diff --git a/applethandle.cpp b/applethandle.cpp
index b255a5298..3c0d7b925 100644
--- a/applethandle.cpp
+++ b/applethandle.cpp
@@ -77,12 +77,17 @@ AppletHandle::AppletHandle(Containment *parent, Applet *applet)
     }
 
     m_applet->setParentItem(this);
+    connect(m_applet, SIGNAL(destroyed(QObject*)), this, SLOT(appletDestroyed()));
     setAcceptsHoverEvents(true);
     startFading(FadeIn);
 }
 
 AppletHandle::~AppletHandle()
 {
+    if (!m_applet) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     QRectF rect(m_applet->boundingRect());
     QPointF center = rect.center();
 
@@ -162,7 +167,7 @@ void AppletHandle::paint(QPainter *painter, const QStyleOptionGraphicsItem *opti
         break;
     }
 
-    if (m_applet->hasConfigurationInterface()) {
+    if (m_applet && m_applet->hasConfigurationInterface()) {
         painter->drawPixmap(point + shiftC, KIcon("configure").pixmap(ICON_SIZE, ICON_SIZE));
         point += QPointF(0.0, ICON_SIZE + ICON_MARGIN);
     }
@@ -187,7 +192,7 @@ AppletHandle::ButtonType AppletHandle::mapToButton(const QPointF &point) const
 
     QPolygonF activeArea = QPolygonF(QRectF(basePoint, QSizeF(ICON_SIZE, ICON_SIZE)));
 
-    if (m_applet->hasConfigurationInterface()) {
+    if (m_applet && m_applet->hasConfigurationInterface()) {
         if (activeArea.containsPoint(point, Qt::OddEvenFill)) {
             return ConfigureButton;
         }
@@ -223,12 +228,12 @@ void AppletHandle::mouseReleaseEvent(QGraphicsSceneMouseEvent *event)
 {
     ButtonType releasedAtButton = mapToButton(event->pos());
 
-    if (event->button()==Qt::LeftButton && m_pressedButton==releasedAtButton) {
-        if (m_pressedButton==ConfigureButton) {
+    if (m_applet && event->button() == Qt::LeftButton && m_pressedButton==releasedAtButton) {
+        if (m_pressedButton == ConfigureButton) {
             //FIXME: Remove this call once the configuration management change was done
             m_containment->emitLaunchActivated();
             m_applet->showConfigurationInterface();
-        } else if (m_pressedButton==RemoveButton) {
+        } else if (m_pressedButton == RemoveButton) {
             Phase::self()->animateItem(m_applet, Phase::Disappear);
             forceDisappear();
         }
@@ -258,7 +263,10 @@ void AppletHandle::mouseMoveEvent(QGraphicsSceneMouseEvent *event)
 {
     static const qreal snapAngle = 3.14159 / 2.0;
 
-    if (m_pressedButton == MoveButton) {
+    if (!m_applet) {
+        QGraphicsItem::mouseMoveEvent(event);
+    }
+    else if (m_pressedButton == MoveButton) {
         QPointF delta = event->pos()-event->lastPos();
         setPos(pos()+delta);
     } else if (m_pressedButton == RotateButton) {
@@ -318,6 +326,12 @@ void AppletHandle::fadeAnimation(qreal progress)
     update();
 }
 
+void AppletHandle::appletDestroyed()
+{
+    m_applet = 0;
+    deleteLater();
+}
+
 void AppletHandle::startFading(FadeType anim)
 {
     if (m_animId!=0) {
diff --git a/applethandle_p.h b/applethandle_p.h
index 4e2393e17..6e0021b8b 100644
--- a/applethandle_p.h
+++ b/applethandle_p.h
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ class AppletHandle : public QObject, public QGraphicsItem
 
     private Q_SLOTS:
         void fadeAnimation(qreal progress);
+        void appletDestroyed();
 
     private:
         static const int HANDLE_WIDTH = 5;
diff --git a/containment.cpp b/containment.cpp
index 5cc823b9b..c4e842973 100644
--- a/containment.cpp
+++ b/containment.cpp
@@ -213,39 +213,39 @@ void Containment::contextMenuEvent(QGraphicsSceneContextMenuEvent* event)
             desktopMenu.addAction(action);
         }
     } else {
-        bool hasEntries = false;   
-        if (applet->hasConfigurationInterface()) {   
-            QAction* configureApplet = new QAction(i18n("%1 Settings...", applet->name()), &desktopMenu);   
-            connect(configureApplet, SIGNAL(triggered(bool)),   
-                    applet, SLOT(showConfigurationInterface()));   
-            desktopMenu.addAction(configureApplet);   
-            hasEntries = true;   
-        }   
-    
-        if (scene() && !static_cast<Corona*>(scene())->isImmutable()) {   
-            QAction* closeApplet = new QAction(i18n("Remove this %1", applet->name()), &desktopMenu);   
-            QVariant appletV;   
-            appletV.setValue((QObject*)applet);   
-            closeApplet->setData(appletV);   
-            connect(closeApplet, SIGNAL(triggered(bool)),   
-                    this, SLOT(destroyApplet()));   
-            desktopMenu.addAction(closeApplet);   
-            hasEntries = true;   
-        }   
-    
-        QList<QAction*> actions = applet->contextActions();   
-        if (!actions.isEmpty()) {   
-            desktopMenu.addSeparator();   
-            foreach(QAction* action, actions) {   
-                desktopMenu.addAction(action);   
-            }   
-            hasEntries = true;   
-        }   
-    
-        if (!hasEntries) {   
-            QGraphicsItem::contextMenuEvent(event);   
-            kDebug() << "no entries";   
-            return;   
+        bool hasEntries = false;
+        if (applet->hasConfigurationInterface()) {
+            QAction* configureApplet = new QAction(i18n("%1 Settings...", applet->name()), &desktopMenu);
+            connect(configureApplet, SIGNAL(triggered(bool)),
+                    applet, SLOT(showConfigurationInterface()));
+            desktopMenu.addAction(configureApplet);
+            hasEntries = true;
+        }
+
+        if (scene() && !static_cast<Corona*>(scene())->isImmutable()) {
+            QAction* closeApplet = new QAction(i18n("Remove this %1", applet->name()), &desktopMenu);
+            QVariant appletV;
+            appletV.setValue((QObject*)applet);
+            closeApplet->setData(appletV);
+            connect(closeApplet, SIGNAL(triggered(bool)),
+                    this, SLOT(destroyApplet()));
+            desktopMenu.addAction(closeApplet);
+            hasEntries = true;
+        }
+
+        QList<QAction*> actions = applet->contextActions();
+        if (!actions.isEmpty()) {
+            desktopMenu.addSeparator();
+            foreach(QAction* action, actions) {
+                desktopMenu.addAction(action);
+            }
+            hasEntries = true;
+        }
+
+        if (!hasEntries) {
+            QGraphicsItem::contextMenuEvent(event);
+            kDebug() << "no entries";
+            return;
         }
     }
 
@@ -254,6 +254,18 @@ void Containment::contextMenuEvent(QGraphicsSceneContextMenuEvent* event)
     desktopMenu.exec(event->screenPos());
 }
 
+void Containment::destroyApplet()
+{
+    QAction *action = qobject_cast<QAction*>(sender());
+
+    if (!action) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    Applet *applet = qobject_cast<Applet*>(action->data().value<QObject*>());
+    Phase::self()->animateItem(applet, Phase::Disappear);
+}
+
 void Containment::setFormFactor(FormFactor formFactor)
 {
     if (d->formFactor == formFactor && layout()) {
@@ -400,12 +412,18 @@ void Containment::appletDestroyed(QObject* object)
 void Containment::appletAnimationComplete(QGraphicsItem *item, Plasma::Phase::Animation anim)
 {
     if (anim == Phase::Disappear) {
-        if (item->parentItem() == this) {
-            Applet *applet = qgraphicsitem_cast<Applet*>(item);
+        QGraphicsItem *parent = item->parentItem();
 
-            if (applet) {
-                applet->destroy();
+        while (parent) {
+            if (parent == this) {
+                Applet *applet = qgraphicsitem_cast<Applet*>(item);
+
+                if (applet) {
+                    applet->destroy();
+                }
             }
+
+            parent = parent->parentItem();
         }
     } else if (anim == Phase::Appear) {
         if (containmentType() == DesktopContainment) {
diff --git a/containment.h b/containment.h
index cb62ceb99..9f07846b5 100644
--- a/containment.h
+++ b/containment.h
@@ -283,6 +283,7 @@ class PLASMA_EXPORT Containment : public Applet
 
     private Q_SLOTS:
         void handleDisappeared(AppletHandle *handle);
+        void destroyApplet();
 
     private:
         Q_DISABLE_COPY(Containment)