diff --git a/resources/qml/Settings/SettingOptionalExtruder.qml b/resources/qml/Settings/SettingOptionalExtruder.qml
index d9ec1f07c4..aabf808d83 100644
--- a/resources/qml/Settings/SettingOptionalExtruder.qml
+++ b/resources/qml/Settings/SettingOptionalExtruder.qml
@@ -12,17 +12,24 @@ SettingItem
     id: base
     property var focusItem: control
 
+    // Somehow if we directory set control.model to CuraApplication.getExtrudersModelWithOptional()
+    // and in the Connections.onModelChanged use control.model as a reference, it will complain about
+    // non-existing properties such as "onModelChanged" and "getItem". I guess if we access the model
+    // via "control.model", it gives back a generic/abstract model instance. To avoid this, we add
+    // this extra property to keep the ExtrudersModel and use this in the rest of the code.
+    property var extrudersWithOptionalModel: CuraApplication.getExtrudersModelWithOptional()
+
     contents: ComboBox
     {
         id: control
         anchors.fill: parent
 
-        model: CuraApplication.getExtrudersModelWithOptional()
+        model: base.extrudersWithOptionalModel
 
         Connections
         {
-            target: model
-            onModelChanged: control.color = model.getItem(control.currentIndex).color
+            target: base.extrudersWithOptionalModel
+            onModelChanged: control.color = base.extrudersWithOptionalModel.getItem(control.currentIndex).color
         }
 
         textRole: "name"