diff --git a/abstractrunner.cpp b/abstractrunner.cpp
index bb1ab7a5c..207f8bc9c 100644
--- a/abstractrunner.cpp
+++ b/abstractrunner.cpp
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ KService::List AbstractRunner::serviceQuery(const QString &serviceType, const QS
     return KServiceTypeTrader::self()->query(serviceType, constraint);
 }
 
-QMutex* AbstractRunner::bigLock() const
+QMutex* AbstractRunner::bigLock()
 {
     return s_bigLock;
 }
diff --git a/abstractrunner.h b/abstractrunner.h
index 0f1d3e494..b50895975 100644
--- a/abstractrunner.h
+++ b/abstractrunner.h
@@ -219,6 +219,20 @@ class PLASMA_EXPORT AbstractRunner : public QObject
          */
         virtual void reloadConfiguration();
 
+        /**
+         * Access to a shared lock that all runners (and code that manages/interacts with them)
+         * can share to protect access to non-thread-safe shared code or data.
+         * Access of KSycoca records, for instance, is one place this lock should be used.
+         *
+         * Common usage:
+         *
+         * {
+         *     QMutexLocker lock(bigLock());
+         *     .. do something that isn't thread safe ..
+         * }
+         */
+        static QMutex *bigLock();
+
     protected:
         friend class RunnerManager;
         friend class RunnerManagerPrivate;
@@ -269,8 +283,6 @@ class PLASMA_EXPORT AbstractRunner : public QObject
         KService::List serviceQuery(const QString &serviceType,
                                     const QString &constraint = QString()) const;
 
-        QMutex *bigLock() const;
-
         /**
          * A given match can have more than action that can be performed on it.
          * For example, a song match returned by a music player runner can be queued,