diff --git a/src/JPEGView/FileList.cpp b/src/JPEGView/FileList.cpp
index 79787a0f..46f9bda2 100644
--- a/src/JPEGView/FileList.cpp
+++ b/src/JPEGView/FileList.cpp
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ static LPCTSTR* GetSupportedFileEndingList() {
 CFileList::CFileList(const CString & sInitialFile, CDirectoryWatcher & directoryWatcher, 
 	Helpers::ESorting eInitialSorting, bool isSortedAscending, bool bWrapAroundFolder, int nLevel, bool forceSorting)
 	: m_directoryWatcher(directoryWatcher) {
-
+	m_isProcessing = false;
 	CFileDesc::SetSorting(eInitialSorting, isSortedAscending);
 	m_bDeleteHistory = true;
 	m_bWrapAroundFolder = bWrapAroundFolder;
@@ -217,9 +217,14 @@ CFileList::CFileList(const CString & sInitialFile, CDirectoryWatcher & directory
 
 	if (!m_bIsSlideShowList) {
 		if (bImageFile || bIsDirectory) {
-			FindFiles();
-			m_iter = FindFile(sInitialFile);
-			m_iterStart = bWrapAroundFolder ? m_iter : m_fileList.begin();
+			// Expensive operation, it will be run asynchronously to avoid blocking the main thread.
+			m_isProcessing = true;
+			m_future_fileList = std::async(std::launch::async, [this, &sInitialFile, &bWrapAroundFolder]() {
+				FindFiles();
+				m_iter = FindFile(sInitialFile);
+				m_iterStart = bWrapAroundFolder ? m_iter : m_fileList.begin();
+				m_isProcessing = false;
+				});
 		} else {
 			// neither image file nor directory nor list of file names - try to read anyway but normally will fail
 			CFindFile fileFind;
@@ -256,6 +261,7 @@ CString CFileList::GetSupportedFileEndings() {
 void CFileList::Reload(LPCTSTR sFileName, bool clearForwardHistory) {
 	LPCTSTR sCurrent = sFileName;
 	if (sCurrent == NULL) {
+		WaitIfNotReady(); // If async is still processing, then wait.
 		sCurrent = Current();
 		if (sCurrent == NULL) {
 			m_fileList.clear();
@@ -339,6 +345,9 @@ void CFileList::FileHasRenamed(LPCTSTR sOldFileName, LPCTSTR sNewFileName) {
 		m_sInitialFile = sNewFileName;
 	}
 	std::list<CFileDesc>::iterator iter;
+
+	WaitIfNotReady(); // If async is still processing, then wait.
+
 	for (iter = m_fileList.begin( ); iter != m_fileList.end( ); iter++ ) {
 		if (_tcsicmp(sOldFileName, iter->GetName()) == 0) {
 			iter->SetName(sNewFileName);
@@ -347,6 +356,8 @@ void CFileList::FileHasRenamed(LPCTSTR sOldFileName, LPCTSTR sNewFileName) {
 }
 
 void CFileList::ModificationTimeChanged() {
+	WaitIfNotReady(); // If async is still processing, then wait.
+
 	if (m_iter != m_fileList.end()) {
 		LPCTSTR sName = m_iter->GetName();
 		HANDLE hFile = ::CreateFile(sName, GENERIC_READ, FILE_SHARE_READ, NULL, OPEN_EXISTING, 0, NULL);
@@ -440,6 +451,8 @@ void CFileList::Last() {
 }
 
 CFileList* CFileList::AwayFromCurrent() {
+	WaitIfNotReady(); // If async is still processing, then wait.
+
 	LPCTSTR sCurrentFile = Current();
 	LPCTSTR sNextFile = PeekNextPrev(1, true, false);
 	if (sCurrentFile == NULL || sNextFile == NULL || _tcscmp(sCurrentFile, sNextFile) == 0) {
@@ -455,7 +468,10 @@ CFileList* CFileList::AwayFromCurrent() {
 }
 
 LPCTSTR CFileList::Current() const {
-	if (m_iter != m_fileList.end()) {
+	if (m_isProcessing) { // Most likely CFileList is being inialized, thus it's probably the initial file being requested.
+		return m_sInitialFile;
+	}
+	else if (m_iter != m_fileList.end()) {
 		return m_iter->GetName();
 	} else {
 		return NULL;
@@ -505,6 +521,7 @@ LPCTSTR CFileList::PeekNextPrev(int nIndex, bool bForward, bool bToggle) {
 	if (bToggle) {
 		return (m_nMarkedIndexShow == 0) ? m_sMarkedFile : m_sMarkedFileCurrent;
 	} else {
+
 		std::list<CFileDesc>::iterator thisIter = m_iter;
 		LPCTSTR sFileName;
 		if (nIndex != 0) {
@@ -997,4 +1014,4 @@ bool CFileList::TryReadingSlideShowList(const CString & sSlideShowFile) {
 	fclose(fptr);
 	delete[] fileBuffOrig;
 	return true;
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/JPEGView/FileList.h b/src/JPEGView/FileList.h
index 50f8e6cf..7b9c3aa2 100644
--- a/src/JPEGView/FileList.h
+++ b/src/JPEGView/FileList.h
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include "Helpers.h"
+#include <future>
 
 class CDirectoryWatcher;
 
@@ -120,7 +121,10 @@ class CFileList
 	void ToggleBetweenMarkedAndCurrentFile();
 
 	// Sets a checkpoint on the current image
-	void SetCheckpoint() { m_iterCheckPoint = m_iter; }
+	void SetCheckpoint() {
+		WaitIfNotReady();
+		m_iterCheckPoint = m_iter;
+	}
 	// Check if we are now on another image since the last checkpoint was set
 	bool ChangedSinceCheckpoint() { return m_iterCheckPoint != m_iter; }
 
@@ -145,6 +149,11 @@ class CFileList
 	// delete the chain of CFileLists forward and backward and only leave the current node alive
 	void DeleteHistory(bool onlyForward = false);
 
+	inline void CFileList::WaitIfNotReady() {
+		if (m_isProcessing)
+			m_future_fileList.wait();
+	}
+
 private:
 	static Helpers::ENavigationMode sm_eMode;
 
@@ -162,6 +171,10 @@ class CFileList
 	std::list<CFileDesc>::iterator m_iterStart; // start of iteration in m_fileList
 	std::list<CFileDesc>::iterator m_iterCheckPoint;
 
+	// Async
+	std::future<void> m_future_fileList;
+	bool m_isProcessing;
+
 	CString m_sMarkedFile;
 	CString m_sMarkedFileCurrent;
 	int m_nMarkedIndexShow;
diff --git a/src/JPEGView/JPEGProvider.cpp b/src/JPEGView/JPEGProvider.cpp
index 7ea45801..6b9fecda 100644
--- a/src/JPEGView/JPEGProvider.cpp
+++ b/src/JPEGView/JPEGProvider.cpp
@@ -123,6 +123,81 @@ void CJPEGProvider::NotifyNotUsed(CJPEGImage* pImage) {
 	if (pImage != NULL) delete pImage;
 }
 
+// Only used for startup, to avoid accessing m_fileList.
+CJPEGImage* CJPEGProvider::RequestImage(EReadAheadDirection eDirection,
+	LPCTSTR strFileName, int nFrameIndex, const CProcessParams& processParams,
+	bool& bOutOfMemory, bool& bExceptionError) {
+	if (strFileName == NULL) {
+		bOutOfMemory = false;
+		bExceptionError = false;
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	// Search if we have the requested image already present or in progress
+	CImageRequest* pRequest = FindRequest(strFileName, nFrameIndex);
+	bool bDirectionChanged = eDirection != m_eOldDirection || eDirection == TOGGLE;
+	bool bRemoveAlsoActiveRequests = bDirectionChanged; // if direction changed, all read-ahead requests are wrongly guessed
+	bool bWasOutOfMemory = false;
+	m_eOldDirection = eDirection;
+
+	if (pRequest == NULL) {
+		// no request pending for this file, add to request queue and start async
+		pRequest = StartNewRequest(strFileName, nFrameIndex, processParams);
+	}
+
+	// wait for request if not yet ready
+	if (!pRequest->Ready) {
+#ifdef DEBUG
+		::OutputDebugString(_T("Waiting for request: ")); ::OutputDebugString(pRequest->FileName); ::OutputDebugString(_T("\n"));
+#endif
+		::WaitForSingleObject(pRequest->EventFinished, INFINITE);
+		GetLoadedImageFromWorkThread(pRequest);
+	}
+	else {
+		CJPEGImage* pImage = pRequest->Image;
+		if (pImage != NULL) {
+			// make sure the initial parameters are reset as when keep params was on before they are wrong
+			EProcessingFlags procFlags = processParams.ProcFlags;
+			pImage->RestoreInitialParameters(strFileName, processParams.ImageProcParams, procFlags,
+				processParams.RotationParams.Rotation, processParams.Zoom, processParams.Offsets,
+				CSize(processParams.TargetWidth, processParams.TargetHeight), processParams.MonitorSize);
+		}
+#ifdef DEBUG
+		::OutputDebugString(_T("Found in cache: ")); ::OutputDebugString(pRequest->FileName); ::OutputDebugString(_T("\n"));
+#endif
+	}
+
+	// set before removing unused images!
+	pRequest->InUse = true;
+	pRequest->AccessTimeStamp = m_nCurrentTimeStamp++;
+
+	if (pRequest->OutOfMemory) {
+		// The request could not be satisfied because the system is out of memory.
+		// Clear all memory and try again - maybe some readahead requests can be deleted
+#ifdef DEBUG
+		::OutputDebugString(_T("Retrying request because out of memory: ")); ::OutputDebugString(pRequest->FileName); ::OutputDebugString(_T("\n"));
+#endif
+		bWasOutOfMemory = true;
+		if (FreeAllPossibleMemory()) {
+			DeleteElement(pRequest);
+			pRequest = StartRequestAndWaitUntilReady(strFileName, nFrameIndex, processParams);
+		}
+	}
+
+	// cleanup stuff no longer used
+	RemoveUnusedImages(bRemoveAlsoActiveRequests);
+	ClearOldestInactiveRequest();
+
+	// check if we shall start new requests (don't start another request if we are short of memory!)
+	//if (m_requestList.size() < (unsigned int)m_nNumBuffers && !bDirectionChanged && !bWasOutOfMemory && eDirection != NONE) {
+	//	StartNewRequestBundle(pFileList, eDirection, processParams, m_nNumThread, pRequest);
+	//}
+
+	bOutOfMemory = pRequest->OutOfMemory;
+	bExceptionError = pRequest->ExceptionError;
+	return pRequest->Image;
+}
+
 void CJPEGProvider::ClearAllRequests() {
 	std::list<CImageRequest*>::iterator iter;
 	for (iter = m_requestList.begin( ); iter != m_requestList.end( ); iter++ ) {
diff --git a/src/JPEGView/JPEGProvider.h b/src/JPEGView/JPEGProvider.h
index 23f4d1cd..e8436476 100644
--- a/src/JPEGView/JPEGProvider.h
+++ b/src/JPEGView/JPEGProvider.h
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ class CJPEGProvider
 	// created automatically so that the next image will be ready immediately when requested in the future.
 	CJPEGImage* RequestImage(CFileList* pFileList, EReadAheadDirection eDirection, LPCTSTR strFileName, int nFrameIndex,
 		const CProcessParams & processParams, bool& bOutOfMemory, bool& bExceptionError);
+	CJPEGImage* CJPEGProvider::RequestImage(EReadAheadDirection eDirection,
+		LPCTSTR strFileName, int nFrameIndex, const CProcessParams& processParams,
+		bool& bOutOfMemory, bool& bExceptionError);
 
 	// Notifies that the specified image is no longer used and its memory can be freed.
 	// The CJPEGProvider class may decide to keep the image cached.
diff --git a/src/JPEGView/MainDlg.cpp b/src/JPEGView/MainDlg.cpp
index c16bc951..75bb0bac 100644
--- a/src/JPEGView/MainDlg.cpp
+++ b/src/JPEGView/MainDlg.cpp
@@ -380,8 +380,8 @@ LRESULT CMainDlg::OnInitDialog(UINT /*uMsg*/, WPARAM /*wParam*/, LPARAM /*lParam
 	CProcessingThreadPool::This().CreateThreadPoolThreads();
 
 	// create JPEG provider and request first image - do no processing yet if not in fullscreen mode (as we do not know the size yet)
-	m_pJPEGProvider = new CJPEGProvider(m_hWnd, NUM_THREADS, READ_AHEAD_BUFFERS);	
-	m_pCurrentImage = m_pJPEGProvider->RequestImage(m_pFileList, CJPEGProvider::FORWARD,
+	m_pJPEGProvider = new CJPEGProvider(m_hWnd, NUM_THREADS, READ_AHEAD_BUFFERS);
+	m_pCurrentImage = m_pJPEGProvider->RequestImage(CJPEGProvider::FORWARD,
 		m_pFileList->Current(), 0, CreateProcessParams(!m_bFullScreenMode), m_bOutOfMemoryLastImage, m_bExceptionErrorLastImage);
 	if (m_pCurrentImage != NULL && m_pCurrentImage->IsAnimation()) {
 		StartAnimation();
@@ -2144,11 +2144,12 @@ void CMainDlg::OpenFile(LPCTSTR sFileName, bool bAfterStartup) {
 	delete m_pFileList;
 	m_sStartupFile = sFileName;
 	m_pFileList = new CFileList(m_sStartupFile, *m_pDirectoryWatcher, eOldSorting, oOldAscending, CSettingsProvider::This().WrapAroundFolder());
+	
 	// free current image and all read ahead images
 	InitParametersForNewImage();
 	m_pJPEGProvider->NotifyNotUsed(m_pCurrentImage);
 	m_pJPEGProvider->ClearAllRequests();
-	m_pCurrentImage = m_pJPEGProvider->RequestImage(m_pFileList, CJPEGProvider::FORWARD,
+	m_pCurrentImage = m_pJPEGProvider->RequestImage(CJPEGProvider::FORWARD,
 		m_pFileList->Current(), 0, CreateProcessParams(!m_bFullScreenMode && (bAfterStartup || IsAdjustWindowToImage())),
 		m_bOutOfMemoryLastImage, m_bExceptionErrorLastImage);
 	m_nLastLoadError = GetLoadErrorAfterOpenFile();