diff --git a/dataengines/devicenotifications/CMakeLists.txt b/dataengines/devicenotifications/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/dataengines/devicenotifications/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/dataengines/devicenotifications/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
     KF5::Solid
     KF5::I18n
     KF5::ProcessCore
+    Qt5::Concurrent
 ) # todo: add kworkspace once ported
 
 kcoreaddons_desktop_to_json(plasma_engine_devicenotifications plasma-dataengine-devicenotifications.desktop)
diff --git a/dataengines/devicenotifications/ksolidnotify.cpp b/dataengines/devicenotifications/ksolidnotify.cpp
--- a/dataengines/devicenotifications/ksolidnotify.cpp
+++ b/dataengines/devicenotifications/ksolidnotify.cpp
@@ -37,23 +37,39 @@
 
 #include <QStringList>
 #include <QProcess>
+#include <QFutureWatcher>
+#include <QtConcurrentRun>
 
 KSolidNotify::KSolidNotify(QObject *parent):
     QObject(parent)
 {
-    Solid::Predicate p(Solid::DeviceInterface::StorageAccess);
-    p |= Solid::Predicate(Solid::DeviceInterface::OpticalDrive);
-    p |= Solid::Predicate(Solid::DeviceInterface::PortableMediaPlayer);
-    const QList<Solid::Device> &devices = Solid::Device::listFromQuery(p);
-    for (const Solid::Device &dev : devices) {
-        m_devices.insert(dev.udi(), dev);
-        connectSignals(&m_devices[dev.udi()]);
-    }
+    QFutureWatcher<QVector<QString>>* watcher = new QFutureWatcher<QVector<QString>>(this);
+    connect(watcher, &QFutureWatcher<QVector<QString>>::finished, this, [this, watcher] {
+        const QVector<QString> devices = watcher->future();
+        for (const QString & udi: devices) {
+            auto it = m_devices.insert(udi, Solid::Device(udi));
+            connectSignals(&*it);
+        }
 
-    connect(Solid::DeviceNotifier::instance(), &Solid::DeviceNotifier::deviceAdded,
-            this, &KSolidNotify::onDeviceAdded);
-    connect(Solid::DeviceNotifier::instance(), &Solid::DeviceNotifier::deviceRemoved,
-            this, &KSolidNotify::onDeviceRemoved);
+        connect(Solid::DeviceNotifier::instance(), &Solid::DeviceNotifier::deviceAdded,
+                this, &KSolidNotify::onDeviceAdded);
+        connect(Solid::DeviceNotifier::instance(), &Solid::DeviceNotifier::deviceRemoved,
+                this, &KSolidNotify::onDeviceRemoved);
+        watcher->deleteLater();
+    });
+    watcher->setFuture(QtConcurrent::run([] {
+        Solid::Predicate p(Solid::DeviceInterface::StorageAccess);
+        p |= Solid::Predicate(Solid::DeviceInterface::OpticalDrive);
+        p |= Solid::Predicate(Solid::DeviceInterface::PortableMediaPlayer);
+        const auto devices = Solid::Device::listFromQuery(p);
+
+        QVector<QString> ret;
+        ret.reserve(devices.size());
+        for (const Solid::Device &dev : devices) {
+            ret << dev.udi();
+        }
+        return ret;
+    }));
 }
 
 void KSolidNotify::onDeviceAdded(const QString &udi)
diff --git a/dataengines/hotplug/hotplugengine.h b/dataengines/hotplug/hotplugengine.h
--- a/dataengines/hotplug/hotplugengine.h
+++ b/dataengines/hotplug/hotplugengine.h
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@
 
     private:
         QHash<QString, Solid::Predicate> m_predicates;
-        QHash<QString, Solid::Device> m_startList;
         QHash<QString, Solid::Device> m_devices;
+        QVector<QString> m_startList;
         Solid::Predicate m_encryptedPredicate;
         KDirWatch *m_dirWatch;
 };
diff --git a/dataengines/hotplug/hotplugengine.cpp b/dataengines/hotplug/hotplugengine.cpp
--- a/dataengines/hotplug/hotplugengine.cpp
+++ b/dataengines/hotplug/hotplugengine.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@
 
 #include <KDirWatch>
 #include <KConfigGroup>
+#include <QElapsedTimer>
+#include <QtConcurrentRun>
+#include <QFutureWatcher>
 #include <QDebug>
 #include <KDesktopFile>
 #include <kdesktopfileactions.h>
@@ -66,26 +69,35 @@
 {
     findPredicates();
 
-    Solid::Predicate p(Solid::DeviceInterface::StorageAccess);
-    p |= Solid::Predicate(Solid::DeviceInterface::StorageDrive);
-    p |= Solid::Predicate(Solid::DeviceInterface::StorageVolume);
-    p |= Solid::Predicate(Solid::DeviceInterface::OpticalDrive);
-    p |= Solid::Predicate(Solid::DeviceInterface::OpticalDisc);
-    p |= Solid::Predicate(Solid::DeviceInterface::PortableMediaPlayer);
-    p |= Solid::Predicate(Solid::DeviceInterface::Camera);
-    QList<Solid::Device> devices = Solid::Device::listFromQuery(p);
-    foreach (const Solid::Device &dev, devices) {
-        m_startList.insert(dev.udi(), dev);
-    }
-
-    connect(Solid::DeviceNotifier::instance(), SIGNAL(deviceAdded(QString)),
-            this, SLOT(onDeviceAdded(QString)));
-    connect(Solid::DeviceNotifier::instance(), &Solid::DeviceNotifier::deviceRemoved,
-            this, &HotplugEngine::onDeviceRemoved);
-
-    m_encryptedPredicate = Solid::Predicate(QStringLiteral("StorageVolume"), QStringLiteral("usage"), "Encrypted");
-
-    processNextStartupDevice();
+    QFutureWatcher<QVector<QString>>* watcher = new QFutureWatcher<QVector<QString>>(this);
+    connect(watcher, &QFutureWatcher<QVector<QString>>::finished, this, [this, watcher] {
+        m_startList = watcher->future();
+
+        connect(Solid::DeviceNotifier::instance(), SIGNAL(deviceAdded(QString)),
+                this, SLOT(onDeviceAdded(QString)));
+        connect(Solid::DeviceNotifier::instance(), &Solid::DeviceNotifier::deviceRemoved,
+                this, &HotplugEngine::onDeviceRemoved);
+
+        m_encryptedPredicate = Solid::Predicate(QStringLiteral("StorageVolume"), QStringLiteral("usage"), "Encrypted");
+        watcher->deleteLater();
+    });
+    watcher->setFuture(QtConcurrent::run([] {
+        Solid::Predicate p(Solid::DeviceInterface::StorageAccess);
+        p |= Solid::Predicate(Solid::DeviceInterface::StorageDrive);
+        p |= Solid::Predicate(Solid::DeviceInterface::StorageVolume);
+        p |= Solid::Predicate(Solid::DeviceInterface::OpticalDrive);
+        p |= Solid::Predicate(Solid::DeviceInterface::OpticalDisc);
+        p |= Solid::Predicate(Solid::DeviceInterface::PortableMediaPlayer);
+        p |= Solid::Predicate(Solid::DeviceInterface::Camera);
+
+        const auto devices = Solid::Device::listFromQuery(p);
+        QVector<QString> ret;
+        ret.reserve(devices.count());
+        for (const Solid::Device &dev : devices) {
+            ret << dev.udi();
+        }
+        return ret;
+    }));
 }
 
 Plasma::Service* HotplugEngine::serviceForSource(const QString& source)
@@ -96,9 +108,9 @@
 void HotplugEngine::processNextStartupDevice()
 {
     if (!m_startList.isEmpty()) {
-        QHash<QString, Solid::Device>::iterator it = m_startList.begin();
+        auto it = m_startList.begin();
         //Solid::Device dev = const_cast<Solid::Device &>(m_startList.takeFirst());
-        onDeviceAdded(it.value(), false);
+        onDeviceAdded(*it);
         m_startList.erase(it);
     }
 
@@ -274,8 +286,9 @@
 {
     //qDebug() << "remove hardware:" << udi;
 
-    if (m_startList.contains(udi)) {
-        m_startList.remove(udi);
+    auto idx = m_startList.indexOf(udi);
+    if (idx >= 0) {
+        m_startList.removeAt(idx);
         return;
     }