diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiImplementation.C b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiImplementation.C
index b31375c80c..7eae3b0e08 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiImplementation.C
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiImplementation.C
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ int GuiImplementation::newWorkArea(unsigned int w, unsigned int h, int view_id)
 	work_areas_[id]->setBufferView(buffer_views_[id].get());
 	view->setWorkArea(work_areas_[id].get());
 
-	view->mainWidget()->setCentralWidget(work_areas_[id].get());
+	view->setCentralWidget(work_areas_[id].get());
 
 	return id;
 }
diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.C b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.C
index 775460104c..80e7f87710 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.C
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.C
@@ -73,8 +73,6 @@ int const statusbar_timer_value = 3000;
 GuiView::GuiView(Gui & owner)
 	: QMainWindow(), LyXView(owner), commandbuffer_(0)
 {
-	mainWidget_ = this;
-
 //	setToolButtonStyle(Qt::ToolButtonIconOnly);
 //	setIconSize(QSize(12,12));
 
@@ -249,15 +247,6 @@ void GuiView::busy(bool yes) const
 		QApplication::restoreOverrideCursor();
 }
 
-
-QMainWindow* GuiView::mainWidget()
-{
-	return mainWidget_;
-}
-
-QMainWindow* GuiView::mainWidget_ = 0;
-
-
 } // namespace frontend
 } // namespace lyx
 
diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.h b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.h
index 385fa22e41..3c53ed0c5d 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.h
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.h
@@ -78,9 +78,6 @@ public:
 	/// returns true if this view has the focus.
 	virtual bool hasFocus() const;
 
-	///
-	static QMainWindow* mainWidget();
-
 public Q_SLOTS:
 	/// idle timeout
 	void update_view_state_qt();
@@ -114,9 +111,6 @@ private:
 	/// command buffer
 	QCommandBuffer * commandbuffer_;
 
-	///
-	static QMainWindow* mainWidget_;
-
 	///
 	void updateFloatingGeometry();
 	///