diff --git a/components/mobileshell/shellutil.cpp b/components/mobileshell/shellutil.cpp
index 904bb24f..e2090ccc 100644
--- a/components/mobileshell/shellutil.cpp
+++ b/components/mobileshell/shellutil.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@
 ShellUtil::ShellUtil(QObject *parent)
     : QObject{parent}
     , m_localeConfig{KSharedConfig::openConfig(QStringLiteral("kdeglobals"), KConfig::SimpleConfig)}
-    , m_launchingApp{nullptr}
 {
     m_localeConfigWatcher = KConfigWatcher::create(m_localeConfig);
 
@@ -100,35 +99,4 @@ void ShellUtil::launchApp(const QString &storageId)
     auto job = new KIO::ApplicationLauncherJob(service, this);
     job->setUiDelegate(new KNotificationJobUiDelegate(KJobUiDelegate::AutoHandlingEnabled));
     job->start();
-
-    setLaunchingApp(job);
-}
-
-bool ShellUtil::isLaunchingApp()
-{
-    return m_launchingApp != nullptr;
-}
-
-void ShellUtil::setLaunchingApp(KIO::ApplicationLauncherJob *launcherJob)
-{
-    m_launchingAppPids = {};
-    m_launchingApp = launcherJob; // do not assume that the pointer is valid, KJobs destroy themselves
-    connect(launcherJob, &KIO::ApplicationLauncherJob::result, this, [this](auto *job) {
-        m_launchingAppPids = m_launchingApp->pids();
-    });
-    Q_EMIT isLaunchingAppChanged();
-}
-
-void ShellUtil::cancelLaunchingApp()
-{
-    for (auto pid : m_launchingAppPids) {
-        QProcess::execute("kill", {QString::number(pid)});
-    }
-    clearLaunchingApp();
-}
-
-void ShellUtil::clearLaunchingApp()
-{
-    m_launchingApp = nullptr;
-    Q_EMIT isLaunchingAppChanged();
 }
diff --git a/components/mobileshell/shellutil.h b/components/mobileshell/shellutil.h
index d6b426c5..bea5a8a0 100644
--- a/components/mobileshell/shellutil.h
+++ b/components/mobileshell/shellutil.h
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ class ShellUtil : public QObject
 {
     Q_OBJECT
     Q_PROPERTY(bool isSystem24HourFormat READ isSystem24HourFormat NOTIFY isSystem24HourFormatChanged)
-    Q_PROPERTY(bool isLaunchingApp READ isLaunchingApp NOTIFY isLaunchingAppChanged)
 
 public:
     ShellUtil(QObject *parent = nullptr);
@@ -64,33 +63,10 @@ public:
      */
     Q_INVOKABLE bool isSystem24HourFormat();
 
-    /**
-     * Whether an application is being launched.
-     */
-    Q_INVOKABLE bool isLaunchingApp();
-
-    /**
-     * Cancels an application launch by running `kill pid` for every associated pid of the launching app.
-     */
-    Q_INVOKABLE void cancelLaunchingApp();
-
-    /**
-     * Clears the currently stored launching app.
-     *
-     * This should be called if the application window finally shows.
-     */
-    Q_INVOKABLE void clearLaunchingApp();
-
 Q_SIGNALS:
     void isSystem24HourFormatChanged();
-    void isLaunchingAppChanged();
 
 private:
-    void setLaunchingApp(KIO::ApplicationLauncherJob *launcherJob);
-
     KConfigWatcher::Ptr m_localeConfigWatcher;
     KSharedConfig::Ptr m_localeConfig;
-
-    KIO::ApplicationLauncherJob *m_launchingApp;
-    QVector<qint64> m_launchingAppPids;
 };
diff --git a/containments/taskpanel/package/contents/ui/NavigationPanelComponent.qml b/containments/taskpanel/package/contents/ui/NavigationPanelComponent.qml
index 3425ceac..340b9253 100644
--- a/containments/taskpanel/package/contents/ui/NavigationPanelComponent.qml
+++ b/containments/taskpanel/package/contents/ui/NavigationPanelComponent.qml
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ MobileShell.NavigationPanel {
     rightAction: MobileShell.NavigationPanelAction {
         id: closeAppAction
         
-        enabled: Keyboards.KWinVirtualKeyboard.visible || root.taskSwitcher.visible || MobileShell.WindowUtil.hasCloseableActiveWindow || MobileShell.ShellUtil.isLaunchingApp
+        enabled: Keyboards.KWinVirtualKeyboard.visible || root.taskSwitcher.visible || MobileShell.WindowUtil.hasCloseableActiveWindow
         iconSource: Keyboards.KWinVirtualKeyboard.visible ? "go-down-symbolic" : "mobile-close-app"
         // mobile-close-app (from plasma-frameworks) seems to have less margins than icons from breeze-icons
         iconSizeFactor: Keyboards.KWinVirtualKeyboard.visible ? 1 : 0.75
@@ -103,11 +103,6 @@ MobileShell.NavigationPanel {
                     root.taskSwitcher.tasksModel.requestClose(root.taskSwitcher.tasksModel.activeTask);
                 }
                 MobileShellState.Shell.closeAppLaunchAnimation();
-            } else if (MobileShell.ShellUtil.isLaunchingApp) {
-                
-                // cancel the launching of the app
-                MobileShellState.Shell.closeAppLaunchAnimation();
-                MobileShell.ShellUtil.cancelLaunchingApp();
             }
         }
     }