diff --git a/Files/App.xaml.cs b/Files/App.xaml.cs
index 81bb5fd6b6d4..8473a12edbc7 100644
--- a/Files/App.xaml.cs
+++ b/Files/App.xaml.cs
@@ -375,10 +375,6 @@ private void OnSuspending(object sender, SuspendingEventArgs e)
             LibraryManager?.Dispose();
             DrivesManager?.Dispose();
             deferral.Complete();
-
-#if DEBUG
-            Current.Exit();
-#endif
         }
 
         public static void SaveSessionTabs() // Enumerates through all tabs and gets the Path property and saves it to AppSettings.LastSessionPages
diff --git a/Files/ViewModels/ItemViewModel.cs b/Files/ViewModels/ItemViewModel.cs
index f7763f91b0fa..f504f7173615 100644
--- a/Files/ViewModels/ItemViewModel.cs
+++ b/Files/ViewModels/ItemViewModel.cs
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@
 using Windows.Storage;
 using Windows.Storage.FileProperties;
 using Windows.Storage.Search;
-using Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls;
 using Windows.UI.Xaml.Data;
 using Windows.UI.Xaml.Media;
 using Windows.UI.Xaml.Media.Imaging;
@@ -65,7 +64,23 @@ public class ItemViewModel : INotifyPropertyChanged, IDisposable
 
         private IFileListCache fileListCache = FileListCacheController.GetInstance();
 
-        private NamedPipeAsAppServiceConnection Connection;
+        private NamedPipeAsAppServiceConnection connection;
+        private NamedPipeAsAppServiceConnection Connection
+        {
+            get => connection;
+            set
+            {
+                if (connection != null)
+                {
+                    connection.RequestReceived -= Connection_RequestReceived;
+                }
+                connection = value;
+                if (connection != null)
+                {
+                    connection.RequestReceived += Connection_RequestReceived;
+                }
+            }
+        }
 
         public string WorkingDirectory
         {
@@ -319,19 +334,13 @@ public ItemViewModel(FolderSettingsViewModel folderSettingsViewModel)
             semaphoreCTS = new CancellationTokenSource();
             loadPropsCTS = new CancellationTokenSource();
             shouldDisplayFileExtensions = App.AppSettings.ShowFileExtensions;
+
+            AppServiceConnectionHelper.ConnectionChanged += AppServiceConnectionHelper_ConnectionChanged;
         }
 
-        public void OnAppServiceConnectionChanged(NamedPipeAsAppServiceConnection connection)
+        private async void AppServiceConnectionHelper_ConnectionChanged(object sender, Task<NamedPipeAsAppServiceConnection> e)
         {
-            if (Connection != null)
-            {
-                Connection.RequestReceived -= Connection_RequestReceived;
-            }
-            Connection = connection;
-            if (Connection != null)
-            {
-                Connection.RequestReceived += Connection_RequestReceived;
-            }
+            Connection = await e;
         }
 
         private async void Connection_RequestReceived(object sender, Dictionary<string, object> message)
@@ -950,6 +959,8 @@ private async void RapidAddItemsToCollectionAsync(string path, string previousDi
 
                 ItemLoadStatusChanged?.Invoke(this, new ItemLoadStatusChangedEventArgs() { Status = ItemLoadStatusChangedEventArgs.ItemLoadStatus.InProgress });
 
+                Connection ??= await AppServiceConnectionHelper.Instance;
+
                 if (path.ToLower().EndsWith(ShellLibraryItem.EXTENSION))
                 {
                     if (App.LibraryManager.TryGetLibrary(path, out LibraryLocationItem library) && !library.IsEmpty)
@@ -1827,6 +1838,7 @@ public void Dispose()
             {
                 Connection.RequestReceived -= Connection_RequestReceived;
             }
+            AppServiceConnectionHelper.ConnectionChanged -= AppServiceConnectionHelper_ConnectionChanged;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/Files/Views/ColumnShellPage.xaml.cs b/Files/Views/ColumnShellPage.xaml.cs
index 35d93cf9e7bc..3ed5d9b78f4f 100644
--- a/Files/Views/ColumnShellPage.xaml.cs
+++ b/Files/Views/ColumnShellPage.xaml.cs
@@ -546,7 +546,6 @@ private async void Page_Loaded(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
             FilesystemViewModel.PageTypeUpdated += FilesystemViewModel_PageTypeUpdated;
             OnNavigationParamsChanged();
             ServiceConnection = await AppServiceConnectionHelper.Instance;
-            FilesystemViewModel.OnAppServiceConnectionChanged(ServiceConnection);
             this.Loaded -= Page_Loaded;
         }
 
@@ -805,7 +804,6 @@ public void Dispose()
         private async void AppServiceConnectionHelper_ConnectionChanged(object sender, Task<NamedPipeAsAppServiceConnection> e)
         {
             ServiceConnection = await e;
-            FilesystemViewModel?.OnAppServiceConnectionChanged(ServiceConnection);
         }
 
         private void FilesystemViewModel_ItemLoadStatusChanged(object sender, ItemLoadStatusChangedEventArgs e)
@@ -875,11 +873,10 @@ private void SetLoadingIndicatorForTabs(bool isLoading)
 
             foreach (var x in multitaskingControls)
             {
-                x.SetLoadingIndicatorStatus(x.Items.First(x => x.Control == tabItemControl), isLoading);
+                x.SetLoadingIndicatorStatus(x.Items.FirstOrDefault(x => x.Control == tabItemControl), isLoading);
             }
         }
 
-
         public DataPackageOperation TabItemDragOver(object sender, DragEventArgs e)
         {
             if (e.DataView.AvailableFormats.Contains(StandardDataFormats.StorageItems))
diff --git a/Files/Views/ModernShellPage.xaml.cs b/Files/Views/ModernShellPage.xaml.cs
index 4c948543c670..e007d7cdbfcd 100644
--- a/Files/Views/ModernShellPage.xaml.cs
+++ b/Files/Views/ModernShellPage.xaml.cs
@@ -574,7 +574,6 @@ private async void Page_Loaded(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
             FilesystemViewModel.PageTypeUpdated += FilesystemViewModel_PageTypeUpdated;
             OnNavigationParamsChanged();
             ServiceConnection = await AppServiceConnectionHelper.Instance;
-            FilesystemViewModel.OnAppServiceConnectionChanged(ServiceConnection);
             this.Loaded -= Page_Loaded;
         }
 
@@ -942,7 +941,6 @@ public void Dispose()
         private async void AppServiceConnectionHelper_ConnectionChanged(object sender, Task<NamedPipeAsAppServiceConnection> e)
         {
             ServiceConnection = await e;
-            FilesystemViewModel?.OnAppServiceConnectionChanged(ServiceConnection);
         }
 
         private void FilesystemViewModel_ItemLoadStatusChanged(object sender, ItemLoadStatusChangedEventArgs e)
@@ -1012,7 +1010,7 @@ private void SetLoadingIndicatorForTabs(bool isLoading)
 
             foreach (var x in multitaskingControls)
             {
-                x.SetLoadingIndicatorStatus(x.Items.First(x => x.Control == tabItemControl), isLoading);
+                x.SetLoadingIndicatorStatus(x.Items.FirstOrDefault(x => x.Control == tabItemControl), isLoading);
             }
         }