diff --git a/kcms/icons/main.h b/kcms/icons/main.h
--- a/kcms/icons/main.h
+++ b/kcms/icons/main.h
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@
     Q_INVOKABLE void setIconSize(int group, int size);
     Q_INVOKABLE QList<int> availableIconSizes(int group) const;
 
-    Q_INVOKABLE QVariantList/*QList<QPixmap>*/ previewIcons(const QString &themeName, int size, qreal dpr) const;
+    Q_INVOKABLE QVariantList/*QList<QPixmap>*/ previewIcons(const QString &themeName, int size, qreal dpr, int limit = -1);
 
 signals:
     void iconSizesChanged();
@@ -106,6 +106,9 @@
 
     QStringList m_iconGroups;
 
+    // ListView deletes and recreates delegates as you scroll, so once we generated previews, cache them
+    QHash<QString, QVariantList/*QList<QPixmap>*/> m_previewCache;
+
     QScopedPointer<QTemporaryFile> m_tempInstallFile;
 
     QPointer<KNS3::DownloadDialog> m_newStuffDialog;
diff --git a/kcms/icons/main.cpp b/kcms/icons/main.cpp
--- a/kcms/icons/main.cpp
+++ b/kcms/icons/main.cpp
@@ -284,6 +284,7 @@
             // reload the display icontheme items
             KIconLoader::global()->newIconLoader();
             m_model->load();
+            m_previewCache.clear();
         });
     }
 
@@ -340,6 +341,7 @@
 
     KIconLoader::global()->newIconLoader();
     m_model->load();
+    m_previewCache.clear();
 }
 
 void IconModule::exportToKDE4()
@@ -477,8 +479,15 @@
     return everythingOk;
 }
 
-QVariantList IconModule::previewIcons(const QString &themeName, int size, qreal dpr) const
+QVariantList IconModule::previewIcons(const QString &themeName, int size, qreal dpr, int limit)
 {
+    const QString cacheKey = themeName + QLatin1Char('@') + QString::number(size) + QLatin1Char('@') + QString::number(dpr,'f',1) + QLatin1Char('@') + QString::number(limit);
+
+    auto it = m_previewCache.constFind(cacheKey);
+    if (it != m_previewCache.constEnd()) {
+        return *it;
+    }
+
     KIconTheme theme(themeName);
     QSvgRenderer renderer;
 
@@ -525,33 +534,45 @@
         return QPixmap();
     };
 
-    QVariantList pixmaps{
-        getBestIcon({QStringLiteral("system-run"), QStringLiteral("exec")}),
-        getBestIcon({QStringLiteral("folder")}),
-        getBestIcon({QStringLiteral("document"), QStringLiteral("text-x-generic")}),
-        getBestIcon({QStringLiteral("user-trash"), QStringLiteral("user-trash-empty")}),
-        getBestIcon({QStringLiteral("system-help"), QStringLiteral("help-about"), QStringLiteral("help-contents")}),
-        getBestIcon({QStringLiteral("preferences-system"), QStringLiteral("systemsettings"), QStringLiteral("configure")}),
-
-        getBestIcon({QStringLiteral("text-html")}),
-        getBestIcon({QStringLiteral("image-x-generic"), QStringLiteral("image-png"), QStringLiteral("image-jpeg")}),
-        getBestIcon({QStringLiteral("video-x-generic"), QStringLiteral("video-x-theora+ogg"), QStringLiteral("video-mp4")}),
-        getBestIcon({QStringLiteral("x-office-document")}),
-        getBestIcon({QStringLiteral("x-office-spreadsheet")}),
-        getBestIcon({QStringLiteral("x-office-presentation"), QStringLiteral("application-presentation")}),
-
-        getBestIcon({QStringLiteral("user-home")}),
-        getBestIcon({QStringLiteral("user-desktop"), QStringLiteral("desktop")}),
-        getBestIcon({QStringLiteral("folder-image"), QStringLiteral("folder-images"), QStringLiteral("folder-pictures"), QStringLiteral("folder-picture")}),
-        getBestIcon({QStringLiteral("folder-documents")}),
-        getBestIcon({QStringLiteral("folder-download"), QStringLiteral("folder-downloads")}),
-        getBestIcon({QStringLiteral("folder-video"), QStringLiteral("folder-videos")})
+    static QVector<QStringList> s_previewIcons{
+        {QStringLiteral("system-run"), QStringLiteral("exec")},
+        {QStringLiteral("folder")},
+        {QStringLiteral("document"), QStringLiteral("text-x-generic")},
+        {QStringLiteral("user-trash"), QStringLiteral("user-trash-empty")},
+        {QStringLiteral("system-help"), QStringLiteral("help-about"), QStringLiteral("help-contents")},
+        {QStringLiteral("preferences-system"), QStringLiteral("systemsettings"), QStringLiteral("configure")},
+
+        {QStringLiteral("text-html")},
+        {QStringLiteral("image-x-generic"), QStringLiteral("image-png"), QStringLiteral("image-jpeg")},
+        {QStringLiteral("video-x-generic"), QStringLiteral("video-x-theora+ogg"), QStringLiteral("video-mp4")},
+        {QStringLiteral("x-office-document")},
+        {QStringLiteral("x-office-spreadsheet")},
+        {QStringLiteral("x-office-presentation"), QStringLiteral("application-presentation")},
+
+        {QStringLiteral("user-home")},
+        {QStringLiteral("user-desktop"), QStringLiteral("desktop")},
+        {QStringLiteral("folder-image"), QStringLiteral("folder-images"), QStringLiteral("folder-pictures"), QStringLiteral("folder-picture")},
+        {QStringLiteral("folder-documents")},
+        {QStringLiteral("folder-download"), QStringLiteral("folder-downloads")},
+        {QStringLiteral("folder-video"), QStringLiteral("folder-videos")}
     };
 
-    // remove missing icons
-    pixmaps.erase(std::remove_if(pixmaps.begin(), pixmaps.end(), [](const QVariant &pixmapVariant) {
-        return pixmapVariant.value<QPixmap>().isNull();
-    }), pixmaps.end());
+    QVariantList pixmaps;
+
+    for (const QStringList &iconNames : s_previewIcons) {
+        QPixmap pix = getBestIcon(iconNames);
+        if (pix.isNull()) {
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        pixmaps.append(pix);
+
+        if (limit > -1 && pixmaps.count() >= limit) {
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+
+    m_previewCache.insert(cacheKey, pixmaps);
 
     return pixmaps;
 }
diff --git a/kcms/icons/package/contents/ui/main.qml b/kcms/icons/package/contents/ui/main.qml
--- a/kcms/icons/package/contents/ui/main.qml
+++ b/kcms/icons/package/contents/ui/main.qml
@@ -89,6 +89,11 @@
                     }
                 }
                 onTriggered: {
+                    if (!thumbFlow.allPreviesLoaded) {
+                        thumbFlow.loadPreviews(-1 /*no limit*/);
+                        thumbFlow.allPreviesLoaded = true;
+                    }
+
                     ++thumbFlow.currentPage;
                     if (thumbFlow.currentPage >= thumbFlow.pageCount) {
                         stop();
@@ -102,6 +107,8 @@
                 // undefined is "didn't load preview yet"
                 // empty array is "no preview available"
                 property var previews
+                // initially we only load 6 and when the animation starts we'll load the rest
+                property bool allPreviesLoaded: false
 
                 property int currentPage
                 readonly property int pageCount: Math.ceil(thumbRepeater.count / (thumbFlow.columns * thumbFlow.rows))
@@ -112,6 +119,10 @@
                 readonly property int columns: 3
                 readonly property int rows: 2
 
+                function loadPreviews(limit) {
+                    previews = kcm.previewIcons(model.themeName, Math.min(thumbFlow.iconWidth, thumbFlow.iconHeight), Screen.devicePixelRatio, limit);
+                }
+
                 width: parent.width
                 y: -currentPage * iconHeight * rows
 
@@ -142,7 +153,8 @@
                 Component.onCompleted: {
                     // avoid reloading it when icon sizes or dpr changes on startup
                     Qt.callLater(function() {
-                        previews = kcm.previewIcons(model.themeName, Math.min(thumbFlow.iconWidth, thumbFlow.iconHeight), Screen.devicePixelRatio)
+                        // We show 6 icons initially (3x2 grid), only load those
+                        thumbFlow.loadPreviews(6 /*limit*/);
                     });
                 }
             }