diff --git a/datacontainer.cpp b/datacontainer.cpp
index cb73f60d5..f77cedc4f 100644
--- a/datacontainer.cpp
+++ b/datacontainer.cpp
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
 
 #include "datacontainer.h"
 
-#include <QAtomic>
 #include <QVariant>
 
 #include <KDebug>
@@ -34,7 +33,7 @@ class DataContainer::Private
         {}
 
         DataEngine::Data data;
-        QAtomic connectCount;
+        int connectCount;
         bool dirty : 1;
 };
 
@@ -91,7 +90,7 @@ void DataContainer::checkForUpdate()
 void DataContainer::connectNotify(const char *signal)
 {
     if (QLatin1String(signal) == QMetaObject::normalizedSignature(SIGNAL(updated(QString, Plasma::DataEngine::Data))).constData()) {
-        d->connectCount.ref();
+        ++d->connectCount;
     }
 }
 
@@ -99,7 +98,7 @@ void DataContainer::disconnectNotify(const char *signal)
 {
     if (QLatin1String(signal) == QMetaObject::normalizedSignature(SIGNAL(updated(QString, Plasma::DataEngine::Data))).constData()) {
         if (d->connectCount > 0) {
-            d->connectCount.deref();
+            --d->connectCount;
         }
 
         if (d->connectCount < 1) {
diff --git a/dataengine.cpp b/dataengine.cpp
index d25d6c449..8c525dedd 100644
--- a/dataengine.cpp
+++ b/dataengine.cpp
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ class DataEngine::Private
             updateTimer->start(0);
         }
 
-        QAtomic ref;
+        int ref;
         DataEngine::SourceDict sources;
         QQueue<DataContainer*> sourceQueue;
         DataEngine* engine;
@@ -308,12 +308,12 @@ void DataEngine::clearSources()
 
 void DataEngine::ref()
 {
-    d->ref.ref();
+    --d->ref;
 }
 
 void DataEngine::deref()
 {
-    d->ref.deref();
+    ++d->ref;
 }
 
 bool DataEngine::isUsed() const