diff --git a/src/mirall/application.cpp b/src/mirall/application.cpp
index ea7c5ed976..48b5559f94 100644
--- a/src/mirall/application.cpp
+++ b/src/mirall/application.cpp
@@ -936,6 +936,10 @@ void Application::computeOverallSyncStatus()
                 folderMessage = tr( "Waits to start syncing." );
                 overallResult.setStatus( SyncResult::NotYetStarted );
                 break;
+            case SyncResult::SyncPrepare:
+                folderMessage = tr( "Preparing for sync." );
+                overallResult.setStatus( SyncResult::SyncPrepare );
+                break;
             case SyncResult::SyncRunning:
                 folderMessage = tr( "Sync is running." );
                 overallResult.setStatus( SyncResult::SyncRunning );
diff --git a/src/mirall/csyncfolder.cpp b/src/mirall/csyncfolder.cpp
index 23868a9b07..66c2853f94 100644
--- a/src/mirall/csyncfolder.cpp
+++ b/src/mirall/csyncfolder.cpp
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ void CSyncFolder::startSync(const QStringList &pathList)
     delete _thread;
     _errors.clear();
     _csyncError = false;
+    _syncResult.setStatus( SyncResult::SyncRunning );
+    emit syncStateChange();
 
     _thread = new QThread(this);
     _csync = new CSyncThread( path(), secondPath() );
diff --git a/src/mirall/csyncthread.cpp b/src/mirall/csyncthread.cpp
index 61f0dec8d2..2276b17698 100644
--- a/src/mirall/csyncthread.cpp
+++ b/src/mirall/csyncthread.cpp
@@ -226,6 +226,14 @@ int CSyncThread::treewalkFile( TREE_WALK_FILE *file, bool remote )
 
     int re = 0;
 
+    switch(file->instruction) {
+    case CSYNC_INSTRUCTION_NONE:
+    case CSYNC_INSTRUCTION_IGNORE:
+        break;
+    default:
+        if (!_needsUpdate)
+            _needsUpdate = true;
+    }
     switch(file->instruction) {
     case CSYNC_INSTRUCTION_NONE:
         // No need to do anything.
@@ -289,10 +297,9 @@ void CSyncThread::startSync()
     bool doTreeWalk = true;
     int proxyPort = _proxy.port();
 
-    emit(started());
-
     _mutex.lock();
     _syncedItems.clear();
+    _needsUpdate = false;
 
     if( csync_create(&csync,
                      _source.toUtf8().data(),
@@ -376,6 +383,9 @@ void CSyncThread::startSync()
          doTreeWalk = false;
     }
 
+    if (_needsUpdate)
+        emit(started());
+
     if( csync_propagate(csync) < 0 ) {
         CSYNC_ERROR_CODE err = csync_get_error( csync );
         const char *errMsg = csync_get_error_string( csync );
diff --git a/src/mirall/csyncthread.h b/src/mirall/csyncthread.h
index d227b1b662..2535eb9223 100644
--- a/src/mirall/csyncthread.h
+++ b/src/mirall/csyncthread.h
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ private:
 
     QString _source;
     QString _target;
+    bool _needsUpdate;
 };
 }
 
diff --git a/src/mirall/folder.cpp b/src/mirall/folder.cpp
index 5dcc686e00..9c07b0afa9 100644
--- a/src/mirall/folder.cpp
+++ b/src/mirall/folder.cpp
@@ -247,12 +247,6 @@ void Folder::evaluateSync(const QStringList &pathList)
 
 }
 
-void Folder::startSync( const QStringList &pathList )
-{
-    _syncResult.setStatus( SyncResult::SyncRunning );
-    emit syncStateChange();
-}
-
 void Folder::slotPollTimerTimeout()
 {
     qDebug() << "* Polling" << alias() << "for changes. Ignoring all pending events until now";
diff --git a/src/mirall/miralltheme.cpp b/src/mirall/miralltheme.cpp
index 3a7b209cd7..5c76a9b170 100644
--- a/src/mirall/miralltheme.cpp
+++ b/src/mirall/miralltheme.cpp
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ QIcon mirallTheme::syncStateIcon( SyncResult::Status status, bool sysTray ) cons
         statusIcon = QLatin1String("dialog-close");
         break;
     case SyncResult::NotYetStarted:
+    case SyncResult::SyncPrepare:
         statusIcon = QLatin1String("task-ongoing");
         break;
     case SyncResult::SyncRunning:
diff --git a/src/mirall/owncloudfolder.cpp b/src/mirall/owncloudfolder.cpp
index 449f40ac75..4f29ec8303 100644
--- a/src/mirall/owncloudfolder.cpp
+++ b/src/mirall/owncloudfolder.cpp
@@ -123,7 +123,8 @@ void ownCloudFolder::startSync(const QStringList &pathList)
     _syncResult.clearErrors();
     // we now have watchers for everything, so every sync is remote.
     _syncResult.setLocalRunOnly( false );
-    Folder::startSync( pathList );
+    _syncResult.setStatus( SyncResult::SyncPrepare );
+    emit syncStateChange();
 
     QString url = replaceScheme(_secondPath);
 
@@ -150,13 +151,14 @@ void ownCloudFolder::startSync(const QStringList &pathList)
     connect(_csync, SIGNAL(csyncUnavailable()), SLOT(slotCsyncUnavailable()), Qt::QueuedConnection);
     _thread->start();
     QMetaObject::invokeMethod(_csync, "startSync", Qt::QueuedConnection);
-
+    emit syncStarted();
 }
 
 void ownCloudFolder::slotCSyncStarted()
 {
     qDebug() << "    * csync thread started";
-    emit syncStarted();
+    _syncResult.setStatus(SyncResult::SyncRunning);
+    emit syncStateChange();
 }
 
 void ownCloudFolder::slotCSyncError(const QString& err)
diff --git a/src/mirall/owncloudtheme.cpp b/src/mirall/owncloudtheme.cpp
index bbfe664b95..756cbe9600 100644
--- a/src/mirall/owncloudtheme.cpp
+++ b/src/mirall/owncloudtheme.cpp
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ QIcon ownCloudTheme::syncStateIcon( SyncResult::Status status, bool sysTray ) co
     case SyncResult::SyncRunning:
         statusIcon = QLatin1String("state-sync");
         break;
+    case SyncResult::SyncPrepare:
     case SyncResult::Success:
         statusIcon = QLatin1String("state-ok");
         break;
diff --git a/src/mirall/syncfileitem.h b/src/mirall/syncfileitem.h
index 37afcc47b5..d3ef2b1f35 100644
--- a/src/mirall/syncfileitem.h
+++ b/src/mirall/syncfileitem.h
@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ public:
         return item._file == this->_file;
     }
 
+    bool isEmpty() const {
+        return _file.isEmpty();
+    }
+
     // variables
     QString _file;
     QString _renameTarget;
diff --git a/src/mirall/syncresult.h b/src/mirall/syncresult.h
index 9d3e0fc1e0..bb86cb7178 100644
--- a/src/mirall/syncresult.h
+++ b/src/mirall/syncresult.h
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ public:
     {
       Undefined,
       NotYetStarted,
+      SyncPrepare,
       SyncRunning,
       Success,
       Error,
diff --git a/src/mirall/unisonfolder.cpp b/src/mirall/unisonfolder.cpp
index c5b722fde3..1c8e679a56 100644
--- a/src/mirall/unisonfolder.cpp
+++ b/src/mirall/unisonfolder.cpp
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ bool UnisonFolder::isBusy() const
 void UnisonFolder::startSync(const QStringList &pathList)
 {
     QMutexLocker locker(&_syncMutex);
+    _syncResult.setStatus( SyncResult::SyncRunning );
+    emit syncStateChange();
 
     emit syncStarted();