diff --git a/components/shellprivate/widgetexplorer/kcategorizeditemsviewmodels_p.h b/components/shellprivate/widgetexplorer/kcategorizeditemsviewmodels_p.h
--- a/components/shellprivate/widgetexplorer/kcategorizeditemsviewmodels_p.h
+++ b/components/shellprivate/widgetexplorer/kcategorizeditemsviewmodels_p.h
@@ -69,10 +69,6 @@
     virtual bool matches(const QString &pattern) const;
 
     /**
-     * sets the favorite flag for the item
-     */
-    virtual void setFavorite(bool favorite) = 0;
-    /**
      * sets the number of running applets for the item
      */
     virtual void setRunning(int count) = 0;
diff --git a/components/shellprivate/widgetexplorer/plasmaappletitemmodel.cpp b/components/shellprivate/widgetexplorer/plasmaappletitemmodel.cpp
--- a/components/shellprivate/widgetexplorer/plasmaappletitemmodel.cpp
+++ b/components/shellprivate/widgetexplorer/plasmaappletitemmodel.cpp
@@ -32,13 +32,11 @@
 #include <KDeclarative/KDeclarative>
 
 PlasmaAppletItem::PlasmaAppletItem(PlasmaAppletItemModel *model,
-                                   const KPluginInfo& info,
-                                   FilterFlags flags)
+                                   const KPluginInfo& info)
     : QObject(model),
       m_model(model),
       m_info(info),
       m_runningCount(0),
-      m_favorite(flags & Favorite),
       m_local(false)
 {
     const QString api(m_info.property(QStringLiteral("X-Plasma-API")).toString());
@@ -146,19 +144,6 @@
     return AbstractItem::matches(pattern);
 }
 
-bool PlasmaAppletItem::isFavorite() const
-{
-    return m_favorite;
-}
-
-void PlasmaAppletItem::setFavorite(bool favorite)
-{
-    if (m_favorite != favorite) {
-        m_favorite = favorite;
-        m_model->setFavorite(m_info.pluginName(), favorite);
-        emitDataChanged();
-    }
-}
 
 bool PlasmaAppletItem::isLocal() const
 {
@@ -248,9 +233,6 @@
     : QStandardItemModel(parent),
       m_startupCompleted(false)
 {
-    KConfig config(QStringLiteral("plasmarc"));
-    m_configGroup = KConfigGroup(&config, "Applet Browser");
-    m_favorites = m_configGroup.readEntry("favorites").split(',');
     connect(KSycoca::self(), SIGNAL(databaseChanged(QStringList)), this, SLOT(populateModel(QStringList)));
 
     setSortRole(Qt::DisplayRole);
@@ -323,12 +305,7 @@
         //qDebug() << info.pluginName() << " is the name of the plugin at" << info.entryPath();
         //qDebug() << info.name() << info.property("X-Plasma-Thumbnail");
 
-        PlasmaAppletItem::FilterFlags flags(PlasmaAppletItem::NoFilter);
-        if (m_favorites.contains(info.pluginName())) {
-            flags |= PlasmaAppletItem::Favorite;
-        }
-
-        appendRow(new PlasmaAppletItem(this, info, flags));
+        appendRow(new PlasmaAppletItem(this, info));
     }
 
     emit modelPopulated();
@@ -414,20 +391,6 @@
     return data;
 }
 
-void PlasmaAppletItemModel::setFavorite(const QString &plugin, bool favorite)
-{
-    if (favorite) {
-        if (!m_favorites.contains(plugin)) {
-            m_favorites.append(plugin);
-        }
-    } else {
-        m_favorites.removeAll(plugin);
-    }
-
-    m_configGroup.writeEntry("favorites", m_favorites.join(QStringLiteral(",")));
-    m_configGroup.sync();
-}
-
 QStringList PlasmaAppletItemModel::provides() const
 {
     return m_provides;
diff --git a/components/shellprivate/widgetexplorer/plasmaappletitemmodel_p.h b/components/shellprivate/widgetexplorer/plasmaappletitemmodel_p.h
--- a/components/shellprivate/widgetexplorer/plasmaappletitemmodel_p.h
+++ b/components/shellprivate/widgetexplorer/plasmaappletitemmodel_p.h
@@ -34,14 +34,7 @@
     Q_OBJECT
 
 public:
-    enum FilterFlag {
-        NoFilter = 0,
-        Favorite = 1
-    };
-
-    Q_DECLARE_FLAGS(FilterFlags, FilterFlag)
-
-    PlasmaAppletItem(PlasmaAppletItemModel *model, const KPluginInfo& info, FilterFlags flags = NoFilter);
+    PlasmaAppletItem(PlasmaAppletItemModel *model, const KPluginInfo& info);
 
     QString pluginName() const;
     QString name() const override;
@@ -56,8 +49,6 @@
 
     int running() const override;
     bool isLocal() const;
-    bool isFavorite() const override;
-    void setFavorite(bool favorite) override;
     PlasmaAppletItemModel* appletItemModel();
     bool matches(const QString &pattern) const override;
 
@@ -73,7 +64,6 @@
     QString m_screenshot;
     QString m_icon;
     int m_runningCount;
-    bool m_favorite;
     bool m_local;
 };
 
@@ -104,7 +94,6 @@
 
     QMimeData *mimeData(const QModelIndexList &indexes) const override;
 
-    void setFavorite(const QString &plugin, bool favorite);
     void setApplication(const QString &app);
     void setRunningApplets(const QHash<QString, int> &apps);
     void setRunningApplets(const QString &name, int count);
@@ -124,15 +113,12 @@
 
 private:
     QString m_application;
-    QStringList m_favorites;
     QStringList m_provides;
     KConfigGroup m_configGroup;
     bool m_startupCompleted : 1;
 
 private Q_SLOTS:
     void populateModel(const QStringList &whatChanged = QStringList());
 };
 
-Q_DECLARE_OPERATORS_FOR_FLAGS(PlasmaAppletItem::FilterFlags)
-
 #endif /*PLASMAAPPLETSMODEL_H_*/