("DisableEPSV"), false).toBool()) {
             iErrCode = ftpOpenEPSVDataConnection();
             if (iErrCode == 0) {
                 return 0;    // success
@@ -2095,7 +2095,7 @@
     if (m_user.isEmpty() || m_user == QLatin1String(FTP_LOGIN)) {
         bMarkPartial = false;
     } else {
-        bMarkPartial = config()->readEntry("MarkPartial", true);
+        bMarkPartial = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("ProxyUrls"), true).toBool();
     }
 
     QString dest_orig = dest_url.path();
@@ -2207,7 +2207,7 @@
         if (bMarkPartial) {
             // Remove if smaller than minimum size
             if (ftpSize(dest, 'I') &&
-                    (processed_size < config()->readEntry("MinimumKeepSize", DEFAULT_MINIMUM_KEEP_SIZE))) {
+                    (processed_size < mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("MinimumKeepSize"), QVariant(DEFAULT_MINIMUM_KEEP_SIZE)).toInt())) {
                 const QByteArray cmd = "DELE " + remoteEncoding()->encode(dest);
                 (void) ftpSendCmd(cmd);
             }
@@ -2432,7 +2432,7 @@
     bool bResume = false;
     QFileInfo sPartInfo(sPart);
     const bool bPartExists = sPartInfo.exists();
-    const bool bMarkPartial = config()->readEntry("MarkPartial", true);
+    const bool bMarkPartial = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("MarkPartial"), true).toBool();
     const QString dest = bMarkPartial ? sPart : sCopyFile;
     if (bMarkPartial && bPartExists && sPartInfo.size() > 0) {
         // must not be a folder! please fix a similar bug in kio_file!!
@@ -2505,7 +2505,7 @@
         } else {
             sPartInfo.refresh();
             if (sPartInfo.exists()) { // should a very small ".part" be deleted?
-                int size = config()->readEntry("MinimumKeepSize", DEFAULT_MINIMUM_KEEP_SIZE);
+                int size = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("MinimumKeepSize"), QVariant(DEFAULT_MINIMUM_KEEP_SIZE)).toInt();
                 if (sPartInfo.size() <  size) {
                     QFile::remove(sPart);
                 }
diff --git a/src/ioslaves/http/http.cpp b/src/ioslaves/http/http.cpp
--- a/src/ioslaves/http/http.cpp
+++ b/src/ioslaves/http/http.cpp
@@ -443,15 +443,15 @@
     m_request.keepAliveTimeout = 0;
 
     m_request.redirectUrl = QUrl();
-    m_request.useCookieJar = config()->readEntry("Cookies", false);
-    m_request.cacheTag.useCache = config()->readEntry("UseCache", true);
-    m_request.preferErrorPage = config()->readEntry("errorPage", true);
-    const bool noAuth = config()->readEntry("no-auth", false);
-    m_request.doNotWWWAuthenticate = config()->readEntry("no-www-auth", noAuth);
-    m_request.doNotProxyAuthenticate = config()->readEntry("no-proxy-auth", noAuth);
-    m_strCacheDir = config()->readPathEntry("CacheDir", QString());
-    m_maxCacheAge = config()->readEntry("MaxCacheAge", DEFAULT_MAX_CACHE_AGE);
-    m_request.windowId = config()->readEntry("window-id");
+    m_request.useCookieJar = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("Cookies"), false).toBool();
+    m_request.cacheTag.useCache = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("UseCache"), true).toBool();
+    m_request.preferErrorPage = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("errorPage"), true).toBool();
+    const bool noAuth = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("no-auth"), false).toBool();
+    m_request.doNotWWWAuthenticate = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("no-www-auth"), noAuth).toBool();
+    m_request.doNotProxyAuthenticate = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("no-proxy-auth"), noAuth).toBool();
+    m_strCacheDir = config()->readPathEntry(QStringLiteral("CacheDir"), QString());
+    m_maxCacheAge = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("MaxCacheAge"), DEFAULT_MAX_CACHE_AGE).toInt();
+    m_request.windowId = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("window-id")).toString();
 
     m_request.methodStringOverride = metaData(QStringLiteral("CustomHTTPMethod"));
     m_request.sentMethodString.clear();
@@ -462,7 +462,7 @@
     m_request.referrer.clear();
     // RFC 2616: do not send the referrer if the referrer page was served using SSL and
     //           the current page does not use SSL.
-    if (config()->readEntry("SendReferrer", true) &&
+    if (mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("SendReferrer"), true).toBool() &&
             (isEncryptedHttpVariety(m_protocol) || metaData(QStringLiteral("ssl_was_in_use")) != QLatin1String("TRUE"))) {
         QUrl refUrl(metaData(QStringLiteral("referrer")));
         if (refUrl.isValid()) {
@@ -479,12 +479,12 @@
         }
     }
 
-    if (config()->readEntry("SendLanguageSettings", true)) {
-        m_request.charsets = config()->readEntry("Charsets", DEFAULT_PARTIAL_CHARSET_HEADER);
+    if (mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("SendLanguageSettings"), true).toBool()) {
+        m_request.charsets = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("Charsets"), QStringLiteral(DEFAULT_PARTIAL_CHARSET_HEADER)).toString();
         if (!m_request.charsets.contains(QLatin1String("*;"), Qt::CaseInsensitive)) {
             m_request.charsets += QLatin1String(",*;q=0.5");
         }
-        m_request.languages = config()->readEntry("Languages", DEFAULT_LANGUAGE_HEADER);
+        m_request.languages = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("Languages"), QStringLiteral(DEFAULT_LANGUAGE_HEADER)).toString();
     } else {
         m_request.charsets.clear();
         m_request.languages.clear();
@@ -511,12 +511,12 @@
         m_request.endoffset = 0;
     }
 
-    m_request.disablePassDialog = config()->readEntry("DisablePassDlg", false);
-    m_request.allowTransferCompression = config()->readEntry("AllowCompressedPage", true);
+    m_request.disablePassDialog = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("DisablePassDlg"), false).toBool();
+    m_request.allowTransferCompression = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("AllowCompressedPage"), true).toBool();
     m_request.id = metaData(QStringLiteral("request-id"));
 
     // Store user agent for this host.
-    if (config()->readEntry("SendUserAgent", true)) {
+    if (mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("SendUserAgent"), true).toBool()) {
         m_request.userAgent = metaData(QStringLiteral("UserAgent"));
     } else {
         m_request.userAgent.clear();
@@ -2160,7 +2160,7 @@
 
     // Get proxy information...
     if (m_request.proxyUrls.isEmpty()) {
-        m_request.proxyUrls = config()->readEntry("ProxyUrls", QStringList());
+        m_request.proxyUrls = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("ProxyUrls")).toStringList();
         qCDebug(KIO_HTTP) << "Proxy URLs:" << m_request.proxyUrls;
     }
 
@@ -2582,7 +2582,7 @@
         }
 
         // DoNotTrack feature...
-        if (config()->readEntry("DoNotTrack", false)) {
+        if (mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("DoNotTrack"), false).toBool()) {
             header += QLatin1String("DNT: 1\r\n");
         }
 
@@ -2662,7 +2662,7 @@
 void HTTPProtocol::forwardHttpResponseHeader(bool forwardImmediately)
 {
     // Send the response header if it was requested...
-    if (!config()->readEntry("PropagateHttpHeader", false)) {
+    if (!mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("PropagateHttpHeader"), false).toBool()) {
         return;
     }
 
@@ -3391,7 +3391,7 @@
         if (!cookieStr.isEmpty()) {
             if ((m_request.cookieMode == HTTPRequest::CookiesAuto) && m_request.useCookieJar) {
                 // Give cookies to the cookiejar.
-                const QString domain = config()->readEntry("cross-domain");
+                const QString domain = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("cross-domain")).toString();
                 if (!domain.isEmpty() && isCrossDomainRequest(m_request.url.host(), domain)) {
                     cookieStr = "Cross-Domain\n" + cookieStr;
                 }
@@ -3511,7 +3511,7 @@
         return parseHeaderFromCache();
     }
 
-    if (config()->readEntry("PropagateHttpHeader", false) ||
+    if (mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("PropagateHttpHeader"), false).toBool() ||
             m_request.cacheTag.ioMode == WriteToCache) {
         // store header lines if they will be used; note that the tokenizer removing
         // line continuation special cases is probably more good than bad.
@@ -3771,7 +3771,7 @@
         if (!cacheFileOpenWrite()) {
             qCDebug(KIO_HTTP) << "Error creating cache entry for" << m_request.url << "!";
         }
-        m_maxCacheSize = config()->readEntry("MaxCacheSize", DEFAULT_MAX_CACHE_SIZE);
+        m_maxCacheSize = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("MaxCacheSize"), DEFAULT_MAX_CACHE_SIZE).toInt();
     } else if (m_request.responseCode == 304 && m_request.cacheTag.file) {
         if (!mayCache) {
             qCDebug(KIO_HTTP) << "This webserver is confused about the cacheability of the data it sends.";
@@ -5118,17 +5118,17 @@
     // If the internal meta-data "cached-www-auth" is set, then check for cached
     // authentication data and preemptively send the authentication header if a
     // matching one is found.
-    if (!m_wwwAuth && config()->readEntry("cached-www-auth", false)) {
+    if (!m_wwwAuth && mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("cached-www-auth"), false).toBool()) {
         KIO::AuthInfo authinfo;
         authinfo.url = m_request.url;
-        authinfo.realmValue = config()->readEntry("www-auth-realm", QString());
+        authinfo.realmValue = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("www-auth-realm"), QString()).toString();
         // If no realm metadata, then make sure path matching is turned on.
         authinfo.verifyPath = (authinfo.realmValue.isEmpty());
 
-        const bool useCachedAuth = (m_request.responseCode == 401 || !config()->readEntry("no-preemptive-auth-reuse", false));
+        const bool useCachedAuth = (m_request.responseCode == 401 || !mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("no-preemptive-auth-reuse"), false).toBool());
 
         if (useCachedAuth && checkCachedAuthentication(authinfo)) {
-            const QByteArray cachedChallenge = config()->readEntry("www-auth-challenge", QByteArray());
+            const QByteArray cachedChallenge = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("www-auth-challenge"), QByteArray()).toByteArray();
             if (!cachedChallenge.isEmpty()) {
                 m_wwwAuth = KAbstractHttpAuthentication::newAuth(cachedChallenge, config());
                 if (m_wwwAuth) {
@@ -5143,15 +5143,15 @@
     // If the internal meta-data "cached-proxy-auth" is set, then check for cached
     // authentication data and preemptively send the authentication header if a
     // matching one is found.
-    if (!m_proxyAuth && config()->readEntry("cached-proxy-auth", false)) {
+    if (!m_proxyAuth && mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("cached-proxy-auth"), false).toBool()) {
         KIO::AuthInfo authinfo;
         authinfo.url = m_request.proxyUrl;
-        authinfo.realmValue = config()->readEntry("proxy-auth-realm", QString());
+        authinfo.realmValue = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("proxy-auth-realm"), QString()).toString();
         // If no realm metadata, then make sure path matching is turned on.
         authinfo.verifyPath = (authinfo.realmValue.isEmpty());
 
         if (checkCachedAuthentication(authinfo)) {
-            const QByteArray cachedChallenge = config()->readEntry("proxy-auth-challenge", QByteArray());
+            const QByteArray cachedChallenge = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("proxy-auth-challenge"), QByteArray()).toByteArray();
             if (!cachedChallenge.isEmpty()) {
                 m_proxyAuth = KAbstractHttpAuthentication::newAuth(cachedChallenge, config());
                 if (m_proxyAuth) {
@@ -5282,11 +5282,11 @@
     switch (m_request.prevResponseCode) {
     case 401:
         auth = m_wwwAuth;
-        alreadyCached = config()->readEntry("cached-www-auth", false);
+        alreadyCached = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("cached-www-auth"), false).toBool();
         break;
     case 407:
         auth = m_proxyAuth;
-        alreadyCached = config()->readEntry("cached-proxy-auth", false);
+        alreadyCached = mapConfig().value(QStringLiteral("cached-proxy-auth"), false).toBool();
         break;
     default:
         Q_ASSERT(false); // should never happen!
diff --git a/src/kcms/kio/smbrodlg.cpp b/src/kcms/kio/smbrodlg.cpp
--- a/src/kcms/kio/smbrodlg.cpp
+++ b/src/kcms/kio/smbrodlg.cpp
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@
    KConfigGroup group = cfg->group("Browser Settings/SMBro" );
    m_userLe->setText(group.readEntry("User"));
 //   m_workgroupLe->setText(group.readEntry("Workgroup"));
-//   m_showHiddenShares->setChecked(group.readEntry("ShowHiddenShares", QVariant(false)).toBool());
+//   m_showHiddenShares->setChecked(group.readEntry("ShowHiddenShares", false).toBool());
 
    //QStringList _strList = KCharsets::charsets()->availableEncodingNames();
    //QString m_encoding = QTextCodec::codecForLocale()->name();