diff --git a/modules/gui/qt/util/base_model_p.hpp b/modules/gui/qt/util/base_model_p.hpp
index db73bb3b63..81ddb65304 100644
--- a/modules/gui/qt/util/base_model_p.hpp
+++ b/modules/gui/qt/util/base_model_p.hpp
@@ -83,7 +83,10 @@ protected:
     {
         Q_Q(BaseModel);
         emit q->beginResetModel();
-        cache.reset();
+        // 'abandon' existing cache and queue it for deletion
+        cache->disconnect(q);
+        cache->deleteLater();
+        cache.release();
         emit q->endResetModel();
         validateCache();
     }
diff --git a/modules/gui/qt/util/listcache.hxx b/modules/gui/qt/util/listcache.hxx
index 3ae0d8cd2f..0442c0f7b2 100644
--- a/modules/gui/qt/util/listcache.hxx
+++ b/modules/gui/qt/util/listcache.hxx
@@ -482,8 +482,6 @@ void ListCache<T>::asyncCountAndLoad()
                 ? std::min(m_limit, maximumCount)
                 : maximumCount;
 
-            if (queryCount == 0)
-                return;
             //note: should we drop items past queryCount?
             m_cachedData = std::make_unique<CacheData>(std::move(list),
                                                        queryCount,