diff --git a/qutebrowser/app.py b/qutebrowser/app.py
index 6ae3a630c..c77589498 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/app.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/app.py
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ class Application(QApplication):
         download_manager = downloads.DownloadManager(self)
         objreg.register('download-manager', download_manager)
         log.init.debug("Initializing main window...")
-        mainwindow.create_window(False if self._args.nowindow else True)
+        mainwindow.MainWindow.spawn(False if self._args.nowindow else True)
         log.init.debug("Initializing debug console...")
         debug_console = console.ConsoleWidget()
         objreg.register('debug-console', debug_console)
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ class Application(QApplication):
                 commandrunner.run_safely_init(cmd.lstrip(':'))
             elif not cmd:
                 log.init.debug("Empty argument")
-                win_id = mainwindow.create_window(True)
+                win_id = mainwindow.MainWindow.spawn()
             else:
                 tabbed_browser = objreg.get('tabbed-browser', scope='window',
                                             window=win_id)
diff --git a/qutebrowser/browser/commands.py b/qutebrowser/browser/commands.py
index 24d223987..fdec99eac 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/browser/commands.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/browser/commands.py
@@ -70,9 +70,9 @@ class CommandDispatcher:
             window: If True, open a new window.
         """
         if window:
-            # We have to import this here to avoid a circular import.
-            from qutebrowser.widgets import mainwindow
-            win_id = mainwindow.create_window(True)
+            main_window = objreg.get('main-window', scope='window',
+                                     window=self._win_id)
+            win_id = main_window.spawn()
         else:
             win_id = self._win_id
         return objreg.get('tabbed-browser', scope='window', window=win_id)
diff --git a/qutebrowser/browser/hints.py b/qutebrowser/browser/hints.py
index 7e9522dcd..0b44a808c 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/browser/hints.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/browser/hints.py
@@ -527,9 +527,9 @@ class HintManager(QObject):
                 "prev" if prev else "forward"))
         qtutils.ensure_valid(url)
         if window:
-            # We have to import this here to avoid a circular import.
-            from qutebrowser.widgets import mainwindow
-            win_id = mainwindow.create_window(True)
+            main_window = objreg.get('main-window', scope='window',
+                                     window=self._win_id)
+            win_id = main_window.spawn()
             tabbed_browser = objreg.get('tabbed-browser', scope='window',
                                         window=win_id)
             tabbed_browser.tabopen(url, background=False)
diff --git a/qutebrowser/browser/webpage.py b/qutebrowser/browser/webpage.py
index fa38307ea..ede0339b4 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/browser/webpage.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/browser/webpage.py
@@ -310,9 +310,9 @@ class BrowserPage(QWebPage):
             tabbed_browser.tabopen(url, True)
             return False
         elif open_target == usertypes.ClickTarget.window:
-            # We have to import this here to avoid a circular import.
-            from qutebrowser.widgets import mainwindow
-            win_id = mainwindow.create_window(True)
+            main_window = objreg.get('main-window', scope='window',
+                                     window=self._win_id)
+            win_id = main_window.spawn()
             tabbed_browser = objreg.get('tabbed-browser', scope='window',
                                         window=win_id)
             tabbed_browser.tabopen(url, False)
diff --git a/qutebrowser/widgets/mainwindow.py b/qutebrowser/widgets/mainwindow.py
index e4d6a348a..dabdb5a65 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/widgets/mainwindow.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/widgets/mainwindow.py
@@ -39,22 +39,6 @@ from qutebrowser.browser import hints
 win_id_gen = itertools.count(0)
 
 
-def create_window(show):
-    """Create a new main window.
-
-    Args:
-        show: Show the window after creating.
-
-    Return:
-        The new window id.
-    """
-    win_id = next(win_id_gen)
-    win = MainWindow(win_id)
-    if show:
-        win.show()
-    return win_id
-
-
 class MainWindow(QWidget):
 
     """The main window of qutebrowser.
@@ -145,6 +129,22 @@ class MainWindow(QWidget):
     def __repr__(self):
         return utils.get_repr(self)
 
+    @classmethod
+    def spawn(cls, show=True):
+        """Create a new main window.
+
+        Args:
+            show: Show the window after creating.
+
+        Return:
+            The new window id.
+        """
+        win_id = next(win_id_gen)
+        win = MainWindow(win_id)
+        if show:
+            win.show()
+        return win_id
+
     def _load_geometry(self):
         """Load the geometry from the state file."""
         state_config = objreg.get('state-config')