diff --git a/dist/changes-5.0.0 b/dist/changes-5.0.0
index 8daf897459..93b49ecf05 100644
--- a/dist/changes-5.0.0
+++ b/dist/changes-5.0.0
@@ -499,6 +499,11 @@ QTestLib
 --------
 * [QTBUG-20615] Autotests can now log test output to multiple destinations
   and log formats simultaneously.
+* [QTBUG-21645] QSignalSpy now handles QVariant signal parameters more
+  intuitively; the QVariant value is copied directly, instead of being
+  wrapped inside a new QVariant. This means that calling
+  qvariant_cast<QVariant>() on the QSignalSpy item (to "unwrap" the value)
+  is no longer required (but still works).
 
 QtSql
 -----
diff --git a/src/testlib/qsignalspy.h b/src/testlib/qsignalspy.h
index 18def8f6c4..0740ba5622 100644
--- a/src/testlib/qsignalspy.h
+++ b/src/testlib/qsignalspy.h
@@ -147,7 +147,10 @@ private:
         QList<QVariant> list;
         for (int i = 0; i < args.count(); ++i) {
             QMetaType::Type type = static_cast<QMetaType::Type>(args.at(i));
-            list << QVariant(type, a[i + 1]);
+            if (type == QMetaType::QVariant)
+                list << *reinterpret_cast<QVariant *>(a[i + 1]);
+            else
+                list << QVariant(type, a[i + 1]);
         }
         append(list);
 
diff --git a/tests/auto/testlib/qsignalspy/tst_qsignalspy.cpp b/tests/auto/testlib/qsignalspy/tst_qsignalspy.cpp
index 07b762a7eb..c6419cd17c 100644
--- a/tests/auto/testlib/qsignalspy/tst_qsignalspy.cpp
+++ b/tests/auto/testlib/qsignalspy/tst_qsignalspy.cpp
@@ -157,6 +157,7 @@ signals:
     void sig2(const QDateTime &dt);
     void sig3(QObject *o);
     void sig4(QChar c);
+    void sig5(const QVariant &v);
 };
 
 void tst_QSignalSpy::spyWithBasicQtClasses()
@@ -168,6 +169,14 @@ void tst_QSignalSpy::spyWithBasicQtClasses()
     QCOMPARE(spy.count(), 1);
     QCOMPARE(spy.at(0).count(), 1);
     QCOMPARE(spy.at(0).at(0).toString(), QString("bubu"));
+
+    QSignalSpy spy2(&obj, SIGNAL(sig5(QVariant)));
+    QVariant val(45);
+    emit obj.sig5(val);
+    QCOMPARE(spy2.count(), 1);
+    QCOMPARE(spy2.at(0).count(), 1);
+    QCOMPARE(spy2.at(0).at(0), val);
+    QCOMPARE(qvariant_cast<QVariant>(spy2.at(0).at(0)), val);
 }
 
 void tst_QSignalSpy::spyWithQtClasses()