diff --git a/src/plasma/data/servicetypes/plasma-applet.desktop b/src/plasma/data/servicetypes/plasma-applet.desktop
--- a/src/plasma/data/servicetypes/plasma-applet.desktop
+++ b/src/plasma/data/servicetypes/plasma-applet.desktop
@@ -83,6 +83,9 @@
 [PropertyDef::X-Plasma-Provides]
 Type=QStringList
 
+[PropertyDef::X-Plasma-PreloadWeight]
+Type=int
+
 [PropertyDef::X-Plasma-ConfigPlugins]
 Type=QStringList
 
diff --git a/src/plasmaquick/appletquickitem.cpp b/src/plasmaquick/appletquickitem.cpp
--- a/src/plasmaquick/appletquickitem.cpp
+++ b/src/plasmaquick/appletquickitem.cpp
@@ -43,6 +43,14 @@
 
 QHash<QObject *, AppletQuickItem *> AppletQuickItemPrivate::s_rootObjects = QHash<QObject *, AppletQuickItem *>();
 
+//weight values for the logic for when or if to preload
+static const int s_defaultPreloadWeight = 50;
+static const int s_defaultLauncherPreloadWeight = 100;
+static const int s_defaultDatePreloadWeight = 80;
+static const int s_immediatePreloadWeight = 70;
+static const int s_delayedPreloadWeight = 10;
+static const int s_preloadWeightIncrement = 10;
+
 
 AppletQuickItemPrivate::AppletQuickItemPrivate(Plasma::Applet *a, AppletQuickItem *item)
     : q(item),
@@ -70,6 +78,23 @@
     }
 }
 
+int AppletQuickItemPrivate::preloadWeight() const
+{
+    int defaultWeight;
+    const QStringList provides(KPluginMetaData::readStringList(applet->pluginMetaData().rawData(), QStringLiteral("X-Plasma-Provides")));
+
+    //some applet types we want a bigger weight
+    if (provides.contains(QStringLiteral("org.kde.plasma.launchermenu"))) {
+        defaultWeight = s_defaultLauncherPreloadWeight;
+    } else if (provides.contains(QStringLiteral("org.kde.plasma.date"))) {
+        defaultWeight = s_defaultDatePreloadWeight;
+    } else {
+        defaultWeight = s_defaultPreloadWeight;
+    }
+    //default widgets to be barely preloaded
+    return qBound(0, applet->config().readEntry(QStringLiteral("PreloadWeight"), qMax(defaultWeight, applet->pluginMetaData().rawData().value(QStringLiteral("X-Plasma-PreloadWeight")).toInt())), 100);
+}
+
 void AppletQuickItemPrivate::connectLayoutAttached(QObject *item)
 {
     QObject *layout = 0;
@@ -218,7 +243,7 @@
 
     if (fullRepresentation && fullRepresentation != qmlObject->mainComponent()) {
         QVariantHash initialProperties;
-        initialProperties[QStringLiteral("parent")] = QVariant::fromValue(q);
+        initialProperties[QStringLiteral("parent")] = QVariant();
         fullRepresentationItem = qobject_cast<QQuickItem*>(qmlObject->createObjectFromComponent(fullRepresentation, QtQml::qmlContext(qmlObject->rootObject()), initialProperties));
     } else {
         fullRepresentation = qmlObject->mainComponent();
@@ -598,6 +623,26 @@
     d->compactRepresentationCheck();
     qmlObject()->engine()->rootContext()->setBaseUrl(qmlObject()->source());
     qmlObject()->engine()->setContextForObject(this, qmlObject()->engine()->rootContext());
+
+    //if we're expanded we don't care about preloading because it will already be the case
+    //as well as for containments
+    if (d->applet->isContainment() ||
+        d->expanded || d->preferredRepresentation == d->fullRepresentation) {
+        return;
+    }
+        
+    const int preloadWeight = d->preloadWeight();
+    //decrease weight until we open it again
+    applet()->config().writeEntry(QStringLiteral("PreloadWeight"), qMax(0, preloadWeight - s_preloadWeightIncrement));
+
+    if (preloadWeight >= s_immediatePreloadWeight) {
+        d->createFullRepresentationItem();
+    } else if (preloadWeight >= s_delayedPreloadWeight) {
+        //spread the creation over a random delay between 2 and 10 seconds, to make it look plasma started before, and load everything in the background without big noticeable freezes
+        QTimer::singleShot(qrand() % ((10000 + 1) - 2000) + 2000, [this]() {
+            d->createFullRepresentationItem();
+        });
+    }
 }
 
 
@@ -738,6 +783,11 @@
         } else {
             d->fullRepresentationItem->setProperty("parent", QVariant::fromValue<QObject*>(this));
         }
+
+        //increase on open, ignore containments
+        if (!d->applet->isContainment()) {
+            applet()->config().writeEntry(QStringLiteral("PreloadWeight"), qMin(d->preloadWeight() + s_preloadWeightIncrement, 100));
+        }
     }
 
     d->expanded = expanded;
diff --git a/src/plasmaquick/private/appletquickitem_p.h b/src/plasmaquick/private/appletquickitem_p.h
--- a/src/plasmaquick/private/appletquickitem_p.h
+++ b/src/plasmaquick/private/appletquickitem_p.h
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@
 
     void init();
 
+    int preloadWeight() const;
+
     QQuickItem *createCompactRepresentationItem();
     QQuickItem *createFullRepresentationItem();
     QQuickItem *createCompactRepresentationExpanderItem();