diff --git a/kmail/src/kmkernel.h b/kmail/src/kmkernel.h
--- a/kmail/src/kmkernel.h
+++ b/kmail/src/kmkernel.h
@@ -571,7 +571,6 @@
     QSharedPointer<MailCommon::FolderCollection> currentFolderCollection();
 
     UndoStack *the_undoStack;
-    mutable KIdentityManagement::IdentityManager *mIdentityManager;
     MessageComposer::AkonadiSender *the_msgSender;
     /** previous KMail version. If different from current,
       the user has just updated. read from config */
diff --git a/kmail/src/kmkernel.cpp b/kmail/src/kmkernel.cpp
--- a/kmail/src/kmkernel.cpp
+++ b/kmail/src/kmkernel.cpp
@@ -128,7 +128,6 @@
 /********************************************************************/
 KMKernel::KMKernel(QObject *parent) :
     QObject(parent),
-    mIdentityManager(Q_NULLPTR),
     mConfigureDialog(Q_NULLPTR),
     mMailService(Q_NULLPTR),
     mSystemNetworkStatus(true),
@@ -1562,10 +1561,7 @@
 
 KIdentityManagement::IdentityManager *KMKernel::identityManager()
 {
-    if (!mIdentityManager) {
-        mIdentityManager = new KIdentityManagement::IdentityManager(false, this, "mIdentityManager");
-    }
-    return mIdentityManager;
+    return KIdentityManagement::IdentityManager::self();
 }
 
 KMainWindow *KMKernel::mainWin()