diff --git a/src/plasma/applet.cpp b/src/plasma/applet.cpp
--- a/src/plasma/applet.cpp
+++ b/src/plasma/applet.cpp
@@ -95,15 +95,21 @@
 
 Applet::Applet(QObject *parentObject, const QVariantList &args)
     :  QObject(0),
-       d(new AppletPrivate(KPluginMetaData(), args.count() > 1 ? args[1].toInt() : 0, this))
+       d(new AppletPrivate(KPluginMetaData(), args.count() > 2 ? args[2].toInt() : 0, this))
 {
     setParent(parentObject);
     if (args.count() > 0) {
         const QVariant first = args.first();
-        if (first.canConvert<QString>()) {
-            d->appletDescription = KPluginMetaData(first.toString());
-        } else if (first.canConvert<QVariantMap>()) {
-            auto metadata = first.toMap().value(QStringLiteral("MetaData")).toMap();
+        if (first.canConvert<KPackage::Package>()) {
+            d->package = first.value<KPackage::Package>();
+        }
+    }
+    if (args.count() > 1) {
+        const QVariant second = args[1];
+        if (second.canConvert<QString>()) {
+            d->appletDescription = KPluginMetaData(second.toString());
+        } else if (second.canConvert<QVariantMap>()) {
+            auto metadata = second.toMap().value(QStringLiteral("MetaData")).toMap();
             d->appletDescription = KPluginMetaData(QJsonObject::fromVariantMap(metadata), {});
         }
     }
@@ -115,7 +121,7 @@
 
     // WARNING: do not access config() OR globalConfig() in this method!
     //          that requires a scene, which is not available at this point
-    d->init(QString(), args.mid(2));
+    d->init(QString(), args.mid(3));
     d->setupPackage();
 }
 
@@ -291,7 +297,7 @@
 KConfigLoader *Applet::configScheme() const
 {
     if (!d->configLoader) {
-        const QString xmlPath = d->package ? d->package->filePath("mainconfigxml") : QString();
+        const QString xmlPath = d->package.isValid() ? d->package.filePath("mainconfigxml") : QString();
         KConfigGroup cfg = config();
         if (xmlPath.isEmpty()) {
             d->configLoader = new KConfigLoader(cfg, 0);
@@ -308,15 +314,13 @@
 Package Applet::package() const
 {
     Package p;
-    if (d->package) {
-        p.d->internalPackage = new KPackage::Package(*d->package);
-    }
+    p.d->internalPackage = new KPackage::Package(d->package);
     return p;
 }
 
 KPackage::Package Applet::kPackage() const
 {
-    return d->package ? *d->package : KPackage::Package();
+    return d->package;
 }
 
 void Applet::updateConstraints(Plasma::Types::Constraints constraints)
diff --git a/src/plasma/pluginloader.cpp b/src/plasma/pluginloader.cpp
--- a/src/plasma/pluginloader.cpp
+++ b/src/plasma/pluginloader.cpp
@@ -195,29 +195,30 @@
         plugins = KPluginLoader::findPlugins(QString(), filter);
     }
 
+    const KPackage::Package p = KPackage::PackageLoader::self()->loadPackage(QStringLiteral("Plasma/Applet"), name);
+
     if (!plugins.isEmpty()) {
         KPluginLoader loader(plugins.first().fileName());
         if (!isPluginVersionCompatible(loader)) {
             return 0;
         }
         KPluginFactory *factory = loader.factory();
         if (factory) {
             QVariantList allArgs;
-            allArgs << loader.metaData().toVariantMap() << appletId << args;
+            allArgs << QVariant::fromValue(p) << loader.metaData().toVariantMap() << appletId << args;
             applet = factory->create<Plasma::Applet>(0, allArgs);
         }
     }
     if (applet) {
         return applet;
     }
 
 
-    const KPackage::Package p = KPackage::PackageLoader::self()->loadPackage(QStringLiteral("Plasma/Applet"), name);
     if (!applet) {
         //qCDebug(LOG_PLASMA) << name << "not a C++ applet: Falling back to an empty one";
 
         QVariantList allArgs;
-        allArgs << p.metadata().fileName() << appletId << args;
+        allArgs << QVariant::fromValue(p) << p.metadata().fileName() << appletId << args;
 
         if (p.metadata().serviceTypes().contains(QStringLiteral("Plasma/Containment"))) {
             applet = new Containment(0, allArgs);
diff --git a/src/plasma/private/applet_p.h b/src/plasma/private/applet_p.h
--- a/src/plasma/private/applet_p.h
+++ b/src/plasma/private/applet_p.h
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@
 
     // sripting and package stuff
     AppletScript *script;
-    KPackage::Package *package;
+    KPackage::Package package;
     KConfigLoader *configLoader;
 
     // actions stuff; put activationAction into actions?
diff --git a/src/plasma/private/applet_p.cpp b/src/plasma/private/applet_p.cpp
--- a/src/plasma/private/applet_p.cpp
+++ b/src/plasma/private/applet_p.cpp
@@ -106,8 +106,6 @@
 
     delete script;
     script = 0;
-    delete package;
-    package = 0;
     delete configLoader;
     configLoader = 0;
     delete mainConfig;
@@ -147,23 +145,23 @@
         return;
     }
 
-    const QString packagePath = _packagePath.isEmpty() && !appletDescription.metaDataFileName().isEmpty() ? QFileInfo(appletDescription.metaDataFileName()).dir().path() : _packagePath;
-    QString path = appletDescription.rawData().value(QStringLiteral("X-Plasma-RootPath")).toString();
-    if (path.isEmpty()) {
-        path = packagePath.isEmpty() ? appletDescription.pluginId() : packagePath;
-    }
-    Plasma::Package p = PluginLoader::self()->loadPackage(QStringLiteral("Plasma/Applet"), api);
-    p.setPath(path);
+    //A constructor may have set a valid package already
+    if (!package.isValid()) {
+        const QString packagePath = _packagePath.isEmpty() && !appletDescription.metaDataFileName().isEmpty() ? QFileInfo(appletDescription.metaDataFileName()).dir().path() : _packagePath;
+        QString path = appletDescription.rawData().value(QStringLiteral("X-Plasma-RootPath")).toString();
+        if (path.isEmpty()) {
+            path = packagePath.isEmpty() ? appletDescription.pluginId() : packagePath;
+        }
 
-    package = new KPackage::Package(*p.d->internalPackage);
+        package = KPackage::PackageLoader::self()->loadPackage(QStringLiteral("Plasma/Applet"));
+        package.setPath(path);
 
-    if (!package->isValid()) {
-        delete package;
-        package = 0;
-        q->setLaunchErrorMessage(i18nc("Package file, name of the widget",
-                                       "Could not open the %1 package required for the %2 widget.",
-                                       appletDescription.pluginId(), appletDescription.name()));
-        return;
+        if (!package.isValid()) {
+            q->setLaunchErrorMessage(i18nc("Package file, name of the widget",
+                                        "Could not open the %1 package required for the %2 widget.",
+                                        appletDescription.pluginId(), appletDescription.name()));
+            return;
+        }
     }
 
     // now we try and set up the script engine.
@@ -175,12 +173,10 @@
     if (script) {
         //use the absolute path of the in-package icon as icon name
         if (appletDescription.iconName().startsWith(QLatin1Char('/'))) {
-            icon = package->filePath({}, appletDescription.iconName());
+            icon = package.filePath({}, appletDescription.iconName());
         }
     //package not valid, get rid of it
     } else {
-        delete package;
-        package = 0;
         q->setLaunchErrorMessage(
             i18nc("API or programming language the widget was written in, name of the widget",
                   "Could not create a %1 ScriptEngine for the %2 widget.",
@@ -461,7 +457,7 @@
 // package exists and that we have a script engine
 void AppletPrivate::setupPackage()
 {
-    if (!package) {
+    if (!package.isValid()) {
         return;
     }
 
@@ -476,7 +472,7 @@
     //     KGlobal::dirs()->addResourceDir("locale", translationsPath);
     // }
 
-    if (!package->filePath("mainconfigui").isEmpty()) {
+    if (!package.filePath("mainconfigui").isEmpty()) {
         q->setHasConfigurationInterface(true);
     }
 }