diff --git a/effects/screenedge/screenedgeeffect.h b/effects/screenedge/screenedgeeffect.h
--- a/effects/screenedge/screenedgeeffect.h
+++ b/effects/screenedge/screenedgeeffect.h
@@ -48,13 +48,14 @@
     void edgeApproaching(ElectricBorder border, qreal factor, const QRect &geometry);
     void cleanup();
 private:
+    void ensureGlowSvg();
     Glow *createGlow(ElectricBorder border, qreal factor, const QRect &geometry);
     template <typename T>
     T *createCornerGlow(ElectricBorder border);
     template <typename T>
     T *createEdgeGlow(ElectricBorder border, const QSize &size);
-    QSize cornerGlowSize(ElectricBorder border) const;
-    Plasma::Svg *m_glow;
+    QSize cornerGlowSize(ElectricBorder border);
+    Plasma::Svg *m_glow = nullptr;
     QHash<ElectricBorder, Glow*> m_borders;
     QTimer *m_cleanupTimer;
 };
diff --git a/effects/screenedge/screenedgeeffect.cpp b/effects/screenedge/screenedgeeffect.cpp
--- a/effects/screenedge/screenedgeeffect.cpp
+++ b/effects/screenedge/screenedgeeffect.cpp
@@ -37,10 +37,8 @@
 
 ScreenEdgeEffect::ScreenEdgeEffect()
     : Effect()
-    , m_glow(new Plasma::Svg(this))
     , m_cleanupTimer(new QTimer(this))
 {
-    m_glow->setImagePath(QStringLiteral("widgets/glowbar"));
     connect(effects, SIGNAL(screenEdgeApproaching(ElectricBorder,qreal,QRect)), SLOT(edgeApproaching(ElectricBorder,qreal,QRect)));
     m_cleanupTimer->setInterval(5000);
     m_cleanupTimer->setSingleShot(true);
@@ -59,6 +57,14 @@
     cleanup();
 }
 
+void ScreenEdgeEffect::ensureGlowSvg()
+{
+    if (!m_glow) {
+        m_glow = new Plasma::Svg(this);
+        m_glow->setImagePath(QStringLiteral("widgets/glowbar"));
+    }
+}
+
 void ScreenEdgeEffect::cleanup()
 {
     for (QHash<ElectricBorder, Glow*>::iterator it = m_borders.begin();
@@ -263,6 +269,8 @@
 template <typename T>
 T *ScreenEdgeEffect::createCornerGlow(ElectricBorder border)
 {
+    ensureGlowSvg();
+
     switch (border) {
     case ElectricTopLeft:
         return new T(m_glow->pixmap(QStringLiteral("bottomright")).toImage());
@@ -277,8 +285,10 @@
     }
 }
 
-QSize ScreenEdgeEffect::cornerGlowSize(ElectricBorder border) const
+QSize ScreenEdgeEffect::cornerGlowSize(ElectricBorder border)
 {
+    ensureGlowSvg();
+
     switch (border) {
     case ElectricTopLeft:
         return m_glow->elementSize(QStringLiteral("bottomright"));
@@ -296,6 +306,8 @@
 template <typename T>
 T *ScreenEdgeEffect::createEdgeGlow(ElectricBorder border, const QSize &size)
 {
+    ensureGlowSvg();
+
     QPoint pixmapPosition(0, 0);
     QPixmap l, r, c;
     switch (border) {