diff --git a/src/filemetadataprovider.h b/src/filemetadataprovider.h
--- a/src/filemetadataprovider.h
+++ b/src/filemetadataprovider.h
@@ -105,12 +105,15 @@
 
 Q_SIGNALS:
     /**
-     * Is emitted after the loading triggered by KFileMetaDataProvider::setItems()
-     * has been finished.
-     *
-     * Can be emitted multiple times to indicate data changes
+     * Emitted once per KFileMetaDataProvider::setItems() 
+     * after data loading is finished.
      */
     void loadingFinished();
+     /**
+     * Indicates data changes.
+     * Can be emitted zero or more times
+     */
+    void dataAvailable();
 
 private Q_SLOTS:
     void slotLoadingFinished(KJob* job);
diff --git a/src/filemetadataprovider.cpp b/src/filemetadataprovider.cpp
--- a/src/filemetadataprovider.cpp
+++ b/src/filemetadataprovider.cpp
@@ -316,13 +316,13 @@
     if (!m_config.fileIndexingEnabled() || !m_config.shouldBeIndexed(filePath)) {
         m_realTimeIndexing = true;
 
+        insertBasicData();
+        insertEditableData();
+        emit dataAvailable();
+
         IndexedDataRetriever *ret = new IndexedDataRetriever(filePath, this);
         connect(ret, SIGNAL(finished(KJob*)), this, SLOT(slotLoadingFinished(KJob*)));
         ret->start();
-
-        insertBasicData();
-        insertEditableData();
-        emit loadingFinished();
         
     } else {
         FileFetchJob* job = new FileFetchJob(QStringList() << filePath, this);
@@ -351,10 +351,13 @@
         FileFetchJob* job = new FileFetchJob(urls, this);
         connect(job, SIGNAL(finished(KJob*)), this, SLOT(slotFileFetchFinished(KJob*)));
         job->start();
+        insertBasicData();
+        emit dataAvailable();
+    } else {
+        insertBasicData();
+        emit loadingFinished();
     }
 
-    insertBasicData();
-    emit loadingFinished();
 }
 
 void FileMetaDataProvider::setItems(const KFileItemList& items)
@@ -478,7 +481,6 @@
     return m_data;
 }
 
-
 int FileMetaDataProvider::subDirectoriesCount(const QString& path)
 {
 #ifdef Q_OS_WIN
diff --git a/src/filemetadatawidget.h b/src/filemetadatawidget.h
--- a/src/filemetadatawidget.h
+++ b/src/filemetadatawidget.h
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@
     Private* d;
 
     Q_PRIVATE_SLOT(d, void slotLoadingFinished())
+    Q_PRIVATE_SLOT(d, void slotDataAvailable())
     Q_PRIVATE_SLOT(d, void slotLinkActivated(QString))
     Q_PRIVATE_SLOT(d, void slotDataChangeStarted())
     Q_PRIVATE_SLOT(d, void slotDataChangeFinished())
diff --git a/src/filemetadatawidget.cpp b/src/filemetadatawidget.cpp
--- a/src/filemetadatawidget.cpp
+++ b/src/filemetadatawidget.cpp
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@
     void deleteRows();
 
     void slotLoadingFinished();
+    void slotDataAvailable();
     void slotLinkActivated(const QString& link);
     void slotDataChangeStarted();
     void slotDataChangeFinished();
@@ -94,6 +95,7 @@
     // TODO: If KFileMetaDataProvider might get a public class in future KDE releases,
     // the following code should be moved into KFileMetaDataWidget::setModel():
     m_provider = new FileMetaDataProvider(q);
+    connect(m_provider, SIGNAL(dataAvailable()), q, SLOT(slotDataAvailable()));
     connect(m_provider, SIGNAL(loadingFinished()), q, SLOT(slotLoadingFinished()));
 }
 
@@ -112,6 +114,12 @@
 }
 
 void FileMetaDataWidget::Private::slotLoadingFinished()
+{
+    slotDataAvailable(); 
+    emit q->metaDataRequestFinished(m_provider->items());
+}
+
+void FileMetaDataWidget::Private::slotDataAvailable()
 {
     deleteRows();
 
@@ -161,7 +169,7 @@
     }
 
     q->updateGeometry();
-    emit q->metaDataRequestFinished(m_provider->items());
+   
 }
 
 void FileMetaDataWidget::Private::slotLinkActivated(const QString& link)