diff --git a/containments/desktop/plugins/folder/autotests/foldermodeltest.cpp b/containments/desktop/plugins/folder/autotests/foldermodeltest.cpp
--- a/containments/desktop/plugins/folder/autotests/foldermodeltest.cpp
+++ b/containments/desktop/plugins/folder/autotests/foldermodeltest.cpp
@@ -50,7 +50,9 @@
     m_folderDir = new QTemporaryDir();
     createTestFolder(desktop);
     m_folderModel = new FolderModel(this);
+    m_folderModel->classBegin();
     m_folderModel->setUrl(m_folderDir->path()  + QDir::separator() + desktop );
+    m_folderModel->componentComplete();
     QSignalSpy s(m_folderModel, &FolderModel::listingCompleted);
     s.wait(1000);
 }
@@ -265,10 +267,18 @@
 
 void FolderModelTest::tst_multiScreen()
 {
+    delete m_folderModel;
+    // Custom instance for this test to set screen mapper before marking component
+    // as complete.
+    m_folderModel = new FolderModel(this);
+    m_folderModel->classBegin();
+    m_folderModel->setUrl(m_folderDir->path()  + QDir::separator() + desktop );
     auto *screenMapper = ScreenMapper::instance();
     m_folderModel->setUsedByContainment(true);
     m_folderModel->setScreenMapper(screenMapper);
     m_folderModel->setScreen(0);
+    m_folderModel->componentComplete();
+
     QSignalSpy s(m_folderModel, &FolderModel::listingCompleted);
     s.wait(1000);
     const auto count = m_folderModel->rowCount();
@@ -282,10 +292,12 @@
     // move one file to a new screen
     const auto movedItem = m_folderModel->index(0, 0).data(FolderModel::UrlRole).toString();
     FolderModel secondFolderModel;
+    secondFolderModel.classBegin();
     secondFolderModel.setUrl(m_folderDir->path()  + QDir::separator() + desktop );
     secondFolderModel.setUsedByContainment(true);
     secondFolderModel.setScreenMapper(screenMapper);
     secondFolderModel.setScreen(1);
+    secondFolderModel.componentComplete();
     QSignalSpy s2(&secondFolderModel, &FolderModel::listingCompleted);
     s2.wait(1000);
     const auto count2 = secondFolderModel.rowCount();
diff --git a/containments/desktop/plugins/folder/autotests/positionertest.cpp b/containments/desktop/plugins/folder/autotests/positionertest.cpp
--- a/containments/desktop/plugins/folder/autotests/positionertest.cpp
+++ b/containments/desktop/plugins/folder/autotests/positionertest.cpp
@@ -59,9 +59,11 @@
 void PositionerTest::init()
 {
     m_folderModel = new FolderModel(this);
+    m_folderModel->classBegin();
     m_folderModel->setScreen(0);
     m_folderModel->setScreenMapper(ScreenMapper::instance());
     m_folderModel->setUsedByContainment(true);
+    m_folderModel->componentComplete();
     m_positioner = new Positioner(this);
     m_positioner->setEnabled(true);
     m_positioner->setFolderModel(m_folderModel);
@@ -217,10 +219,12 @@
 {
     auto *screenMapper = ScreenMapper::instance();
     FolderModel secondFolderModel;
+    secondFolderModel.classBegin();
     secondFolderModel.setUrl(m_folderDir->path()  + QDir::separator() + desktop );
     secondFolderModel.setUsedByContainment(true);
     secondFolderModel.setScreenMapper(screenMapper);
     secondFolderModel.setScreen(1);
+    secondFolderModel.componentComplete();
     Positioner secondPositioner;
     secondPositioner.setEnabled(true);
     secondPositioner.setFolderModel(&secondFolderModel);
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
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 
 #include <QImage>
 #include <QItemSelection>
+#include <QQmlParserStatus>
 #include <QPointer>
 #include <QSortFilterProxyModel>
 #include <QStringList>
@@ -73,9 +74,10 @@
         void handleError(KIO::Job *job) override;
 };
 
-class FOLDERPLUGIN_TESTS_EXPORT FolderModel : public QSortFilterProxyModel
+class FOLDERPLUGIN_TESTS_EXPORT FolderModel : public QSortFilterProxyModel, public QQmlParserStatus
 {
     Q_OBJECT
+    Q_INTERFACES(QQmlParserStatus)
 
     Q_PROPERTY(QString url READ url WRITE setUrl NOTIFY urlChanged)
     Q_PROPERTY(QString iconName READ iconName NOTIFY iconNameChanged)
@@ -134,6 +136,9 @@
         QHash<int, QByteArray> roleNames() const override;
         static QHash<int, QByteArray> staticRoleNames();
 
+        void classBegin() override;
+        void componentComplete() override;
+
         QString url() const;
         void setUrl(const QString &url);
 
@@ -289,6 +294,8 @@
         void emptyTrashBin();
         void restoreSelectedFromTrash();
         void undoTextChanged(const QString &text);
+        void invalidateIfComplete();
+        void invalidateFilterIfComplete();
 
     private:
         struct DragImage {
@@ -343,6 +350,7 @@
         int m_screen = -1;
         ScreenMapper *m_screenMapper = nullptr;
         QObject *m_appletInterface = nullptr;
+        bool m_complete;
 };
 
 #endif
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
@@ -119,7 +119,8 @@
     m_parseDesktopFiles(false),
     m_previews(false),
     m_filterMode(NoFilter),
-    m_filterPatternMatchAll(true)
+    m_filterPatternMatchAll(true),
+    m_complete(false)
 {
     //needed to pass the job around with qml
     qmlRegisterType<KIO::DropJob>();
@@ -234,6 +235,34 @@
     return roleNames;
 }
 
+void FolderModel::classBegin()
+{
+}
+
+void FolderModel::componentComplete()
+{
+    m_complete = true;
+    invalidate();
+}
+
+void FolderModel::invalidateIfComplete()
+{
+    if (!m_complete) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    invalidate();
+}
+
+void FolderModel::invalidateFilterIfComplete()
+{
+    if (!m_complete) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    invalidateFilter();
+}
+
 QString FolderModel::url() const
 {
     return m_url;
@@ -394,7 +423,7 @@
         if (mode == -1 /* Unsorted */) {
             setDynamicSortFilter(false);
         } else {
-            invalidate();
+            invalidateIfComplete();
             sort(m_sortMode, m_sortDesc ? Qt::DescendingOrder : Qt::AscendingOrder);
             setDynamicSortFilter(true);
         }
@@ -414,7 +443,7 @@
         m_sortDesc = desc;
 
         if (m_sortMode != -1 /* Unsorted */) {
-            invalidate();
+            invalidateIfComplete();
             sort(m_sortMode, m_sortDesc ? Qt::DescendingOrder : Qt::AscendingOrder);
         }
 
@@ -433,7 +462,7 @@
         m_sortDirsFirst = enable;
 
         if (m_sortMode != -1 /* Unsorted */) {
-            invalidate();
+            invalidateIfComplete();
             sort(m_sortMode, m_sortDesc ? Qt::DescendingOrder : Qt::AscendingOrder);
         }
 
@@ -524,7 +553,7 @@
     if (m_filterMode != (FilterMode)filterMode) {
         m_filterMode = (FilterMode)filterMode;
 
-        invalidateFilter();
+        invalidateFilterIfComplete();
 
         emit filterModeChanged();
     }
@@ -555,7 +584,7 @@
         m_regExps.append(rx);
     }
 
-    invalidateFilter();
+    invalidateFilterIfComplete();
 
     emit filterPatternChanged();
 }
@@ -573,7 +602,7 @@
 
         m_mimeSet = set;
 
-        invalidateFilter();
+        invalidateFilterIfComplete();
 
         emit filterMimeTypesChanged();
     }
@@ -1820,11 +1849,11 @@
 
     m_screenMapper = screenMapper;
     if (m_screenMapper) {
-        connect(m_screenMapper, &ScreenMapper::screensChanged, this, &FolderModel::invalidateFilter);
-        connect(m_screenMapper, &ScreenMapper::screenMappingChanged, this, &FolderModel::invalidateFilter);
+        connect(m_screenMapper, &ScreenMapper::screensChanged, this, &FolderModel::invalidateFilterIfComplete);
+        connect(m_screenMapper, &ScreenMapper::screenMappingChanged, this, &FolderModel::invalidateFilterIfComplete);
     }
 
-    invalidateFilter();
+    invalidateFilterIfComplete();
     emit screenMapperChanged();
 }