diff --git a/containments/desktop/package/contents/ui/FolderView.qml b/containments/desktop/package/contents/ui/FolderView.qml
--- a/containments/desktop/package/contents/ui/FolderView.qml
+++ b/containments/desktop/package/contents/ui/FolderView.qml
@@ -503,8 +503,6 @@
                         + (3 * units.smallSpacing) + (2 * units.largeSpacing));
                 }
 
-                model: positioner
-
                 delegate: FolderItemDelegate {
                     width: gridView.cellWidth
                     height: gridView.cellHeight
@@ -958,6 +956,19 @@
             previews: plasmoid.configuration.previews
             previewPlugins: plasmoid.configuration.previewPlugins
 
+            onListingStarted: {
+                if (!gridView.model) {
+                    plasmoid.busy = true;
+                }
+            }
+
+            onListingCompleted: {
+                if (!gridView.model) {
+                    plasmoid.busy = false;
+                    gridView.model = positioner;
+                }
+            }
+
             onMove: {
                 var rows = (gridView.flow == GridView.FlowLeftToRight);
                 var axis = rows ? gridView.width : gridView.height;
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
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@
 
     Q_SIGNALS:
         void error(const QString &string);
+        void completed();
 
     protected:
         void handleError(KIO::Job *job);
@@ -212,6 +213,8 @@
 
     Q_SIGNALS:
         void urlChanged() const;
+        void listingStarted() const;
+        void listingCompleted() const;
         void iconNameChanged() const;
         void resolvedUrlChanged() const;
         void errorStringChanged() const;
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
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@
 #include <KShell>
 #include <kio_version.h>
 
+#include <KCoreDirLister>
+#include <KDirLister>
 #include <KDesktopFile>
 #include <KDirModel>
 #include <KIO/CopyJob>
@@ -115,6 +117,9 @@
     dirLister->setAutoErrorHandlingEnabled(false, 0);
     connect(dirLister, &DirLister::error, this, &FolderModel::dirListFailed);
     connect(dirLister, &KCoreDirLister::itemsDeleted, this, &FolderModel::evictFromIsDirCache);
+    connect(dirLister, &KCoreDirLister::started, this, &FolderModel::listingStarted);
+    void (KCoreDirLister::*myCompletedSignal)() = &KCoreDirLister::completed;
+    QObject::connect(dirLister, myCompletedSignal, this, &FolderModel::listingCompleted);
 
     m_dirModel = new KDirModel(this);
     m_dirModel->setDirLister(dirLister);