diff --git a/src/GitHub.App/Models/RepositoryHost.cs b/src/GitHub.App/Models/RepositoryHost.cs
index bea24afa2c..4367e0f8c1 100644
--- a/src/GitHub.App/Models/RepositoryHost.cs
+++ b/src/GitHub.App/Models/RepositoryHost.cs
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 using System.Linq;
 using System.Reactive.Threading.Tasks;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
+using GitHub.Extensions;
 
 namespace GitHub.Models
 {
@@ -241,7 +242,7 @@ IObservable<AuthenticationResult> LoginWithApiUser(UserAndScopes userAndScopes)
                     if (result.IsSuccess())
                     {
                         var accountCacheItem = new AccountCacheItem(userAndScopes.User);
-                        usage.IncrementLoginCount();
+                        usage.IncrementLoginCount().Forget();
                         return ModelService.InsertUser(accountCacheItem).Select(_ => result);
                     }
 
diff --git a/src/GitHub.App/Services/PullRequestService.cs b/src/GitHub.App/Services/PullRequestService.cs
index f90fcd251c..6fefc8d4e0 100644
--- a/src/GitHub.App/Services/PullRequestService.cs
+++ b/src/GitHub.App/Services/PullRequestService.cs
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ async Task<IPullRequestModel> PushAndCreatePR(IRepositoryHost host,
                 await Task.Delay(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5));
 
             var ret = await host.ModelService.CreatePullRequest(sourceRepository, targetRepository, sourceBranch, targetBranch, title, body);
-            usageTracker.IncrementUpstreamPullRequestCount();
+            await usageTracker.IncrementUpstreamPullRequestCount();
             return ret;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/GitHub.App/ViewModels/GistCreationViewModel.cs b/src/GitHub.App/ViewModels/GistCreationViewModel.cs
index d0974ad98c..203407ee7e 100644
--- a/src/GitHub.App/ViewModels/GistCreationViewModel.cs
+++ b/src/GitHub.App/ViewModels/GistCreationViewModel.cs
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ IObservable<Gist> OnCreateGist(object unused)
             newGist.Files.Add(FileName, SelectedText);
 
             return gistPublishService.PublishGist(apiClient, newGist)
-                .Do(_ => usageTracker.IncrementCreateGistCount())
+                .Do(_ => usageTracker.IncrementCreateGistCount().Forget())
                 .Catch<Gist, Exception>(ex =>
                 {
                     if (!ex.IsCriticalException())
diff --git a/src/GitHub.App/ViewModels/RepositoryCloneViewModel.cs b/src/GitHub.App/ViewModels/RepositoryCloneViewModel.cs
index 27e2bd7926..1a608e0b3b 100644
--- a/src/GitHub.App/ViewModels/RepositoryCloneViewModel.cs
+++ b/src/GitHub.App/ViewModels/RepositoryCloneViewModel.cs
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ IObservable<Unit> OnCloneRepository(object state)
                 return cloneService.CloneRepository(repository.CloneUrl, repository.Name, BaseRepositoryPath)
                     .ContinueAfter(() =>
                     {
-                        usageTracker.IncrementCloneCount();
+                        usageTracker.IncrementCloneCount().Forget();
                         return Observable.Return(Unit.Default);
                     });
             })
diff --git a/src/GitHub.App/ViewModels/RepositoryCreationViewModel.cs b/src/GitHub.App/ViewModels/RepositoryCreationViewModel.cs
index bf7623581c..2691490a29 100644
--- a/src/GitHub.App/ViewModels/RepositoryCreationViewModel.cs
+++ b/src/GitHub.App/ViewModels/RepositoryCreationViewModel.cs
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ IObservable<Unit> OnCreateRepository(object state)
                 SelectedAccount,
                 BaseRepositoryPath,
                 repositoryHost.ApiClient)
-                .Do(_ => usageTracker.IncrementCreateCount());
+                .Do(_ => usageTracker.IncrementCreateCount().Forget());
         }
 
         ReactiveCommand<Unit> InitializeCreateRepositoryCommand()
diff --git a/src/GitHub.App/ViewModels/RepositoryPublishViewModel.cs b/src/GitHub.App/ViewModels/RepositoryPublishViewModel.cs
index 5f818c9d52..16b00d4c07 100644
--- a/src/GitHub.App/ViewModels/RepositoryPublishViewModel.cs
+++ b/src/GitHub.App/ViewModels/RepositoryPublishViewModel.cs
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ IObservable<ProgressState> OnPublishRepository(object arg)
             var account = SelectedAccount;
 
             return repositoryPublishService.PublishRepository(newRepository, account, SelectedHost.ApiClient)
-                .Do(_ => usageTracker.IncrementPublishCount())
+                .Do(_ => usageTracker.IncrementPublishCount().Forget())
                 .Select(_ => ProgressState.Success)
                 .Catch<ProgressState, Exception>(ex =>
                 {
diff --git a/src/GitHub.App/ViewModels/StartPageCloneViewModel.cs b/src/GitHub.App/ViewModels/StartPageCloneViewModel.cs
index 15baf45480..05527c1d20 100644
--- a/src/GitHub.App/ViewModels/StartPageCloneViewModel.cs
+++ b/src/GitHub.App/ViewModels/StartPageCloneViewModel.cs
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ IObservable<Unit> OnCloneRepository(object state)
                 return cloneService.CloneRepository(repository.CloneUrl, repository.Name, BaseRepositoryPath)
                     .ContinueAfter(() =>
                     {
-                        usageTracker.IncrementCloneCount();
+                        usageTracker.IncrementCloneCount().Forget();
                         return Observable.Return(Unit.Default);
                     });
             })
diff --git a/src/GitHub.Exports/Services/IUsageTracker.cs b/src/GitHub.Exports/Services/IUsageTracker.cs
index 4b43cdb202..08afb257dc 100644
--- a/src/GitHub.Exports/Services/IUsageTracker.cs
+++ b/src/GitHub.Exports/Services/IUsageTracker.cs
@@ -1,19 +1,20 @@
 using GitHub.VisualStudio;
 using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
+using System.Threading.Tasks;
 
 namespace GitHub.Services
 {
     [Guid(Guids.UsageTrackerId)]
     public interface IUsageTracker
     {
-        void IncrementLaunchCount();
-        void IncrementCloneCount();
-        void IncrementCreateCount();
-        void IncrementPublishCount();
-        void IncrementOpenInGitHubCount();
-        void IncrementLinkToGitHubCount();
-        void IncrementCreateGistCount();
-        void IncrementUpstreamPullRequestCount();
-        void IncrementLoginCount();
+        Task IncrementLaunchCount();
+        Task IncrementCloneCount();
+        Task IncrementCreateCount();
+        Task IncrementPublishCount();
+        Task IncrementOpenInGitHubCount();
+        Task IncrementLinkToGitHubCount();
+        Task IncrementCreateGistCount();
+        Task IncrementUpstreamPullRequestCount();
+        Task IncrementLoginCount();
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/GitHub.VisualStudio/GitHub.VisualStudio.csproj b/src/GitHub.VisualStudio/GitHub.VisualStudio.csproj
index a1b9ec9e56..9675136cca 100644
--- a/src/GitHub.VisualStudio/GitHub.VisualStudio.csproj
+++ b/src/GitHub.VisualStudio/GitHub.VisualStudio.csproj
@@ -298,6 +298,7 @@
     <Compile Include="Properties\AssemblyInfo.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Helpers\Browser.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Services\UsageTracker.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="Services\UsageTrackerDispatcher.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Settings\Constants.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Services\ConnectionManager.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Services\Program.cs" />
diff --git a/src/GitHub.VisualStudio/GitHubPackage.cs b/src/GitHub.VisualStudio/GitHubPackage.cs
index 7d96b837cc..961a52cf9c 100644
--- a/src/GitHub.VisualStudio/GitHubPackage.cs
+++ b/src/GitHub.VisualStudio/GitHubPackage.cs
@@ -52,8 +52,9 @@ protected override async Task InitializeAsync(CancellationToken cancellationToke
             await base.InitializeAsync(cancellationToken, progress);
             await EnsurePackageLoaded(new Guid(ServiceProviderPackage.ServiceProviderPackageId));
 
-            //var usageTracker = await GetServiceAsync(typeof(IUsageTracker)) as IUsageTracker;
-            //usageTracker.IncrementLaunchCount();
+            // Activate the usage tracker by forcing an instance to be created.
+            GetServiceAsync(typeof(IUsageTracker)).Forget();
+
             InitializeMenus().Forget();
         }
 
@@ -178,6 +179,11 @@ async Task<object> CreateService(IAsyncServiceContainer container, CancellationT
                 var sp = await GetServiceAsync(typeof(IUIProvider)) as IUIProvider;
                 return new MenuProvider(sp);
             }
+            else if (serviceType == typeof(IUsageTracker))
+            {
+                var uiProvider = await GetServiceAsync(typeof(IUIProvider)) as IUIProvider;
+                return new UsageTracker(uiProvider);
+            }
             // go the mef route
             else
             {
diff --git a/src/GitHub.VisualStudio/Menus/CopyLink.cs b/src/GitHub.VisualStudio/Menus/CopyLink.cs
index 889906000a..b1f30af91f 100644
--- a/src/GitHub.VisualStudio/Menus/CopyLink.cs
+++ b/src/GitHub.VisualStudio/Menus/CopyLink.cs
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ public async void Activate([AllowNull]object data = null)
                 Clipboard.SetText(link);
                 var ns = ServiceProvider.TryGetService<IStatusBarNotificationService>();
                 ns?.ShowMessage(Resources.LinkCopiedToClipboardMessage);
-                UsageTracker.IncrementLinkToGitHubCount();
+                await UsageTracker.IncrementLinkToGitHubCount();
             }
             catch
             {
diff --git a/src/GitHub.VisualStudio/Menus/OpenLink.cs b/src/GitHub.VisualStudio/Menus/OpenLink.cs
index dac26b948d..b0e9bd7ab6 100644
--- a/src/GitHub.VisualStudio/Menus/OpenLink.cs
+++ b/src/GitHub.VisualStudio/Menus/OpenLink.cs
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ public async void Activate([AllowNull]object data = null)
             var browser = ServiceProvider.TryGetService<IVisualStudioBrowser>();
             browser?.OpenUrl(link.ToUri());
 
-            UsageTracker.IncrementOpenInGitHubCount();
+            await UsageTracker.IncrementOpenInGitHubCount();
         }
 
         public bool CanShow()
diff --git a/src/GitHub.VisualStudio/Services/UsageTracker.cs b/src/GitHub.VisualStudio/Services/UsageTracker.cs
index b166b2c7fc..9f0caff5a9 100644
--- a/src/GitHub.VisualStudio/Services/UsageTracker.cs
+++ b/src/GitHub.VisualStudio/Services/UsageTracker.cs
@@ -11,23 +11,24 @@
 using Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell;
 using Task = System.Threading.Tasks.Task;
 using GitHub.Extensions;
+using System.Threading.Tasks;
 
 namespace GitHub.Services
 {
-    [Export(typeof(IUsageTracker))]
-    [PartCreationPolicy(CreationPolicy.Shared)]
     public class UsageTracker : IUsageTracker
     {
         const string StoreFileName = "ghfvs.usage";
         static readonly Calendar cal = CultureInfo.InvariantCulture.Calendar;
 
+        readonly IUIProvider uiProvider;
+        readonly DispatcherTimer timer;
+
         IMetricsService client;
-        readonly IConnectionManager connectionManager;
+        IConnectionManager connectionManager;
         IPackageSettings userSettings;
-        readonly IVSServices vsservices;
-        readonly DispatcherTimer timer;
-        readonly string storePath;
-        readonly IServiceProvider serviceProvider;
+        IVSServices vsservices;
+        string storePath;
+        bool firstRun = true;
 
         Func<string, bool> fileExists;
         Func<string, Encoding, string> readAllText;
@@ -35,13 +36,9 @@ public class UsageTracker : IUsageTracker
         Action<string> dirCreate;
 
         [ImportingConstructor]
-        public UsageTracker(
-            IProgram program,
-            IConnectionManager connectionManager,
-            IVSServices vsservices,
-            [Import(typeof(SVsServiceProvider))] IServiceProvider serviceProvider)
+        public UsageTracker(IUIProvider uiProvider)
         {
-            this.serviceProvider = serviceProvider;
+            this.uiProvider = uiProvider;
 
             fileExists = (path) => System.IO.File.Exists(path);
             readAllText = (path, encoding) =>
@@ -65,88 +62,105 @@ public UsageTracker(
             };
             dirCreate = (path) => System.IO.Directory.CreateDirectory(path);
 
-            this.connectionManager = connectionManager;
-            this.vsservices = vsservices;
             this.timer = new DispatcherTimer(
-                TimeSpan.FromMinutes(1),
+                TimeSpan.FromMinutes(3),
                 DispatcherPriority.Background,
                 TimerTick,
                 Dispatcher.CurrentDispatcher);
-            this.storePath = System.IO.Path.Combine(
-                Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.LocalApplicationData),
-                program.ApplicationName,
-                StoreFileName);
 
             RunTimer();
         }
 
-        public void IncrementLaunchCount()
+        public async Task IncrementLaunchCount()
         {
-            var usage = LoadUsage();
+            var usage = await LoadUsage();
             ++usage.Model.NumberOfStartups;
             ++usage.Model.NumberOfStartupsWeek;
             ++usage.Model.NumberOfStartupsMonth;
             SaveUsage(usage);
         }
 
-        public void IncrementCloneCount()
+        public async Task IncrementCloneCount()
         {
-            var usage = LoadUsage();
+            var usage = await LoadUsage();
             ++usage.Model.NumberOfClones;
             SaveUsage(usage);
         }
 
-        public void IncrementCreateCount()
+        public async Task IncrementCreateCount()
         {
-            var usage = LoadUsage();
+            var usage = await LoadUsage();
             ++usage.Model.NumberOfReposCreated;
             SaveUsage(usage);
         }
 
-        public void IncrementPublishCount()
+        public async Task IncrementPublishCount()
         {
-            var usage = LoadUsage();
+            var usage = await LoadUsage();
             ++usage.Model.NumberOfReposPublished;
             SaveUsage(usage);
         }
 
-        public void IncrementOpenInGitHubCount()
+        public async Task IncrementOpenInGitHubCount()
         {
-            var usage = LoadUsage();
+            var usage = await LoadUsage();
             ++usage.Model.NumberOfOpenInGitHub;
             SaveUsage(usage);
         }
 
-        public void IncrementLinkToGitHubCount()
+        public async Task IncrementLinkToGitHubCount()
         {
-            var usage = LoadUsage();
+            var usage = await LoadUsage();
             ++usage.Model.NumberOfLinkToGitHub;
             SaveUsage(usage);
         }
 
-        public void IncrementCreateGistCount()
+        public async Task IncrementCreateGistCount()
         {
-            var usage = LoadUsage();
+            var usage = await LoadUsage();
             ++usage.Model.NumberOfGists;
             SaveUsage(usage);
         }
 
-        public void IncrementUpstreamPullRequestCount()
+        public async Task IncrementUpstreamPullRequestCount()
         {
-            var usage = LoadUsage();
+            var usage = await LoadUsage();
             ++usage.Model.NumberOfUpstreamPullRequests;
             SaveUsage(usage);
         }
 
-        public void IncrementLoginCount()
+        public async Task IncrementLoginCount()
         {
-            var usage = LoadUsage();
+            var usage = await LoadUsage();
             ++usage.Model.NumberOfLogins;
             SaveUsage(usage);
         }
 
-        UsageStore LoadUsage()
+        async Task Initialize()
+        {
+            // The services needed by the usage tracker are loaded when they are first needed to
+            // improve the startup time of the extension.
+            if (userSettings == null)
+            {
+                await ThreadHelper.JoinableTaskFactory.SwitchToMainThreadAsync();
+
+                client = uiProvider.GetService<IMetricsService>();
+                connectionManager = uiProvider.GetService<IConnectionManager>();
+                userSettings = uiProvider.GetService<IPackageSettings>();
+                vsservices = uiProvider.GetService<IVSServices>();
+
+                var program = uiProvider.GetService<IProgram>();
+                storePath = System.IO.Path.Combine(
+                    Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.LocalApplicationData),
+                    program.ApplicationName,
+                    StoreFileName);
+            }
+        }
+
+        async Task<UsageStore> LoadUsage()
         {
+            await Initialize();
+
             var json = fileExists(storePath) ? readAllText(storePath, Encoding.UTF8) : null;
             UsageStore result = null;
             try
@@ -178,7 +192,6 @@ void RunTimer()
         {
             // The timer first ticks after 3 minutes to allow things to settle down after startup.
             // This will be changed to 8 hours after the first tick by the TimerTick method.
-            timer.Interval = TimeSpan.FromMinutes(3);
             timer.Start();
         }
 
@@ -194,31 +207,26 @@ void TimerTick(object sender, EventArgs e)
 
         async Task TimerTick()
         {
-            Debug.Assert(client != null, "TimerTick should not be triggered when there is no IMetricsService");
+            await Initialize();
 
-            // Subsequent timer ticks should occur every 8 hours.
-            timer.Interval = TimeSpan.FromHours(8);
-
-            if (userSettings == null)
+            if (firstRun)
             {
-                await ThreadHelper.JoinableTaskFactory.SwitchToMainThreadAsync();
-                client = serviceProvider.GetExportedValue<IMetricsService>();
-                if (client == null)
-                {
-                    timer.Stop();
-                    return;
-                }
-                userSettings = serviceProvider.GetExportedValue<IPackageSettings>();
+                await IncrementLaunchCount();
+                timer.Interval = TimeSpan.FromHours(8);
+                firstRun = false;
             }
 
-            if (!userSettings.CollectMetrics)
+            if (client == null || !userSettings.CollectMetrics)
+            {
+                timer.Stop();
                 return;
+            }
 
             // Every time we increment the launch count we increment both daily and weekly
             // launch count but we only submit (and clear) the weekly launch count when we've
             // transitioned into a new week. We've defined a week by the ISO8601 definition,
             // i.e. week starting on Monday and ending on Sunday.
-            var usage = LoadUsage();
+            var usage = await LoadUsage();
             var lastDate = usage.LastUpdated;
             var currentDate = DateTimeOffset.Now;
             var includeWeekly = GetIso8601WeekOfYear(lastDate) != GetIso8601WeekOfYear(currentDate);
diff --git a/src/GitHub.VisualStudio/Services/UsageTrackerDispatcher.cs b/src/GitHub.VisualStudio/Services/UsageTrackerDispatcher.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..854eb74e76
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/GitHub.VisualStudio/Services/UsageTrackerDispatcher.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+using Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell;
+using System;
+using System.ComponentModel.Composition;
+using Task = System.Threading.Tasks.Task;
+
+namespace GitHub.Services
+{
+    [Export(typeof(IUsageTracker))]
+    [PartCreationPolicy(CreationPolicy.NonShared)]
+    public class UsageTrackerDispatcher : IUsageTracker
+    {
+        readonly IUsageTracker inner;
+
+        [ImportingConstructor]
+        public UsageTrackerDispatcher([Import(typeof(SVsServiceProvider))] IServiceProvider serviceProvider)
+        {
+            inner = serviceProvider.GetService(typeof(IUsageTracker)) as IUsageTracker;
+        }
+
+        public Task IncrementCloneCount() => inner.IncrementCloneCount();
+        public Task IncrementCreateCount() => inner.IncrementCreateCount();
+        public Task IncrementCreateGistCount() => inner.IncrementCreateGistCount();
+        public Task IncrementLaunchCount() => inner.IncrementLaunchCount();
+        public Task IncrementLinkToGitHubCount() => inner.IncrementLinkToGitHubCount();
+        public Task IncrementLoginCount() => inner.IncrementLoginCount();
+        public Task IncrementOpenInGitHubCount() => inner.IncrementOpenInGitHubCount();
+        public Task IncrementPublishCount() => inner.IncrementPublishCount();
+        public Task IncrementUpstreamPullRequestCount() => inner.IncrementUpstreamPullRequestCount();
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/UnitTests/GitHub.App/ViewModels/RepositoryCloneViewModelTests.cs b/src/UnitTests/GitHub.App/ViewModels/RepositoryCloneViewModelTests.cs
index 6186f3902f..ae990f16f3 100644
--- a/src/UnitTests/GitHub.App/ViewModels/RepositoryCloneViewModelTests.cs
+++ b/src/UnitTests/GitHub.App/ViewModels/RepositoryCloneViewModelTests.cs
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 using GitHub.Api;
 using Akavache;
 using GitHub.Collections;
+using GitHub.Extensions;
 
 public class RepositoryCloneViewModelTests
 {
@@ -358,7 +359,7 @@ public async Task UpdatesMetricsWhenRepositoryCloned()
             vm.SelectedRepository = Substitute.For<IRepositoryModel>();
             await vm.CloneCommand.ExecuteAsync();
 
-            usageTracker.Received().IncrementCloneCount();
+            usageTracker.Received().IncrementCloneCount().Forget();
         }
     }
 }