diff --git a/virtManager/connection.py b/virtManager/connection.py
index 21ebfb119..64e8faacb 100644
--- a/virtManager/connection.py
+++ b/virtManager/connection.py
@@ -171,6 +171,9 @@ class vmmConnection(vmmGObject):
         self._backend = virtinst.VirtualConnection(self._uri)
         self._closing = False
 
+        self._init_object_count = None
+        self._init_object_event = None
+
         self._network_capable = None
         self._storage_capable = None
         self._interface_capable = None
@@ -877,6 +880,9 @@ class vmmConnection(vmmGObject):
         self._backend.close()
         self.record = []
 
+        if self._init_object_event:
+            self._init_object_event.clear()
+
         self._objects.cleanup()
         self._objects = _ObjectList()
 
@@ -962,20 +968,31 @@ class vmmConnection(vmmGObject):
             logging.debug("Connection doesn't support KeepAlive, "
                 "skipping")
 
+        # The initial tick will set up a threading event that will only
+        # trigger after all the polled libvirt objects are fully initialized.
+        # That way we only report the connection is open when everything is
+        # nicely setup for the rest of the app.
+
+        self._init_object_event = threading.Event()
+        self._init_object_count = 0
+
+        self.schedule_priority_tick(stats_update=True,
+            pollvm=True, pollnet=True,
+            pollpool=True, polliface=True,
+            pollnodedev=True, force=True, initial_poll=True)
+
+        self._init_object_event.wait()
+        self._init_object_event = None
+        self._init_object_count = None
+
     def _open_thread(self):
         try:
             is_active, connectError = self._do_open()
             if is_active:
                 self._populate_initial_state()
-            else:
-                self.idle_add(self._change_state, self._STATE_DISCONNECTED)
 
-            if is_active:
-                self.schedule_priority_tick(stats_update=True,
-                                            pollvm=True, pollnet=True,
-                                            pollpool=True, polliface=True,
-                                            pollnodedev=True,
-                                            force=True)
+            self.idle_add(self._change_state, is_active and
+                self._STATE_ACTIVE or self._STATE_DISCONNECTED)
         except Exception, e:
             is_active = False
             self._schedule_close()
@@ -990,22 +1007,23 @@ class vmmConnection(vmmGObject):
     # Tick/Update methods #
     #######################
 
-    def _send_object_signals(self, new_objects, gone_objects,
-            finish_connecting):
+    def _gone_object_signals(self, gone_objects):
         """
         Responsible for signaling the UI for any updates. All possible UI
         updates need to go here to enable threading that doesn't block the
         app with long tick operations.
         """
-        # Connection closed out from under us
         if not self._backend.is_open():
             return
 
         for obj in gone_objects:
+            class_name = obj.class_name()
+
             if not self._objects.remove(obj):
+                logging.debug("Requested removal of %s=%s, but it's "
+                    "not in our object list.", class_name, obj.get_name())
                 continue
 
-            class_name = obj.class_name()
             logging.debug("%s=%s removed", class_name, obj.get_name())
             if class_name == "domain":
                 self.emit("vm-removed", obj.get_connkey())
@@ -1019,11 +1037,18 @@ class vmmConnection(vmmGObject):
                 self.emit("nodedev-removed", obj.get_connkey())
             obj.cleanup()
 
-        for obj in new_objects:
-            if not self._objects.add(obj):
-                continue
+    def _new_object_cb(self, obj):
+        if not self._backend.is_open():
+            return
 
+        try:
             class_name = obj.class_name()
+
+            if not self._objects.add(obj):
+                logging.debug("New %s=%s requested, but it's already tracked.",
+                    class_name, obj.get_name())
+                return
+
             if class_name != "nodedev":
                 # Skip nodedev logging since it's noisy and not interesting
                 logging.debug("%s=%s status=%s added", class_name,
@@ -1038,34 +1063,11 @@ class vmmConnection(vmmGObject):
                 self.emit("interface-added", obj.get_connkey())
             elif class_name == "nodedev":
                 self.emit("nodedev-added", obj.get_connkey())
-
-        if finish_connecting:
-            self._change_state(self._STATE_ACTIVE)
-
-    def _refresh_new_objects(self, newlist):
-        if not newlist:
-            return
-
-        def _refresh_generic():
-            for obj in newlist:
-                obj.refresh_xml()
-
-        def _refresh_pool():
-            for pool in newlist:
-                pool.refresh()
-
-                def _refresh_volumes(p):
-                    for vol in p.get_volumes():
-                        vol.refresh_xml()
-                self._start_thread(_refresh_volumes,
-                    "pool=%s refreshing xml for volumes" % pool.get_name(),
-                    (pool,))
-
-        cb = _refresh_generic
-        if hasattr(newlist[0], "get_volumes"):
-            cb = _refresh_pool
-        self._start_thread(cb,
-            "refreshing xml for new %s" % newlist[0].__class__)
+        finally:
+            if self._init_object_event:
+                self._init_object_count -= 1
+                if self._init_object_count <= 0:
+                    self._init_object_event.set()
 
     def _update_nets(self, dopoll):
         keymap = dict((o.get_connkey(), o) for o in self.list_nets())
@@ -1102,60 +1104,71 @@ class vmmConnection(vmmGObject):
         return pollhelpers.fetch_vms(self._backend, keymap,
                     (lambda obj, key: vmmDomain(self, obj, key)))
 
-    def _poll(self, pollvm, pollnet, pollpool, polliface, pollnodedev):
+    def _poll(self, initial_poll,
+            pollvm, pollnet, pollpool, polliface, pollnodedev):
         """
         Helper called from tick() to do necessary polling and return
         the relevant object lists
         """
         gone_objects = []
-        new_objects = []
         preexisting_objects = []
 
         def _process_objects(polloutput):
             gone, new, master = polloutput
+
+            if initial_poll:
+                self._init_object_count += len(new)
+
             gone_objects.extend(gone)
-            new_objects.extend(new)
             preexisting_objects.extend([o for o in master if o not in new])
             return new
 
-        self._refresh_new_objects(_process_objects(
-            self._update_nets(pollnet)))
-        self._refresh_new_objects(_process_objects(
-            self._update_pools(pollpool)))
-        self._refresh_new_objects(_process_objects(
-            self._update_interfaces(polliface)))
-        self._refresh_new_objects(_process_objects(
-            self._update_nodedevs(pollnodedev)))
+        new_vms = _process_objects(self._update_vms(pollvm))
+        new_nets = _process_objects(self._update_nets(pollnet))
+        new_pools = _process_objects(self._update_pools(pollpool))
+        new_ifaces = _process_objects(self._update_interfaces(polliface))
+        new_nodedevs = _process_objects(self._update_nodedevs(pollnodedev))
 
-        # These are refreshing in their __init__ method, because the
-        # data is wanted immediately
-        _process_objects(self._update_vms(pollvm))
+        # Kick off one thread per object type to handle the initial
+        # XML fetching. Going any more fine grained then this probably
+        # won't be that useful due to libvirt's locking structure.
+        #
+        # Would prefer to start refreshing some objects before all polling
+        # is complete, but we need init_object_count to be fully accurate
+        # before we start initializing objects
+        for newlist in [new_vms, new_nets, new_pools,
+                new_ifaces, new_nodedevs]:
+            if not newlist:
+                continue
 
-        return gone_objects, new_objects, preexisting_objects
+            def cb(lst):
+                for obj in lst:
+                    obj.connect_once("initialized", self._new_object_cb)
+                    obj.init_libvirt_state()
+
+            self._start_thread(cb,
+                "refreshing xml for new %s" % newlist[0].class_name(),
+                args=(newlist,))
+
+        return gone_objects, preexisting_objects
 
     def _tick(self, stats_update,
              pollvm=False, pollnet=False,
              pollpool=False, polliface=False,
              pollnodedev=False,
-             force=False):
+             force=False, initial_poll=False):
         """
         main update function: polls for new objects, updates stats, ...
 
         :param force: Perform the requested polling even if async events
-            are in use
+            are in use.
         """
-        finish_connecting = False
-
         if self._closing:
             return
         if self.is_disconnected():
             return
-        if self.is_connecting():
-            # If in 'connecting' state, and force requested, this means
-            # we are performing the initial poll.
-            if not force:
-                return
-            finish_connecting = True
+        if self.is_connecting() and not force:
+            return
 
         # We need to set this before the event check, since stats polling
         # is independent of events
@@ -1169,10 +1182,9 @@ class vmmConnection(vmmGObject):
 
         self.hostinfo = self._backend.getInfo()
 
-        gone_objects, new_objects, preexisting_objects = self._poll(
-            pollvm, pollnet, pollpool, polliface, pollnodedev)
-        self.idle_add(self._send_object_signals,
-            new_objects, gone_objects, finish_connecting)
+        gone_objects, preexisting_objects = self._poll(
+            initial_poll, pollvm, pollnet, pollpool, polliface, pollnodedev)
+        self.idle_add(self._gone_object_signals, gone_objects)
 
         # Only tick() pre-existing objects, since new objects will be
         # initialized asynchronously and tick() would be redundant
diff --git a/virtManager/domain.py b/virtManager/domain.py
index c1b4ba68b..0a8637190 100644
--- a/virtManager/domain.py
+++ b/virtManager/domain.py
@@ -170,8 +170,6 @@ class vmmDomainSnapshot(vmmLibvirtObject):
         vmmLibvirtObject.__init__(self, conn, backend, backend.getName(),
                                   DomainSnapshot)
 
-        self.refresh_xml()
-
 
     ##########################
     # Required class methods #
@@ -192,6 +190,8 @@ class vmmDomainSnapshot(vmmLibvirtObject):
 
     def tick(self, stats_update=True):
         ignore = stats_update
+    def _init_libvirt_state(self):
+        self.refresh_xml()
 
 
     ###########
@@ -344,20 +344,12 @@ class vmmDomain(vmmLibvirtObject):
 
         self.inspection = vmmInspectionData()
 
-        if isinstance(self._backend, Guest):
-            return
-
-        self._libvirt_init()
-
     def _cleanup(self):
         for snap in self._snapshot_list or []:
             snap.cleanup()
         self._snapshot_list = None
 
-    def _libvirt_init(self):
-        """
-        Initialization to do if backed by a libvirt virDomain
-        """
+    def _init_libvirt_state(self):
         self.managedsave_supported = self.conn.check_support(
             self.conn.SUPPORT_DOMAIN_MANAGED_SAVE, self._backend)
         self.remote_console_supported = self.conn.check_support(
@@ -374,16 +366,16 @@ class vmmDomain(vmmLibvirtObject):
         (self._inactive_xml_flags,
          self._active_xml_flags) = self.conn.get_dom_flags(self._backend)
 
+        # Prime caches
+        self.tick()
+        self.has_managed_save()
+        self.snapshots_supported()
+
         self.toggle_sample_network_traffic()
         self.toggle_sample_disk_io()
         self.toggle_sample_mem_stats()
         self.toggle_sample_cpu_stats()
 
-        # Prime caches
-        self.refresh_xml()
-        self.has_managed_save()
-        self.snapshots_supported()
-
         # Hook up listeners that need to be cleaned up
         self.add_gsettings_handle(
             self.config.on_stats_enable_cpu_poll_changed(
@@ -541,7 +533,6 @@ class vmmDomain(vmmLibvirtObject):
     def _invalidate_xml(self):
         vmmLibvirtObject._invalidate_xml(self)
         self._id = None
-        self._has_managed_save = None
         self._status_reason = None
         self._has_managed_save = None
 
@@ -1092,7 +1083,9 @@ class vmmDomain(vmmLibvirtObject):
         if self._snapshot_list is None:
             newlist = []
             for rawsnap in self._backend.listAllSnapshots():
-                newlist.append(vmmDomainSnapshot(self.conn, rawsnap))
+                obj = vmmDomainSnapshot(self.conn, rawsnap)
+                obj.init_libvirt_state()
+                newlist.append(obj)
             self._snapshot_list = newlist
         return self._snapshot_list[:]
 
diff --git a/virtManager/interface.py b/virtManager/interface.py
index 0a884e11f..5698d0c0e 100644
--- a/virtManager/interface.py
+++ b/virtManager/interface.py
@@ -27,9 +27,6 @@ class vmmInterface(vmmLibvirtObject):
     def __init__(self, conn, backend, key):
         vmmLibvirtObject.__init__(self, conn, backend, key, Interface)
 
-        (self._inactive_xml_flags,
-         self._active_xml_flags) = self.conn.get_interface_flags(self._backend)
-
 
     ##########################
     # Required class methods #
@@ -55,6 +52,12 @@ class vmmInterface(vmmLibvirtObject):
         ignore = stats_update
         self._refresh_status()
 
+    def _init_libvirt_state(self):
+        (self._inactive_xml_flags,
+         self._active_xml_flags) = self.conn.get_interface_flags(self._backend)
+
+        self.tick()
+
 
     #####################
     # Object operations #
diff --git a/virtManager/libvirtobject.py b/virtManager/libvirtobject.py
index 44220711c..7e33c9d84 100644
--- a/virtManager/libvirtobject.py
+++ b/virtManager/libvirtobject.py
@@ -28,8 +28,7 @@ from .baseclass import vmmGObject
 class vmmLibvirtObject(vmmGObject):
     __gsignals__ = {
         "state-changed": (GObject.SignalFlags.RUN_FIRST, None, []),
-        "started": (GObject.SignalFlags.RUN_FIRST, None, []),
-        "stopped": (GObject.SignalFlags.RUN_FIRST, None, []),
+        "initialized": (GObject.SignalFlags.RUN_FIRST, None, []),
     }
 
     _STATUS_ACTIVE = 1
@@ -42,7 +41,7 @@ class vmmLibvirtObject(vmmGObject):
         self._key = key
         self._parseclass = parseclass
 
-        self._initial_status_update = False
+        self._initialized = False
         self.__status = self._STATUS_ACTIVE
         self._support_isactive = None
 
@@ -54,12 +53,11 @@ class vmmLibvirtObject(vmmGObject):
         self._inactive_xml_flags = 0
         self._active_xml_flags = 0
 
-        # Cache object name
+        # Cache object name. We may need to do this even
+        # before init_libvirt_state since it might be needed ahead of time.
         self._name = None
         self.get_name()
 
-        self._refresh_status()
-
     @staticmethod
     def log_redefine_xml_diff(obj, origxml, newxml):
         objname = "<%s name=%s>" % (obj.__class__.__name__, obj.get_name())
@@ -177,6 +175,23 @@ class vmmLibvirtObject(vmmGObject):
     def tick(self, stats_update=True):
         raise NotImplementedError()
 
+    def _init_libvirt_state(self):
+        raise NotImplementedError()
+
+    def init_libvirt_state(self):
+        """
+        Function called by vmmConnection to populate initial state when
+        a new object appears.
+        """
+        if self._initialized:
+            return
+
+        try:
+            self._init_libvirt_state()
+        finally:
+            self._initialized = True
+            self.idle_emit("initialized")
+
 
     ###################
     # Status handling #
@@ -215,7 +230,7 @@ class vmmLibvirtObject(vmmGObject):
         """
         if (self._using_events() and
             skip_if_have_events and
-            self._initial_status_update):
+            self._initialized):
             return
 
         try:
@@ -237,8 +252,6 @@ class vmmLibvirtObject(vmmGObject):
                 kwargs = {"force": True, poll_param: True}
                 logging.debug("Scheduling priority tick with: %s", kwargs)
                 self.conn.schedule_priority_tick(**kwargs)
-        finally:
-            self._initial_status_update = True
 
     def _backend_get_active(self):
         if self._support_isactive is None:
diff --git a/virtManager/network.py b/virtManager/network.py
index 7d43fbdcb..e4c87649b 100644
--- a/virtManager/network.py
+++ b/virtManager/network.py
@@ -68,6 +68,9 @@ class vmmNetwork(vmmLibvirtObject):
         ignore = stats_update
         self._refresh_status()
 
+    def _init_libvirt_state(self):
+        self.tick()
+
 
     ###########
     # Actions #
diff --git a/virtManager/nodedev.py b/virtManager/nodedev.py
index 0ab400f74..7d4741c2e 100644
--- a/virtManager/nodedev.py
+++ b/virtManager/nodedev.py
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ def _parse_convert(conn, parsexml=None):
 class vmmNodeDevice(vmmLibvirtObject):
     def __init__(self, conn, backend, key):
         vmmLibvirtObject.__init__(self, conn, backend, key, _parse_convert)
-        self._name = key
 
     def _conn_tick_poll_param(self):
         return "pollnodedev"
@@ -41,8 +40,13 @@ class vmmNodeDevice(vmmLibvirtObject):
         return self._backend.XMLDesc(flags)
     def _get_backend_status(self):
         return self._STATUS_ACTIVE
+    def _backend_get_name(self):
+        return self.get_connkey()
     def is_active(self):
         return True
 
     def tick(self, stats_update=True):
+        # Deliberately empty
         ignore = stats_update
+    def _init_libvirt_state(self):
+        self.tick()
diff --git a/virtManager/storagepool.py b/virtManager/storagepool.py
index 92a4e2f70..cd24f5831 100644
--- a/virtManager/storagepool.py
+++ b/virtManager/storagepool.py
@@ -56,7 +56,10 @@ class vmmStorageVolume(vmmLibvirtObject):
         return self._STATUS_ACTIVE
 
     def tick(self, stats_update=True):
+        # Deliberately empty
         ignore = stats_update
+    def _init_libvirt_state(self):
+        self.refresh_xml()
 
 
     ###########
@@ -141,6 +144,12 @@ class vmmStoragePool(vmmLibvirtObject):
         ignore = stats_update
         self._refresh_status()
 
+    def _init_libvirt_state(self):
+        self.tick()
+        self.refresh(skip_xml_refresh=True)
+        for vol in self.get_volumes():
+            vol.init_libvirt_state()
+
 
     ###########
     # Actions #
@@ -160,12 +169,17 @@ class vmmStoragePool(vmmLibvirtObject):
         self._backend.undefine()
         self._backend = None
 
-    def refresh(self):
+    def refresh(self, skip_xml_refresh=False):
+        """
+        :param skip_xml_refresh: Only used by init_libvirt_state to avoid
+            double XML updating
+        """
         if not self.is_active():
             return
 
         self._backend.refresh(0)
-        self.refresh_xml()
+        if skip_xml_refresh:
+            self.refresh_xml()
         self._update_volumes()
         self.idle_emit("refreshed")
         self._last_refresh_time = time.time()