diff --git a/servicejob.cpp b/servicejob.cpp
index 7856c7f82..9588dceb7 100644
--- a/servicejob.cpp
+++ b/servicejob.cpp
@@ -40,11 +40,6 @@ public:
     QString operation;
     QMap<QString, QVariant> parameters;
     QVariant result;
-
-    void slotStart()
-    {
-        q->start();
-    }
 };
 
 ServiceJob::ServiceJob(const QString &destination, const QString &operation,
@@ -84,6 +79,11 @@ void ServiceJob::setResult(const QVariant &result)
     d->result = result;
 }
 
+void ServiceJob::start()
+{
+    setResult(false);
+}
+
 } // namespace Plasma
 
 #include "servicejob.moc"
diff --git a/servicejob.h b/servicejob.h
index 3ade11d57..2c51efa5b 100644
--- a/servicejob.h
+++ b/servicejob.h
@@ -97,6 +97,12 @@ public:
      */
     QVariant result() const;
 
+    /**
+     * Default implementation of start, which simply sets the results to false.
+     * This makes it easy to create a "failure" job.
+     */
+    virtual void start();
+
 protected:
     /**
      * Sets the result for an operation.
@@ -104,8 +110,6 @@ protected:
     void setResult(const QVariant &result);
 
 private:
-    Q_PRIVATE_SLOT(d, void slotStart())
-
     ServiceJobPrivate * const d;
 };