diff --git a/src/controllers/MainWindow.h b/src/controllers/MainWindow.h
index f38e00d7..3fe354c4 100644
--- a/src/controllers/MainWindow.h
+++ b/src/controllers/MainWindow.h
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ class TestDocks;
 
 namespace KDDockWidgets {
 
+namespace Views {
+class MainWindowViewInterface;
+}
 
 namespace Controllers {
 
@@ -62,7 +65,6 @@ public:
     explicit MainWindow(View *view, const QString &uniqueName, MainWindowOptions options);
 
     ~MainWindow() override;
-    void init(const QString &name);
 
     /**
      * @brief Docks a DockWidget into the central frame, tabbed.
@@ -233,9 +235,12 @@ Q_SIGNALS:
     void frameCountChanged(int);
 
 private:
+    void init(const QString &name);
+
     class Private;
     Private *const d;
 
+    friend class KDDockWidgets::Views::MainWindowViewInterface;
     friend class ::TestDocks;
     friend class KDDockWidgets::LayoutSaver;
     bool deserialize(const LayoutSaver::MainWindow &);
diff --git a/src/qtquick/views/MainWindow_qtquick.cpp b/src/qtquick/views/MainWindow_qtquick.cpp
index bf5319ab..6401921e 100644
--- a/src/qtquick/views/MainWindow_qtquick.cpp
+++ b/src/qtquick/views/MainWindow_qtquick.cpp
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ MainWindow_qtquick::MainWindow_qtquick(const QString &uniqueName, MainWindowOpti
     , MainWindowViewInterface(static_cast<Controllers::MainWindow *>(View::controller()))
     , d(new Private(this))
 {
-    m_mainWindow->init(uniqueName);
+    MainWindowViewInterface::init(uniqueName);
     makeItemFillParent(this);
 
     Controllers::Layout *lw = m_mainWindow->layout();
diff --git a/src/qtwidgets/views/MainWindow_qtwidgets.cpp b/src/qtwidgets/views/MainWindow_qtwidgets.cpp
index fd10ba25..7977cb33 100644
--- a/src/qtwidgets/views/MainWindow_qtwidgets.cpp
+++ b/src/qtwidgets/views/MainWindow_qtwidgets.cpp
@@ -126,9 +126,8 @@ MainWindow_qtwidgets::MainWindow_qtwidgets(const QString &uniqueName,
     , MainWindowViewInterface(static_cast<Controllers::MainWindow *>(controller()))
     , d(new Private(this))
 {
-    auto controller = mainWindow();
-    controller->init(uniqueName);
-    init();
+    MainWindowViewInterface::init(uniqueName);
+    d->init();
 }
 
 MainWindow_qtwidgets::~MainWindow_qtwidgets()
@@ -136,11 +135,6 @@ MainWindow_qtwidgets::~MainWindow_qtwidgets()
     delete d;
 }
 
-void MainWindow_qtwidgets::init()
-{
-    d->init();
-}
-
 void MainWindow_qtwidgets::setCentralWidget(QWidget *w)
 {
     QMainWindow::setCentralWidget(w);
diff --git a/src/qtwidgets/views/MainWindow_qtwidgets.h b/src/qtwidgets/views/MainWindow_qtwidgets.h
index dccb12e3..9da2fad2 100644
--- a/src/qtwidgets/views/MainWindow_qtwidgets.h
+++ b/src/qtwidgets/views/MainWindow_qtwidgets.h
@@ -73,7 +73,6 @@ protected:
 private:
     friend class Controllers::MainWindow;
     using QMainWindow::setCentralWidget;
-    void init() override;
     void setCentralWidget(QWidget *); // overridden just to make it private
 
     class Private;
diff --git a/src/views/MainWindowViewInterface.cpp b/src/views/MainWindowViewInterface.cpp
index 575f9c7d..b0d584cd 100644
--- a/src/views/MainWindowViewInterface.cpp
+++ b/src/views/MainWindowViewInterface.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 */
 
 #include "MainWindowViewInterface.h"
+#include "kddockwidgets/controllers/MainWindow.h"
 
 namespace KDDockWidgets::Views {
 
@@ -25,4 +26,9 @@ Controllers::MainWindow *MainWindowViewInterface::mainWindow() const
     return m_mainWindow;
 }
 
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+void MainWindowViewInterface::init(const QString &name)
+{
+    m_mainWindow->init(name);
+}
+
+}
diff --git a/src/views/MainWindowViewInterface.h b/src/views/MainWindowViewInterface.h
index 92b05048..7b074a41 100644
--- a/src/views/MainWindowViewInterface.h
+++ b/src/views/MainWindowViewInterface.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ public:
     Controllers::MainWindow *mainWindow() const;
 
 protected:
+    void init(const QString &name);
     Controllers::MainWindow *const m_mainWindow;
 };