diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 7c92e62f..f61b354b 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ Noteworthy changes in version 1.21.0 (unreleased)
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  cpp: Data::setFlag                         NEW.
  cpp: Data::setSizeHint                     NEW.
+ qt: Job::startIt                           NEW.
 
 Noteworthy changes in version 1.20.0 (2023-04-20)
 -------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/lang/qt/src/job.cpp b/lang/qt/src/job.cpp
index 9e01a0ea..3e19e64a 100644
--- a/lang/qt/src/job.cpp
+++ b/lang/qt/src/job.cpp
@@ -142,6 +142,13 @@ GpgME::Context *QGpgME::Job::context(QGpgME::Job *job)
     return QGpgME::g_context_map.value (job, nullptr);
 }
 
+GpgME::Error QGpgME::Job::startIt()
+{
+    auto d = getJobPrivate(this);
+    Q_ASSERT(d && "This Job class has no JobPrivate class");
+    return d->startIt();
+}
+
 void QGpgME::Job::startNow()
 {
     auto d = getJobPrivate(this);
diff --git a/lang/qt/src/job.h b/lang/qt/src/job.h
index 46c5e717..297dfe06 100644
--- a/lang/qt/src/job.h
+++ b/lang/qt/src/job.h
@@ -95,6 +95,12 @@ public:
      */
     static GpgME::Context *context(Job *job);
 
+    /** Starts the job.
+     *
+     * Starts the job with the values set for the concrete job.
+     */
+    GpgME::Error startIt();
+
     /** Starts a deferred job.
      *
      * The job needs to have been prepared for a deferred start by calling the
diff --git a/lang/qt/src/job_p.h b/lang/qt/src/job_p.h
index e4397465..597b1a17 100644
--- a/lang/qt/src/job_p.h
+++ b/lang/qt/src/job_p.h
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ class JobPrivate
 public:
     virtual ~JobPrivate() {}
 
+    virtual GpgME::Error startIt() = 0;
+
     virtual void startNow() = 0;
 };
 
diff --git a/lang/qt/src/qgpgmechangeexpiryjob.cpp b/lang/qt/src/qgpgmechangeexpiryjob.cpp
index 83a5b172..3cca6ca8 100644
--- a/lang/qt/src/qgpgmechangeexpiryjob.cpp
+++ b/lang/qt/src/qgpgmechangeexpiryjob.cpp
@@ -66,6 +66,12 @@ public:
     ~QGpgMEChangeExpiryJobPrivate() override = default;
 
 private:
+    GpgME::Error startIt() override
+    {
+        Q_ASSERT(!"Not supported by this Job class.");
+        return Error::fromCode(GPG_ERR_NOT_SUPPORTED);
+    }
+
     void startNow() override
     {
         q->run();
diff --git a/lang/qt/src/qgpgmedecryptverifyarchivejob.cpp b/lang/qt/src/qgpgmedecryptverifyarchivejob.cpp
index e47ca5e6..3fd58e35 100644
--- a/lang/qt/src/qgpgmedecryptverifyarchivejob.cpp
+++ b/lang/qt/src/qgpgmedecryptverifyarchivejob.cpp
@@ -64,6 +64,12 @@ public:
     ~QGpgMEDecryptVerifyArchiveJobPrivate() override = default;
 
 private:
+    GpgME::Error startIt() override
+    {
+        Q_ASSERT(!"Not supported by this Job class.");
+        return Error::fromCode(GPG_ERR_NOT_SUPPORTED);
+    }
+
     void startNow() override
     {
         q->run();
diff --git a/lang/qt/src/qgpgmeencryptarchivejob.cpp b/lang/qt/src/qgpgmeencryptarchivejob.cpp
index 2a7855c3..6ae310e7 100644
--- a/lang/qt/src/qgpgmeencryptarchivejob.cpp
+++ b/lang/qt/src/qgpgmeencryptarchivejob.cpp
@@ -65,6 +65,12 @@ public:
     ~QGpgMEEncryptArchiveJobPrivate() override = default;
 
 private:
+    GpgME::Error startIt() override
+    {
+        Q_ASSERT(!"Not supported by this Job class.");
+        return Error::fromCode(GPG_ERR_NOT_SUPPORTED);
+    }
+
     void startNow() override
     {
         q->run();
diff --git a/lang/qt/src/qgpgmeencryptjob.cpp b/lang/qt/src/qgpgmeencryptjob.cpp
index 8ad9cc2c..5ea6162c 100644
--- a/lang/qt/src/qgpgmeencryptjob.cpp
+++ b/lang/qt/src/qgpgmeencryptjob.cpp
@@ -72,6 +72,12 @@ public:
     ~QGpgMEEncryptJobPrivate() override = default;
 
 private:
+    GpgME::Error startIt() override
+    {
+        Q_ASSERT(!"Not supported by this Job class.");
+        return Error::fromCode(GPG_ERR_NOT_SUPPORTED);
+    }
+
     void startNow() override
     {
         q->run();
diff --git a/lang/qt/src/qgpgmeimportjob.cpp b/lang/qt/src/qgpgmeimportjob.cpp
index 239cb84c..1d838150 100644
--- a/lang/qt/src/qgpgmeimportjob.cpp
+++ b/lang/qt/src/qgpgmeimportjob.cpp
@@ -67,6 +67,12 @@ public:
     ~QGpgMEImportJobPrivate() override = default;
 
 private:
+    GpgME::Error startIt() override
+    {
+        Q_ASSERT(!"Not supported by this Job class.");
+        return Error::fromCode(GPG_ERR_NOT_SUPPORTED);
+    }
+
     void startNow() override
     {
         q->run();
diff --git a/lang/qt/src/qgpgmelistallkeysjob.cpp b/lang/qt/src/qgpgmelistallkeysjob.cpp
index bc6ea0d7..48f8dc3d 100644
--- a/lang/qt/src/qgpgmelistallkeysjob.cpp
+++ b/lang/qt/src/qgpgmelistallkeysjob.cpp
@@ -77,6 +77,12 @@ public:
     ~QGpgMEListAllKeysJobPrivate() override = default;
 
 private:
+    GpgME::Error startIt() override
+    {
+        Q_ASSERT(!"Not supported by this Job class.");
+        return Error::fromCode(GPG_ERR_NOT_SUPPORTED);
+    }
+
     void startNow() override
     {
         q->run();
diff --git a/lang/qt/src/qgpgmesignarchivejob.cpp b/lang/qt/src/qgpgmesignarchivejob.cpp
index 59614916..c25ea89f 100644
--- a/lang/qt/src/qgpgmesignarchivejob.cpp
+++ b/lang/qt/src/qgpgmesignarchivejob.cpp
@@ -65,6 +65,12 @@ public:
     ~QGpgMESignArchiveJobPrivate() override = default;
 
 private:
+    GpgME::Error startIt() override
+    {
+        Q_ASSERT(!"Not supported by this Job class.");
+        return Error::fromCode(GPG_ERR_NOT_SUPPORTED);
+    }
+
     void startNow() override
     {
         q->run();
diff --git a/lang/qt/src/qgpgmesignencryptarchivejob.cpp b/lang/qt/src/qgpgmesignencryptarchivejob.cpp
index e7f5f30f..2c029a25 100644
--- a/lang/qt/src/qgpgmesignencryptarchivejob.cpp
+++ b/lang/qt/src/qgpgmesignencryptarchivejob.cpp
@@ -72,6 +72,12 @@ public:
     ~QGpgMESignEncryptArchiveJobPrivate() override = default;
 
 private:
+    GpgME::Error startIt() override
+    {
+        Q_ASSERT(!"Not supported by this Job class.");
+        return Error::fromCode(GPG_ERR_NOT_SUPPORTED);
+    }
+
     void startNow() override
     {
         q->run();
diff --git a/lang/qt/src/qgpgmesignencryptjob.cpp b/lang/qt/src/qgpgmesignencryptjob.cpp
index 6a62ee86..c2ced590 100644
--- a/lang/qt/src/qgpgmesignencryptjob.cpp
+++ b/lang/qt/src/qgpgmesignencryptjob.cpp
@@ -73,6 +73,12 @@ public:
     ~QGpgMESignEncryptJobPrivate() override = default;
 
 private:
+    GpgME::Error startIt() override
+    {
+        Q_ASSERT(!"Not supported by this Job class.");
+        return Error::fromCode(GPG_ERR_NOT_SUPPORTED);
+    }
+
     void startNow() override
     {
         q->run();