diff --git a/startkde/plasma-session/startup.h b/startkde/plasma-session/startup.h
--- a/startkde/plasma-session/startup.h
+++ b/startkde/plasma-session/startup.h
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 
 #include <QObject>
 #include <KJob>
+#include <QProcessEnvironment>
 
 #include "autostart.h"
 
@@ -87,7 +88,7 @@
 {
     Q_OBJECT
 public:
-    StartProcessJob(const QString &process, const QStringList &args, const QStringList &env = {});
+    StartProcessJob(const QString &process, const QStringList &args, const QProcessEnvironment &env = QProcessEnvironment::systemEnvironment());
     void start() override;
 private:
     QProcess* m_process;
@@ -100,12 +101,12 @@
 {
     Q_OBJECT
 public:
-    StartServiceJob(const QString &process, const QStringList &args, const QString &serviceId, const QStringList &env = {});
+    StartServiceJob(const QString &process, const QStringList &args, const QString &serviceId, const QProcessEnvironment &env = QProcessEnvironment::systemEnvironment());
     void start() override;
 private:
     const QString m_process;
     const QStringList m_args;
-    const QStringList m_env;
+    const QProcessEnvironment m_env;
 };
 
 class RestoreSessionJob: public KJob
diff --git a/startkde/plasma-session/startup.cpp b/startkde/plasma-session/startup.cpp
--- a/startkde/plasma-session/startup.cpp
+++ b/startkde/plasma-session/startup.cpp
@@ -207,9 +207,11 @@
     const AutoStart autostart;
 
     KJob* phase1;
+    QProcessEnvironment kdedEnv = QProcessEnvironment::systemEnvironment();
+    kdedEnv.insert(QStringLiteral("KDED_STARTED_BY_KDEINIT"), QStringLiteral("1"));
     const QVector<KJob*> sequence = {
         new StartProcessJob(QStringLiteral("kcminit_startup"), {}),
-        new StartServiceJob(QStringLiteral("kded5"), {}, QStringLiteral("org.kde.kded"), QProcess::systemEnvironment() << QStringList{ QStringLiteral("KDED_STARTED_BY_KDEINIT=1") }),
+        new StartServiceJob(QStringLiteral("kded5"), {}, QStringLiteral("org.kde.kded5"), kdedEnv),
         new StartServiceJob(QStringLiteral("ksmserver"), QCoreApplication::instance()->arguments().mid(1), QStringLiteral("org.kde.ksmserver")),
         new StartupPhase0(autostart, this),
         phase1 = new StartupPhase1(autostart, this),
@@ -409,7 +411,7 @@
 }
 
 
-StartServiceJob::StartServiceJob(const QString &process, const QStringList &args, const QString &serviceId, const QStringList &env):
+StartServiceJob::StartServiceJob(const QString &process, const QStringList &args, const QString &serviceId, const QProcessEnvironment &env):
     KJob(),
     m_process(process),
     m_args(args),
@@ -421,34 +423,36 @@
 
 void StartServiceJob::start()
 {
+    qCDebug(PLASMA_SESSION) << "Starting " << m_process << m_args;
     QProcess* p = new QProcess(this);
-    p->setEnvironment(m_env);
+    p->setProcessEnvironment(m_env);
     if (!p->startDetached(m_process, m_args))
         qCWarning(PLASMA_SESSION) << "error starting process" << m_process << m_args;
 
     connect(p, &QProcess::errorOccurred, this, [this] (QProcess::ProcessError error) {
         qCWarning(PLASMA_SESSION) << "error on process" << error << m_process << m_args;
     });
 }
 
-StartProcessJob::StartProcessJob(const QString &process, const QStringList &args, const QStringList &env)
+StartProcessJob::StartProcessJob(const QString &process, const QStringList &args, const QProcessEnvironment &env)
     : KJob()
     , m_process(new QProcess(this))
 {
     m_process->setProgram(process);
     m_process->setArguments(args);
-    m_process->setEnvironment(env);
+    m_process->setProcessEnvironment(env);
 
-    connect(m_process, &QProcess::errorOccurred, this, [process, args] (QProcess::ProcessError error) {
-        qCWarning(PLASMA_SESSION) << "error starting process" << error << process << args;
+    connect(m_process, static_cast<void (QProcess::*)(int)>(&QProcess::finished), [this](int exitCode) {
+        qCInfo(PLASMA_SESSION) << "process job " << m_process->program() << "finished with exit code " << exitCode;
+        emitResult();
     });
-    connect(m_process, &QProcess::started, this, &StartProcessJob::emitResult);
 }
 
 void StartProcessJob::start()
 {
-    if (!m_process->startDetached())
-        qCWarning(PLASMA_SESSION) << "error starting process" << m_process->program();
+    qCDebug(PLASMA_SESSION) << "Starting " << m_process->program() << m_process->arguments();
+
+    m_process->start();
 }
 
 #include "startup.moc"