diff --git a/smb/CMakeLists.txt b/smb/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/smb/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/smb/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -53,6 +53,5 @@
 ########### install files ###############
 
 install( FILES smb-network.desktop  DESTINATION  ${KDE_INSTALL_DATADIR}/konqueror/dirtree/remote )
-install( FILES smb.protocol  DESTINATION  ${KDE_INSTALL_KSERVICES5DIR} )
 install( FILES smb-network.desktop  DESTINATION  ${KDE_INSTALL_DATADIR}/remoteview )
 
diff --git a/smb/kio_smb.cpp b/smb/kio_smb.cpp
--- a/smb/kio_smb.cpp
+++ b/smb/kio_smb.cpp
@@ -35,6 +35,13 @@
 
 Q_LOGGING_CATEGORY(KIO_SMB, "kio_smb")
 
+// Pseudo plugin class to embed meta data
+class KIOPluginForMetaData : public QObject
+{
+    Q_OBJECT
+    Q_PLUGIN_METADATA(IID "org.kde.kio.slave.smb" FILE "smb.json")
+};
+
 bool needsEEXISTWorkaround()
 {
     /* There is an issue with some libsmbclient versions that return EEXIST
@@ -110,3 +117,4 @@
     return 0;
 }
 
+#include "kio_smb.moc"
diff --git a/smb/smb.json b/smb/smb.json
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/smb/smb.json
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+{
+    "KDE-KIO-Protocols": {
+        "smb": {
+            "Class": ":internet",
+            "Icon": "network-workgroup",
+            "X-DocPath": "kioslave5/smb/index.html",
+            "copyFromFile": true,
+            "copyToFile": true,
+            "deleting": true,
+            "exec": "kf5/kio/smb",
+            "input": "none",
+            "listing": [
+                "Name",
+                "Type",
+                "Size",
+                "Date",
+                "Access",
+                "Owner",
+                "Group"
+            ],
+            "linking": false,
+            "makedir": true,
+            "maxInstances": 20,
+            "maxInstancesPerHost": 5,
+            "moving": true,
+            "output": "filesystem",
+            "protocol": "smb",
+            "opening": true,
+            "reading": true,
+            "writing": true
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/smb/smb.protocol b/smb/smb.protocol
deleted file mode 100644
--- a/smb/smb.protocol
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,18 +0,0 @@
-[Protocol]
-exec=kf5/kio/smb
-protocol=smb
-input=none
-output=filesystem
-listing=Name,Type,Size,Date,Access,Owner,Group
-reading=true
-writing=true
-makedir=true
-deleting=true
-opening=true
-moving=true
-copyToFile=true
-copyFromFile=true
-maxInstances=20
-maxInstancesPerHost=5
-X-DocPath=kioslave5/smb/index.html
-Icon=network-workgroup