diff --git a/chatlistmodel.cpp b/chatlistmodel.cpp
index a621f3b5..6916f4d9 100644
--- a/chatlistmodel.cpp
+++ b/chatlistmodel.cpp
@@ -7,6 +7,21 @@
 #define CHAT_FORMAT_MAGIC 0xF5D553CC
 #define CHAT_FORMAT_VERSION 100
 
+ChatListModel::ChatListModel(QObject *parent)
+    : QAbstractListModel(parent)
+    , m_newChat(nullptr)
+    , m_dummyChat(nullptr)
+    , m_currentChat(nullptr)
+    , m_shouldSaveChats(false)
+{
+    addDummyChat();
+
+    ChatsRestoreThread *thread = new ChatsRestoreThread;
+    connect(thread, &ChatsRestoreThread::chatsRestored, this, &ChatListModel::restoreChats);
+    connect(thread, &ChatsRestoreThread::finished, thread, &QObject::deleteLater);
+    thread->start();
+}
+
 bool ChatListModel::shouldSaveChats() const
 {
     return m_shouldSaveChats;
@@ -36,6 +51,8 @@ void ChatListModel::saveChats() const
     if (!m_shouldSaveChats)
         return;
 
+    QElapsedTimer timer;
+    timer.start();
     const QString savePath = Download::globalInstance()->downloadLocalModelsPath();
     for (Chat *chat : m_chats) {
         QString fileName = "gpt4all-" + chat->id() + ".chat";
@@ -58,11 +75,15 @@ void ChatListModel::saveChats() const
         }
         file.close();
     }
+    qint64 elapsedTime = timer.elapsed();
+    qDebug() << "serializing chats took:" << elapsedTime << "ms";
 }
 
-void ChatListModel::restoreChats()
+void ChatsRestoreThread::run()
 {
-    beginResetModel();
+    QElapsedTimer timer;
+    timer.start();
+    QList<Chat*> chats;
     {
         // Look for any files in the original spot which was the settings config directory
         QSettings settings;
@@ -80,13 +101,13 @@ void ChatListModel::restoreChats()
                 continue;
             }
             QDataStream in(&file);
-            Chat *chat = new Chat(this);
+            Chat *chat = new Chat;
+            chat->moveToThread(qApp->thread());
             if (!chat->deserialize(in)) {
                 qWarning() << "ERROR: Couldn't deserialize chat from file:" << file.fileName();
                 file.remove();
             } else {
-                connect(chat, &Chat::nameChanged, this, &ChatListModel::nameChanged);
-                m_chats.append(chat);
+                chats.append(chat);
             }
             qDebug() << "deserializing chat" << f;
             file.remove(); // No longer storing in this directory
@@ -126,20 +147,51 @@ void ChatListModel::restoreChats()
             if (version <= 100)
                 in.setVersion(QDataStream::Qt_6_5);
 
-            Chat *chat = new Chat(this);
+            Chat *chat = new Chat;
+            chat->moveToThread(qApp->thread());
             if (!chat->deserialize(in)) {
                 qWarning() << "ERROR: Couldn't deserialize chat from file:" << file.fileName();
                 file.remove();
             } else {
-                connect(chat, &Chat::nameChanged, this, &ChatListModel::nameChanged);
-                m_chats.append(chat);
+                chats.append(chat);
             }
             qDebug() << "deserializing chat" << f;
             file.close();
         }
     }
-    std::sort(m_chats.begin(), m_chats.end(), [](const Chat* a, const Chat* b) {
+    std::sort(chats.begin(), chats.end(), [](const Chat* a, const Chat* b) {
         return a->creationDate() > b->creationDate();
     });
+    qint64 elapsedTime = timer.elapsed();
+    qDebug() << "deserializing chats took:" << elapsedTime << "ms";
+
+    emit chatsRestored(chats);
+}
+
+void ChatListModel::restoreChats(const QList<Chat*> &chats)
+{
+    for (Chat* chat : chats) {
+        chat->setParent(this);
+        connect(chat, &Chat::nameChanged, this, &ChatListModel::nameChanged);
+    }
+
+    beginResetModel();
+
+    // Setup the new chats
+    m_chats = chats;
+
+    if (!m_chats.isEmpty()) {
+        Chat *firstChat = m_chats.first();
+        if (firstChat->chatModel()->count() < 2)
+            setNewChat(firstChat);
+        else
+            setCurrentChat(firstChat);
+    } else
+        addChat();
+
+    // Clean up the dummy
+    delete m_dummyChat;
+    m_dummyChat = nullptr;
+
     endResetModel();
 }
diff --git a/chatlistmodel.h b/chatlistmodel.h
index ee28baf1..f2e89135 100644
--- a/chatlistmodel.h
+++ b/chatlistmodel.h
@@ -4,6 +4,16 @@
 #include <QAbstractListModel>
 #include "chat.h"
 
+class ChatsRestoreThread : public QThread
+{
+    Q_OBJECT
+public:
+    void run() override;
+
+Q_SIGNALS:
+    void chatsRestored(QList<Chat*> chats);
+};
+
 class ChatListModel : public QAbstractListModel
 {
     Q_OBJECT
@@ -12,13 +22,7 @@ class ChatListModel : public QAbstractListModel
     Q_PROPERTY(bool shouldSaveChats READ shouldSaveChats WRITE setShouldSaveChats NOTIFY shouldSaveChatsChanged)
 
 public:
-    explicit ChatListModel(QObject *parent = nullptr)
-        : QAbstractListModel(parent)
-        , m_currentChat(nullptr)
-        , m_newChat(nullptr)
-        , m_shouldSaveChats(false)
-    {
-    }
+    explicit ChatListModel(QObject *parent = nullptr);
 
     enum Roles {
         IdRole = Qt::UserRole + 1,
@@ -61,7 +65,7 @@ public:
     Q_INVOKABLE void addChat()
     {
         // Don't add a new chat if we already have one
-        if (m_newChat)
+        if (m_newChat || m_dummyChat)
             return;
 
         // Create a new chat pointer and connect it to determine when it is populated
@@ -78,6 +82,18 @@ public:
         setCurrentChat(m_newChat);
     }
 
+    Q_INVOKABLE void addDummyChat()
+    {
+        // Create a new dummy chat pointer and don't connect it
+        m_dummyChat = new Chat(this);
+        beginInsertRows(QModelIndex(), 0, 0);
+        m_chats.prepend(m_dummyChat);
+        endInsertRows();
+        emit countChanged();
+        m_currentChat = m_dummyChat;
+        emit currentChatChanged();
+    }
+
     void setNewChat(Chat* chat)
     {
         // Don't add a new chat if we already have one
@@ -101,7 +117,6 @@ public:
 
         removeChatFile(chat);
 
-        emit disconnectChat(chat);
         if (chat == m_newChat) {
             m_newChat->disconnect(this);
             m_newChat = nullptr;
@@ -140,13 +155,9 @@ public:
             return;
         }
 
-        if (m_currentChat) {
-            if (m_currentChat->isModelLoaded())
-                m_currentChat->unloadModel();
-            emit disconnect(m_currentChat);
-        }
+        if (m_currentChat && m_currentChat->isModelLoaded())
+            m_currentChat->unloadModel();
 
-        emit connectChat(chat);
         m_currentChat = chat;
         if (!m_currentChat->isModelLoaded())
             m_currentChat->reloadModel();
@@ -163,12 +174,10 @@ public:
 
     void removeChatFile(Chat *chat) const;
     void saveChats() const;
-    void restoreChats();
+    void restoreChats(const QList<Chat*> &chats);
 
 Q_SIGNALS:
     void countChanged();
-    void connectChat(Chat*);
-    void disconnectChat(Chat*);
     void currentChatChanged();
     void shouldSaveChatsChanged();
 
@@ -206,6 +215,7 @@ private Q_SLOTS:
 private:
     bool m_shouldSaveChats;
     Chat* m_newChat;
+    Chat* m_dummyChat;
     Chat* m_currentChat;
     QList<Chat*> m_chats;
 };
diff --git a/llm.cpp b/llm.cpp
index 2689e47f..fda940de 100644
--- a/llm.cpp
+++ b/llm.cpp
@@ -24,16 +24,6 @@ LLM::LLM()
 {
     connect(QCoreApplication::instance(), &QCoreApplication::aboutToQuit,
         this, &LLM::aboutToQuit);
-
-    m_chatListModel->restoreChats();
-    if (m_chatListModel->count()) {
-        Chat *firstChat = m_chatListModel->get(0);
-        if (firstChat->chatModel()->count() < 2)
-            m_chatListModel->setNewChat(firstChat);
-        else
-            m_chatListModel->setCurrentChat(firstChat);
-    } else
-        m_chatListModel->addChat();
 }
 
 bool LLM::checkForUpdates() const