diff --git a/shell/shellcorona.cpp b/shell/shellcorona.cpp
--- a/shell/shellcorona.cpp
+++ b/shell/shellcorona.cpp
@@ -141,6 +141,17 @@
                 ksplashProgressMessage.setArguments(QList<QVariant>() << QStringLiteral("desktop"));
                 QDBusConnection::sessionBus().asyncCall(ksplashProgressMessage);
                 //TODO: remove
+
+                // Tell KWin to unload the "scale in desktop" effect which animates the startup of Plasma
+                // so it doesn't distract when plasma restarts or a new output is added
+                QDBusMessage unloadScaleInDesktopEffectMessage = QDBusMessage::createMethodCall(
+                    QStringLiteral("org.kde.KWin"),
+                    QStringLiteral("/Effects"),
+                    QStringLiteral("org.kde.kwin.Effects"),
+                    QStringLiteral("unloadEffect")
+                );
+                unloadScaleInDesktopEffectMessage.setArguments({QStringLiteral("kwin4_effect_scaleindesktop")});
+                QDBusConnection::sessionBus().asyncCall(unloadScaleInDesktopEffectMessage);
             });
 
     // Look for theme config in plasmarc, if it isn't configured, take the theme from the