diff --git a/containments/desktop/plugins/folder/foldermodel.h b/containments/desktop/plugins/folder/foldermodel.h
--- a/containments/desktop/plugins/folder/foldermodel.h
+++ b/containments/desktop/plugins/folder/foldermodel.h
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@
         KDirModel *m_dirModel;
         KDirWatch *m_dirWatch;
         QString m_url;
-        QHash<QUrl, bool> m_isDirCache;
+        mutable QHash<QUrl, bool> m_isDirCache;
         mutable QHash<QUrl, KIO::StatJob *> m_isDirJobs;
         QItemSelectionModel *m_selectionModel;
         QItemSelection m_pinnedSelection;
diff --git a/containments/desktop/plugins/folder/foldermodel.cpp b/containments/desktop/plugins/folder/foldermodel.cpp
--- a/containments/desktop/plugins/folder/foldermodel.cpp
+++ b/containments/desktop/plugins/folder/foldermodel.cpp
@@ -1386,6 +1386,13 @@
             return false;
         }
 
+        // Assume the root folder of a protocol is always a folder.
+        // This avoids spinning up e.g. trash KIO slave just to check whether trash:/ is a folder.
+        if (url.path() == QLatin1String("/")) {
+            m_isDirCache.insert(item.url(), true);
+            return true;
+        }
+
         if (KProtocolInfo::protocolClass(url.scheme()) != QStringLiteral(":local")) {
             return false;
         }