diff --git a/common/control.h b/common/control.h
--- a/common/control.h
+++ b/common/control.h
@@ -22,19 +22,21 @@
 #include <QObject>
 #include <QVariantMap>
 
-class Control
+class Control : public QObject
 {
-    Q_GADGET
+    Q_OBJECT
 public:
     enum class OutputRetention {
         Undefined = -1,
         Global = 0,
         Individual = 1,
     };
     Q_ENUM(OutputRetention)
 
+    explicit Control(QObject *parent = nullptr);
 
-    virtual ~Control() = default;
+
+    ~Control() override = default;
 
 protected:
     virtual QString dirPath() const;
@@ -49,9 +51,9 @@
 
 class ControlConfig : public Control
 {
-    Q_GADGET
+    Q_OBJECT
 public:
-    ControlConfig(KScreen::ConfigPtr config);
+    explicit ControlConfig(KScreen::ConfigPtr config, QObject *parent = nullptr);
 
     OutputRetention getOutputRetention(const KScreen::OutputPtr &output) const;
     OutputRetention getOutputRetention(const QString &outputId, const QString &outputName) const;
@@ -75,9 +77,9 @@
 
 class ControlOutput : public Control
 {
-    Q_GADGET
+    Q_OBJECT
 public:
-    ControlOutput(KScreen::OutputPtr output);
+    explicit ControlOutput(KScreen::OutputPtr output, QObject *parent = nullptr);
 
     // TODO: scale auto value
 
diff --git a/common/control.cpp b/common/control.cpp
--- a/common/control.cpp
+++ b/common/control.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,11 @@
 
 QString Control::s_dirName = QStringLiteral("control/");
 
+Control::Control(QObject *parent)
+    : QObject(parent)
+{
+}
+
 QString Control::dirPath() const
 {
     return Globals::dirPath() % s_dirName;
@@ -50,8 +55,9 @@
     return OutputRetention::Undefined;
 }
 
-ControlConfig::ControlConfig(KScreen::ConfigPtr config)
-    : m_config(config)
+ControlConfig::ControlConfig(KScreen::ConfigPtr config, QObject *parent)
+    : Control(parent)
+    , m_config(config)
 {
 //    qDebug() << "Looking for control file:" << config->connectedOutputsHash();
     QFile file(filePathFromHash(config->connectedOutputsHash()));
@@ -214,8 +220,9 @@
     m_info[QStringLiteral("outputs")] = outputsInfo;
 }
 
-ControlOutput::ControlOutput(KScreen::OutputPtr output)
-    : m_output(output)
+ControlOutput::ControlOutput(KScreen::OutputPtr output, QObject *parent)
+    : Control(parent)
+    , m_output(output)
 {
 }
 
diff --git a/kded/config.h b/kded/config.h
--- a/kded/config.h
+++ b/kded/config.h
@@ -22,10 +22,13 @@
 
 #include <memory>
 
-class Config
+class ControlConfig;
+
+class Config : public QObject
 {
+    Q_OBJECT
 public:
-    explicit Config(KScreen::ConfigPtr config);
+    explicit Config(KScreen::ConfigPtr config, QObject *parent = nullptr);
     ~Config() = default;
 
     QString id() const;
@@ -59,6 +62,7 @@
 
     KScreen::ConfigPtr m_data;
     KScreen::Config::ValidityFlags m_validityFlags;
+    ControlConfig *m_control;
 
     static QString s_configsDirName;
     static QString s_fixedConfigFileName;
diff --git a/kded/config.cpp b/kded/config.cpp
--- a/kded/config.cpp
+++ b/kded/config.cpp
@@ -39,8 +39,10 @@
     return Globals::dirPath() % s_configsDirName;
 }
 
-Config::Config(KScreen::ConfigPtr config)
-    : m_data(config)
+Config::Config(KScreen::ConfigPtr config, QObject *parent)
+    : QObject(parent)
+    , m_data(config)
+    , m_control(new ControlConfig(config, this))
 {
 }
 
@@ -169,7 +171,9 @@
     }
     const KScreen::OutputList outputs = m_data->outputs();
 
-    const auto control = ControlConfig(m_data);
+    // TODO: until we have the file watcher this is necessary to reload control files.
+    delete m_control;
+    m_control = new ControlConfig(m_data, this);
 
     const auto oldConfig = readFile();
     KScreen::OutputList oldOutputs;
@@ -215,7 +219,7 @@
         setOutputConfigInfo(output->isEnabled() ? output : oldOutput);
 
         if (output->isEnabled() &&
-                control.getOutputRetention(output->hash(), output->name()) !=
+                m_control->getOutputRetention(output->hash(), output->name()) !=
                     Control::OutputRetention::Individual) {
             // try to update global output data
             Output::writeGlobal(output);