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
@@ -158,6 +158,12 @@
         when: toolBox
     }
 
+    Binding {
+        target: plasmoid
+        property: "busy"
+        value: !gridView.model && dir.status === Folder.FolderModel.Listing
+    }
+
     function makeBackButton() {
         return Qt.createQmlObject("BackButtonItem {}", main);
     }
@@ -1054,21 +1060,12 @@
             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;
                 }
             }
 
-            onListingCanceled: plasmoid.busy = false;
-
             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
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@
     Q_PROPERTY(QString url READ url WRITE setUrl NOTIFY urlChanged)
     Q_PROPERTY(QString iconName READ iconName NOTIFY iconNameChanged)
     Q_PROPERTY(QUrl resolvedUrl READ resolvedUrl NOTIFY resolvedUrlChanged)
+    Q_PROPERTY(Status status READ status NOTIFY statusChanged)
     Q_PROPERTY(QString errorString READ errorString NOTIFY errorStringChanged)
     Q_PROPERTY(bool dragging READ dragging NOTIFY draggingChanged)
     Q_PROPERTY(bool usedByContainment READ usedByContainment WRITE setUsedByContainment NOTIFY usedByContainmentChanged)
@@ -113,6 +114,14 @@
             FilterHideMatches
         };
 
+        enum Status {
+            None,
+            Ready,
+            Listing,
+            Canceled
+        };
+        Q_ENUM(Status)
+
         FolderModel(QObject *parent = 0);
         ~FolderModel();
 
@@ -127,6 +136,8 @@
         QUrl resolvedUrl() const;
         Q_INVOKABLE QUrl resolve(const QString& url);
 
+        Status status() const;
+
         QString errorString() const;
 
         bool dragging() const;
@@ -221,11 +232,11 @@
 
     Q_SIGNALS:
         void urlChanged() const;
-        void listingStarted() const;
         void listingCompleted() const;
         void listingCanceled() const;
         void iconNameChanged() const;
         void resolvedUrlChanged() const;
+        void statusChanged() const;
         void errorStringChanged() const;
         void draggingChanged() const;
         void usedByContainmentChanged() const;
@@ -273,6 +284,7 @@
         void createActions();
         void updatePasteAction();
         void addDragImage(QDrag *drag, int x, int y);
+        void setStatus(Status status);
         QList<QUrl> selectedUrls(bool forTrash) const;
         KDirModel *m_dirModel;
         KDirWatch *m_dirWatch;
@@ -291,6 +303,7 @@
         KNewFileMenu *m_newMenu;
         KFileItemActions *m_fileItemActions;
         KFileCopyToMenu *m_copyToMenu;
+        Status m_status = Status::None;
         QString m_errorString;
         bool m_usedByContainment;
         bool m_locked;
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
@@ -119,11 +119,20 @@
     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);
+
+    connect(dirLister, &KCoreDirLister::started, this, std::bind(&FolderModel::setStatus, this, Status::Listing));
+
     void (KCoreDirLister::*myCompletedSignal)() = &KCoreDirLister::completed;
-    QObject::connect(dirLister, myCompletedSignal, this, &FolderModel::listingCompleted);
+    QObject::connect(dirLister, myCompletedSignal, this, [this] {
+        setStatus(Status::Ready);
+        emit listingCompleted();
+    });
+
     void (KCoreDirLister::*myCanceledSignal)() = &KCoreDirLister::canceled;
-    QObject::connect(dirLister, myCanceledSignal, this, &FolderModel::listingCanceled);
+    QObject::connect(dirLister, myCanceledSignal, this, [this] {
+        setStatus(Status::Canceled);
+        emit listingCanceled();
+    });
 
     m_dirModel = new KDirModel(this);
     m_dirModel->setDirLister(dirLister);
@@ -249,6 +258,19 @@
     return rootItem.iconName();
 }
 
+FolderModel::Status FolderModel::status() const
+{
+    return m_status;
+}
+
+void FolderModel::setStatus(Status status)
+{
+    if (m_status != status) {
+        m_status = status;
+        emit statusChanged();
+    }
+}
+
 QString FolderModel::errorString() const
 {
     return m_errorString;