diff --git a/crates/cxx-qt-lib/src/core/qstringlist.cpp b/crates/cxx-qt-lib/src/core/qstringlist.cpp
index a5ea48a60..12382c657 100644
--- a/crates/cxx-qt-lib/src/core/qstringlist.cpp
+++ b/crates/cxx-qt-lib/src/core/qstringlist.cpp
@@ -36,18 +36,6 @@ static_assert(QTypeInfo<QStringList>::isRelocatable);
 namespace rust {
 namespace cxxqtlib1 {
 
-const QList<QString>&
-qstringlistAsQListQStringRef(const QStringList& list)
-{
-  return static_cast<const QList<QString>&>(list);
-}
-
-QList<QString>&
-qstringlistAsQListQStringRef(QStringList& list)
-{
-  return static_cast<QList<QString>&>(list);
-}
-
 QStringList
 qstringlistFromQListQString(const QList<QString>& list)
 {
diff --git a/crates/cxx-qt-lib/src/core/qstringlist.rs b/crates/cxx-qt-lib/src/core/qstringlist.rs
index 22d9d3886..1e8fd47e1 100644
--- a/crates/cxx-qt-lib/src/core/qstringlist.rs
+++ b/crates/cxx-qt-lib/src/core/qstringlist.rs
@@ -2,9 +2,11 @@
 // SPDX-FileContributor: Andrew Hayzen <andrew.hayzen@kdab.com>
 //
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT OR Apache-2.0
+use crate::core::qstringlist::ffi::{downcast_qlist_qstring, upcast_qstringlist, QList_QString};
 use crate::{QList, QString};
 use core::mem::MaybeUninit;
 use cxx::{type_id, ExternType};
+use cxx_qt::Upcast;
 use std::ops::{Deref, DerefMut};
 
 #[cxx::bridge]
@@ -25,6 +27,20 @@ mod ffi {
         include!("cxx-qt-lib/qstringlist.h");
         type QStringList = super::QStringList;
 
+        include!("cxx-qt/casting.h");
+
+        #[doc(hidden)]
+        #[rust_name = "upcast_qstringlist"]
+        #[cxx_name = "upcastPtr"]
+        #[namespace = "rust::cxxqt1"]
+        unsafe fn upcast(thiz: *const QStringList) -> *const QList_QString;
+
+        #[doc(hidden)]
+        #[rust_name = "downcast_qlist_qstring"]
+        #[cxx_name = "downcastPtr"]
+        #[namespace = "rust::cxxqt1"]
+        unsafe fn downcast(base: *const QList_QString) -> *const QStringList;
+
         /// Returns true if the list contains the string str; otherwise returns false.
         fn contains(self: &QStringList, str: &QString, cs: CaseSensitivity) -> bool;
 
@@ -80,11 +96,6 @@ mod ffi {
 
     #[namespace = "rust::cxxqtlib1"]
     unsafe extern "C++" {
-        #[doc(hidden)]
-        #[rust_name = "qstringlist_as_qlist_qstring_ref"]
-        fn qstringlistAsQListQStringRef(list: &QStringList) -> &QList_QString;
-        #[rust_name = "qstringlist_as_qlist_qstring_ref_mut"]
-        fn qstringlistAsQListQStringRef(list: &mut QStringList) -> &mut QList_QString;
         #[doc(hidden)]
         #[rust_name = "qstringlist_from_qlist_qstring"]
         fn qstringlistFromQListQString(list: &QList_QString) -> QStringList;
@@ -184,13 +195,23 @@ impl Deref for QStringList {
     type Target = QList<QString>;
 
     fn deref(&self) -> &Self::Target {
-        ffi::qstringlist_as_qlist_qstring_ref(self)
+        self.upcast()
     }
 }
 
 impl DerefMut for QStringList {
     fn deref_mut(&mut self) -> &mut Self::Target {
-        ffi::qstringlist_as_qlist_qstring_ref_mut(self)
+        self.upcast_mut()
+    }
+}
+
+impl Upcast<QList_QString> for QStringList {
+    unsafe fn upcast_ptr(this: *const Self) -> *const QList_QString {
+        upcast_qstringlist(this)
+    }
+
+    unsafe fn from_base_ptr(base: *const QList_QString) -> *const Self {
+        downcast_qlist_qstring(base)
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/cxx-qt-lib/src/gui/qguiapplication.rs b/crates/cxx-qt-lib/src/gui/qguiapplication.rs
index 62aabc406..f23abe12f 100644
--- a/crates/cxx-qt-lib/src/gui/qguiapplication.rs
+++ b/crates/cxx-qt-lib/src/gui/qguiapplication.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 use crate::{QByteArray, QFont, QString, QStringList, QVector};
 use core::pin::Pin;
+use cxx_qt::Upcast;
 
 #[cxx::bridge]
 mod ffi {
@@ -23,6 +24,23 @@ mod ffi {
 
         include!("cxx-qt-lib/qguiapplication.h");
         type QGuiApplication;
+
+        include!("cxx-qt-lib/qcoreapplication.h");
+        type QCoreApplication;
+
+        include!("cxx-qt/casting.h");
+
+        #[doc(hidden)]
+        #[rust_name = "upcast_qguiapplication"]
+        #[cxx_name = "upcastPtr"]
+        #[namespace = "rust::cxxqt1"]
+        unsafe fn upcast(thiz: *const QGuiApplication) -> *const QCoreApplication;
+
+        #[doc(hidden)]
+        #[rust_name = "downcast_qcoreapplication"]
+        #[cxx_name = "downcastPtr"]
+        #[namespace = "rust::cxxqt1"]
+        unsafe fn downcast(base: *const QCoreApplication) -> *const QGuiApplication;
     }
 
     #[namespace = "rust::cxxqtlib1"]
@@ -98,7 +116,19 @@ mod ffi {
     impl UniquePtr<QGuiApplication> {}
 }
 
-pub use ffi::QGuiApplication;
+pub use ffi::{
+    downcast_qcoreapplication, upcast_qguiapplication, QCoreApplication, QGuiApplication,
+};
+
+impl Upcast<QCoreApplication> for QGuiApplication {
+    unsafe fn upcast_ptr(this: *const Self) -> *const QCoreApplication {
+        upcast_qguiapplication(this)
+    }
+
+    unsafe fn from_base_ptr(base: *const QCoreApplication) -> *const Self {
+        downcast_qcoreapplication(base)
+    }
+}
 
 impl QGuiApplication {
     /// Prepends path to the beginning of the library path list,
diff --git a/crates/cxx-qt/src/lib.rs b/crates/cxx-qt/src/lib.rs
index cfde22549..8bb21755d 100644
--- a/crates/cxx-qt/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/cxx-qt/src/lib.rs
@@ -177,6 +177,31 @@ pub trait Downcast: Sized {
             }
         }
     }
+
+    /// try Downcast mutably to a subclass of this, given that the subclass upcasts to this type
+    fn downcast_mut<Sub: Upcast<Self>>(&mut self) -> Option<&mut Sub> {
+        unsafe {
+            let ptr = Sub::from_base_ptr(self as *const Self) as *mut Sub;
+            if ptr.is_null() {
+                None
+            } else {
+                Some(&mut *ptr)
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// try Downcast a pin to a pinned subclass of this, given that the subclass upcasts to this type
+    fn downcast_pin<Sub: Upcast<Self>>(self: Pin<&mut Self>) -> Option<Pin<&mut Sub>> {
+        let this = self.deref() as *const Self;
+        unsafe {
+            let ptr = Sub::from_base_ptr(this) as *mut Sub;
+            if ptr.is_null() {
+                None
+            } else {
+                Some(Pin::new_unchecked(&mut *ptr))
+            }
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 impl<T: Sized> Downcast for T {}