diff --git a/ksmserver/startup.cpp b/ksmserver/startup.cpp
--- a/ksmserver/startup.cpp
+++ b/ksmserver/startup.cpp
@@ -68,9 +68,9 @@
 
 #include <kconfig.h>
 #include <kconfiggroup.h>
+#include <kio/desktopexecparser.h>
 #include <KSharedConfig>
 #include <kprocess.h>
-#include <krun.h>
 #include <KNotifyConfig>
 #include <KService>
 
@@ -679,8 +679,19 @@
         }
         KService service(serviceName);
         qCInfo(KSMSERVER) << "Starting autostart service " << serviceName;
-        if( !KRun::runApplication( service, QList<QUrl>(), nullptr, KRun::RunFlags(), QString(), "0" ))
-            qCInfo(KSMSERVER) << "autostart service" << serviceName << "failed to launch";
+        auto p = new KProcess(this);
+        auto arguments = KIO::DesktopExecParser(service, QList<QUrl>()).resultingArguments();
+        if (arguments.isEmpty()) {
+            qCInfo(KSMSERVER) << "failed to parse" << serviceName << "for autostart";
+            continue;
+        }
+        auto program = arguments.takeFirst();
+        p->setProgram(program, arguments);
+        p->start();
+        connect(p, static_cast<void (QProcess::*)(int)>(&QProcess::finished), [p](int exitCode) {
+            qCInfo(KSMSERVER) << "autostart service" << p->program() << "finished with exit code " << exitCode;
+            p->deleteLater();
+        });
     } while (true);
     // Loop till we find a service that we can start.
 }