diff --git a/clients/CMakeLists.txt b/clients/CMakeLists.txt
index 0593511ac5..457f1859d7 100644
--- a/clients/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/clients/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+add_definitions(-DKDE_DEFAULT_DEBUG_AREA=1216)
 add_subdirectory( aurorae )
 if(KWIN_BUILD_OXYGEN)
     add_subdirectory( oxygen )
diff --git a/clients/aurorae/src/CMakeLists.txt b/clients/aurorae/src/CMakeLists.txt
index a65e7650d5..c37944360f 100644
--- a/clients/aurorae/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/clients/aurorae/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ kde4_add_plugin(kwin3_aurorae ${kwin3_aurorae_PART_SRCS})
 target_link_libraries(kwin3_aurorae
     KF5::KConfigCore
     KF5::KService
-    ${KDE4Support_LIBRARIES} # KGlobal
     Qt5::Declarative
     kdecorations
 )
diff --git a/clients/aurorae/src/aurorae.cpp b/clients/aurorae/src/aurorae.cpp
index 89c882ac84..5c1aedec3a 100644
--- a/clients/aurorae/src/aurorae.cpp
+++ b/clients/aurorae/src/aurorae.cpp
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #include "config-kwin.h"
 
 #include <QApplication>
+#include <QDebug>
 #include <QtDeclarative/QDeclarativeComponent>
 #include <QtDeclarative/QDeclarativeContext>
 #include <QtDeclarative/QDeclarativeEngine>
@@ -30,7 +31,6 @@ along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 #include <KConfig>
 #include <KConfigGroup>
-#include <KDebug>
 #include <KGlobal>
 #include <KPluginInfo>
 #include <KServiceTypeTrader>
@@ -106,13 +106,13 @@ void AuroraeFactory::initQML(const KConfigGroup &group)
 {
     // try finding the QML package
     const QString themeName = group.readEntry("ThemeName", "kwin4_decoration_qml_plastik");
-    kDebug(1212) << "Trying to load QML Decoration " << themeName;
+    qDebug() << "Trying to load QML Decoration " << themeName;
     const QString internalname = themeName.toLower();
 
     QString constraint = QStringLiteral("[X-KDE-PluginInfo-Name] == '%1'").arg(internalname);
     KService::List offers = KServiceTypeTrader::self()->query(QStringLiteral("KWin/Decoration"), constraint);
     if (offers.isEmpty()) {
-        kError(1212) << "Couldn't find QML Decoration " << themeName << endl;
+        qCritical() << "Couldn't find QML Decoration " << themeName << endl;
         // TODO: what to do in error case?
         return;
     }
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ void AuroraeFactory::initQML(const KConfigGroup &group)
     const QString scriptName = service->property(QStringLiteral("X-Plasma-MainScript")).toString();
     const QString file = QStandardPaths::locate(QStandardPaths::GenericDataLocation, QStringLiteral(KWIN_NAME) + QStringLiteral("/decorations/") + pluginName + QStringLiteral("/contents/") + scriptName);
     if (file.isNull()) {
-        kDebug(1212) << "Could not find script file for " << pluginName;
+        qDebug() << "Could not find script file for " << pluginName;
         // TODO: what to do in error case?
         return;
     }
diff --git a/clients/aurorae/src/lib/auroraetheme.cpp b/clients/aurorae/src/lib/auroraetheme.cpp
index 667eb28eea..b6f7f40966 100644
--- a/clients/aurorae/src/lib/auroraetheme.cpp
+++ b/clients/aurorae/src/lib/auroraetheme.cpp
@@ -21,12 +21,12 @@
 #include "auroraetheme.h"
 #include "themeconfig.h"
 // Qt
+#include <QDebug>
 #include <QHash>
 #include <QStandardPaths>
 // KDE
 #include <KDE/KConfig>
 #include <KDE/KConfigGroup>
-#include <KDE/KDebug>
 #include <KDE/KGlobal>
 
 namespace Aurorae {
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ void AuroraeThemePrivate::initButtonFrame(AuroraeButtonType type)
     if (!path.isEmpty()) {
         pathes[ type ] = path;
     } else {
-        kDebug(1216) << "No button for: " << AuroraeTheme::mapButtonToName(type);
+        qDebug() << "No button for: " << AuroraeTheme::mapButtonToName(type);
     }
 }
 
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ void AuroraeTheme::loadTheme(const QString &name, const KConfig &config)
         path = QStandardPaths::locate(QStandardPaths::GenericDataLocation, file);
     }
     if (path.isEmpty()) {
-        kDebug(1216) << "Could not find decoration svg: aborting";
+        qDebug() << "Could not find decoration svg: aborting";
         d->themeName.clear();
         return;
     }