diff --git a/kcms/colors/colors.h b/kcms/colors/colors.h
--- a/kcms/colors/colors.h
+++ b/kcms/colors/colors.h
@@ -92,6 +92,8 @@
     void showSchemeNotInstalledWarning(const QString &schemeName);
 
 private:
+    bool isSaveNeeded() const override;
+
     void saveColors();
     void processPendingDeletions();
 
diff --git a/kcms/colors/colors.cpp b/kcms/colors/colors.cpp
--- a/kcms/colors/colors.cpp
+++ b/kcms/colors/colors.cpp
@@ -74,9 +74,7 @@
     about->addAuthor(i18n("Kai Uwe Broulik"), QString(), QStringLiteral("kde@privat.broulik.de"));
     setAboutData(about);
 
-    connect(m_model, &ColorsModel::pendingDeletionsChanged, this, [this] {
-        setNeedsSave(true);
-    });
+    connect(m_model, &ColorsModel::pendingDeletionsChanged, this, &KCMColors::settingsChanged);
 
     connect(m_model, &ColorsModel::selectedSchemeChanged, this, [this](const QString &scheme) {
         m_selectedSchemeDirty = true;
@@ -303,6 +301,12 @@
     m_editDialogProcess->start(QStringLiteral("kcolorschemeeditor"), args);
 }
 
+bool KCMColors::isSaveNeeded() const
+{
+    return !m_model->match(m_model->index(0, 0), ColorsModel::PendingDeletionRole, true).isEmpty();
+}
+
+
 void KCMColors::load()
 {
     ManagedConfigModule::load();
diff --git a/kcms/colors/colorsmodel.cpp b/kcms/colors/colorsmodel.cpp
--- a/kcms/colors/colorsmodel.cpp
+++ b/kcms/colors/colorsmodel.cpp
@@ -123,12 +123,9 @@
         return;
     }
 
-    const bool firstTime = m_selectedScheme.isNull();
     m_selectedScheme = scheme;
 
-    if (!firstTime) {
-        emit selectedSchemeChanged(scheme);
-    }
+    emit selectedSchemeChanged(scheme);
     emit selectedSchemeIndexChanged();
 }
 
diff --git a/kcms/colors/filterproxymodel.cpp b/kcms/colors/filterproxymodel.cpp
--- a/kcms/colors/filterproxymodel.cpp
+++ b/kcms/colors/filterproxymodel.cpp
@@ -40,12 +40,9 @@
         return;
     }
 
-    const bool firstTime = m_selectedScheme.isNull();
     m_selectedScheme = scheme;
 
-    if (!firstTime) {
-        emit selectedSchemeChanged();
-    }
+    emit selectedSchemeChanged();
     emit selectedSchemeIndexChanged();
 }