diff --git a/lib/model/metadata_db.dart b/lib/model/metadata_db.dart
index 4fb1f07a8..fb26c0b78 100644
--- a/lib/model/metadata_db.dart
+++ b/lib/model/metadata_db.dart
@@ -98,7 +98,6 @@ class SqfliteMetadataDb implements MetadataDb {
 
   @override
   Future<void> init() async {
-    debugPrint('$runtimeType init');
     _database = openDatabase(
       await path,
       onCreate: (db, version) async {
diff --git a/lib/model/source/collection_source.dart b/lib/model/source/collection_source.dart
index a08d56cad..6fa4a30d7 100644
--- a/lib/model/source/collection_source.dart
+++ b/lib/model/source/collection_source.dart
@@ -70,9 +70,7 @@ abstract class CollectionSource with SourceBase, AlbumMixin, LocationMixin, TagM
   late Map<int?, int?> _savedDates;
 
   Future<void> loadDates() async {
-    final stopwatch = Stopwatch()..start();
     _savedDates = Map.unmodifiable(await metadataDb.loadDates());
-    debugPrint('$runtimeType loadDates complete in ${stopwatch.elapsed.inMilliseconds}ms for ${_savedDates.length} entries');
   }
 
   Iterable<AvesEntry> _applyHiddenFilters(Iterable<AvesEntry> entries) {
diff --git a/lib/model/source/media_store_source.dart b/lib/model/source/media_store_source.dart
index 13e1d3955..d238846ab 100644
--- a/lib/model/source/media_store_source.dart
+++ b/lib/model/source/media_store_source.dart
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ class MediaStoreSource extends CollectionSource {
     }
     await loadDates();
     _initialized = true;
-    debugPrint('$runtimeType init done, elapsed=${stopwatch.elapsed}');
+    debugPrint('$runtimeType init complete in ${stopwatch.elapsed.inMilliseconds}ms');
   }
 
   @override
diff --git a/lib/utils/android_file_utils.dart b/lib/utils/android_file_utils.dart
index 7132003f7..2e623d598 100644
--- a/lib/utils/android_file_utils.dart
+++ b/lib/utils/android_file_utils.dart
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import 'package:aves/services/common/services.dart';
-import 'package:aves/utils/change_notifier.dart';
 import 'package:aves/widgets/common/extensions/build_context.dart';
 import 'package:collection/collection.dart';
 import 'package:equatable/equatable.dart';
@@ -15,7 +14,7 @@ class AndroidFileUtils {
   List<String> _potentialAppDirs = [];
   bool _initialized = false;
 
-  AChangeNotifier appNameChangeNotifier = AChangeNotifier();
+  ValueNotifier<bool> areAppNamesReadyNotifier = ValueNotifier(false);
 
   Iterable<Package> get _launcherPackages => _packages.where((package) => package.categoryLauncher);
 
@@ -35,15 +34,15 @@ class AndroidFileUtils {
     // from Aves
     videoCapturesPath = pContext.join(dcimPath, 'Video Captures');
 
-    // include package fetching in initialization
-    // to avoid app album color flickering
+    _initialized = true;
+  }
+
+  Future<void> initAppNames() async {
     if (_packages.isEmpty) {
       _packages = await androidAppService.getPackages();
       _potentialAppDirs = _launcherPackages.expand((package) => package.potentialDirs).toList();
-      appNameChangeNotifier.notifyListeners();
+      areAppNamesReadyNotifier.value = true;
     }
-
-    _initialized = true;
   }
 
   bool isCameraPath(String path) => path.startsWith(dcimPath) && (path.endsWith('${separator}Camera') || path.endsWith('${separator}100ANDRO'));
diff --git a/lib/widgets/filter_grids/albums_page.dart b/lib/widgets/filter_grids/albums_page.dart
index 28eee742d..4e798ed86 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/filter_grids/albums_page.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/filter_grids/albums_page.dart
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@ class AlbumListPage extends StatelessWidget {
         return !(eq.equals(t1.item1, t2.item1) && eq.equals(t1.item2, t2.item2) && eq.equals(t1.item3, t2.item3));
       },
       builder: (context, s, child) {
-        return AnimatedBuilder(
-          animation: androidFileUtils.appNameChangeNotifier,
-          builder: (context, child) => StreamBuilder(
+        return ValueListenableBuilder<bool>(
+          valueListenable: androidFileUtils.areAppNamesReadyNotifier,
+          builder: (context, areAppNamesReady, child) => StreamBuilder(
             stream: source.eventBus.on<AlbumsChangedEvent>(),
             builder: (context, snapshot) {
               final gridItems = getAlbumGridItems(context, source);
diff --git a/lib/widgets/filter_grids/common/covered_filter_chip.dart b/lib/widgets/filter_grids/common/covered_filter_chip.dart
index 74d057f81..dc1375a7a 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/filter_grids/common/covered_filter_chip.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/filter_grids/common/covered_filter_chip.dart
@@ -96,7 +96,14 @@ class CoveredFilterChip<T extends CollectionFilter> extends StatelessWidget {
   Widget _buildChip(BuildContext context, CollectionSource source) {
     final entry = coverEntry ?? source.coverEntry(filter);
     final titlePadding = min<double>(4.0, extent / 32);
+    Key? chipKey;
+    if (filter is AlbumFilter) {
+      // when we asynchronously fetch installed app names,
+      // album filters themselves do not change, but decoration derived from it does
+      chipKey = ValueKey(androidFileUtils.areAppNamesReadyNotifier.value);
+    }
     return AvesFilterChip(
+      key: chipKey,
       filter: filter,
       showGenericIcon: false,
       decoration: AvesFilterDecoration(
diff --git a/lib/widgets/home_page.dart b/lib/widgets/home_page.dart
index af3a0ebaf..da2ffab34 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/home_page.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/home_page.dart
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ class _HomePageState extends State<HomePage> {
   Widget build(BuildContext context) => const Scaffold();
 
   Future<void> _setup() async {
+    final stopwatch = Stopwatch()..start();
     final permissions = await [
       Permission.storage,
       // to access media with unredacted metadata with scoped storage (Android 10+)
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@ class _HomePageState extends State<HomePage> {
     }
 
     await androidFileUtils.init();
+    unawaited(androidFileUtils.initAppNames());
 
     var appMode = AppMode.main;
     final intentData = widget.intentData ?? await ViewerService.getIntentData();
@@ -107,6 +109,7 @@ class _HomePageState extends State<HomePage> {
     unawaited(reportService.setCustomKey('app_mode', appMode.toString()));
 
     if (appMode != AppMode.view) {
+      debugPrint('Storage check complete in ${stopwatch.elapsed.inMilliseconds}ms');
       final source = context.read<CollectionSource>();
       await source.init();
       unawaited(source.refresh());