diff --git a/declarativeimports/core/corebindingsplugin.cpp b/declarativeimports/core/corebindingsplugin.cpp
index f08d8b36d..92d0befba 100644
--- a/declarativeimports/core/corebindingsplugin.cpp
+++ b/declarativeimports/core/corebindingsplugin.cpp
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ void CoreBindingsPlugin::registerTypes(const char *uri)
     qRegisterMetaType<Plasma::Service*>("Service");
     qmlRegisterInterface<Plasma::ServiceJob>("ServiceJob");
     qRegisterMetaType<Plasma::ServiceJob*>("ServiceJob");
+    qmlRegisterType<QAbstractItemModel>();
 
     /*qmlRegisterInterface<Plasma::DataSource>("DataSource");
     qRegisterMetaType<Plasma::DataSource*>("DataSource");*/
diff --git a/declarativeimports/core/datamodel.cpp b/declarativeimports/core/datamodel.cpp
index b0c18a6fc..c1ed999fc 100644
--- a/declarativeimports/core/datamodel.cpp
+++ b/declarativeimports/core/datamodel.cpp
@@ -65,21 +65,12 @@ int SortFilterModel::roleNameToId(const QString &name)
     return m_roleIds.value(name);
 }
 
-void SortFilterModel::setModel(QObject *source)
+void SortFilterModel::setModel(QAbstractItemModel* model)
 {
-    if (source == sourceModel()) {
+    if (model == sourceModel()) {
         return;
     }
 
-    QAbstractItemModel *model = 0;
-    if (source) {
-        model = qobject_cast<QAbstractItemModel *>(source);
-        if (!model) {
-            kWarning() << "Error: QAbstractItemModel type expected";
-            return;
-        }
-    }
-
     if (sourceModel()) {
         disconnect(sourceModel(), SIGNAL(modelReset()), this, SLOT(syncRoleNames()));
     }
diff --git a/declarativeimports/core/datamodel.h b/declarativeimports/core/datamodel.h
index 803a3e4c4..0943b6827 100644
--- a/declarativeimports/core/datamodel.h
+++ b/declarativeimports/core/datamodel.h
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ class SortFilterModel : public QSortFilterProxyModel
     /**
      * The source model of this sorting proxy model. It has to inherit QAbstractItemModel (ListModel is not supported)
      */
-    Q_PROPERTY(QObject *sourceModel READ sourceModel WRITE setModel NOTIFY sourceModelChanged)
+    Q_PROPERTY(QAbstractItemModel *sourceModel READ sourceModel WRITE setModel NOTIFY sourceModelChanged)
 
     /**
      * The regular expression for the filter, only items with their filterRole matching filterRegExp will be displayed
@@ -74,8 +74,7 @@ public:
     SortFilterModel(QObject* parent=0);
     ~SortFilterModel();
 
-    //FIXME: find a way to make QML understnd QAbstractItemModel
-    void setModel(QObject *source);
+    void setModel(QAbstractItemModel *source);
 
     void setFilterRegExp(const QString &exp);
     QString filterRegExp() const;