diff --git a/src/app/qgisapp.cpp b/src/app/qgisapp.cpp
index 89b78fea7c27..67f8295b3fae 100644
--- a/src/app/qgisapp.cpp
+++ b/src/app/qgisapp.cpp
@@ -847,7 +847,6 @@ QgisApp::QgisApp( QSplashScreen *splash, bool restorePlugins, bool skipVersionCh
   endProfile();
 
   // load GUI: actions, menus, toolbars
-  profiler->start( tr( "Application startup" ) );
   startProfile( tr( "Setting up UI" ) );
   setupUi( this );
   // because mActionToggleMapOnly can hide the menu (thereby disabling menu actions),
@@ -861,7 +860,7 @@ QgisApp::QgisApp( QSplashScreen *splash, bool restorePlugins, bool skipVersionCh
 
   //////////
 
-  startProfile( tr( "Checking database" ) );
+  startProfile( tr( "Checking user database" ) );
   mSplash->showMessage( tr( "Checking database" ), Qt::AlignHCenter | Qt::AlignBottom );
   qApp->processEvents();
   // Do this early on before anyone else opens it and prevents us copying it
@@ -1629,7 +1628,6 @@ QgisApp::QgisApp( QSplashScreen *splash, bool restorePlugins, bool skipVersionCh
 #ifdef ANDROID
   toggleFullScreen();
 #endif
-  profiler->end();
 
   mStartupProfilerWidgetFactory.reset( qgis::make_unique< QgsProfilerWidgetFactory >( profiler ) );
 
diff --git a/src/core/qgsapplication.cpp b/src/core/qgsapplication.cpp
index 1a13be63d4a2..44aebbac7ff3 100644
--- a/src/core/qgsapplication.cpp
+++ b/src/core/qgsapplication.cpp
@@ -346,10 +346,17 @@ void QgsApplication::init( QString profileFolder )
   // so we read actual value in main.cpp
   ABISYM( sMaxThreads ) = -1;
 
-  colorSchemeRegistry()->addDefaultSchemes();
-  colorSchemeRegistry()->initStyleScheme();
+  {
+    QgsScopedRuntimeProfile profile( tr( "Load color schemes" ) );
+    colorSchemeRegistry()->addDefaultSchemes();
+    colorSchemeRegistry()->initStyleScheme();
+  }
+
+  {
+    QgsScopedRuntimeProfile profile( tr( "Load bookmarks" ) );
+    bookmarkManager()->initialize( QgsApplication::qgisSettingsDirPath() + "/bookmarks.xml" );
+  }
 
-  bookmarkManager()->initialize( QgsApplication::qgisSettingsDirPath() + "/bookmarks.xml" );
   if ( !members()->mStyleModel )
     members()->mStyleModel = new QgsStyleModel( QgsStyle::defaultStyle() );
 
@@ -2234,33 +2241,134 @@ QgsApplication::ApplicationMembers::ApplicationMembers()
   // will need to be careful with the order of creation/destruction
   mMessageLog = new QgsMessageLog();
   mProfiler = new QgsRuntimeProfiler();
-  mConnectionRegistry = new QgsConnectionRegistry();
-  mTaskManager = new QgsTaskManager();
-  mActionScopeRegistry = new QgsActionScopeRegistry();
-  mNumericFormatRegistry = new QgsNumericFormatRegistry();
-  mFieldFormatterRegistry = new QgsFieldFormatterRegistry();
-  mSvgCache = new QgsSvgCache();
-  mImageCache = new QgsImageCache();
-  mColorSchemeRegistry = new QgsColorSchemeRegistry();
-  mPaintEffectRegistry = new QgsPaintEffectRegistry();
-  mSymbolLayerRegistry = new QgsSymbolLayerRegistry();
-  mCalloutRegistry = new QgsCalloutRegistry();
-  mRendererRegistry = new QgsRendererRegistry();
-  mRasterRendererRegistry = new QgsRasterRendererRegistry();
-  mGpsConnectionRegistry = new QgsGpsConnectionRegistry();
-  mPluginLayerRegistry = new QgsPluginLayerRegistry();
-  mProcessingRegistry = new QgsProcessingRegistry();
+
+  {
+    mProfiler->start( tr( "Create connection registry" ) );
+    mConnectionRegistry = new QgsConnectionRegistry();
+    mProfiler->end();
+  }
+  {
+    mProfiler->start( tr( "Setup task manager" ) );
+    mTaskManager = new QgsTaskManager();
+    mProfiler->end();
+  }
+  {
+    mProfiler->start( tr( "Setup action scope registry" ) );
+    mActionScopeRegistry = new QgsActionScopeRegistry();
+    mProfiler->end();
+  }
+  {
+    mProfiler->start( tr( "Setup numeric formats" ) );
+    mNumericFormatRegistry = new QgsNumericFormatRegistry();
+    mProfiler->end();
+  }
+  {
+    mProfiler->start( tr( "Setup field formats" ) );
+    mFieldFormatterRegistry = new QgsFieldFormatterRegistry();
+    mProfiler->end();
+  }
+  {
+    mProfiler->start( tr( "Setup SVG cache" ) );
+    mSvgCache = new QgsSvgCache();
+    mProfiler->end();
+  }
+  {
+    mProfiler->start( tr( "Setup image cache" ) );
+    mImageCache = new QgsImageCache();
+    mProfiler->end();
+  }
+  {
+    mProfiler->start( tr( "Setup color scheme registry" ) );
+    mColorSchemeRegistry = new QgsColorSchemeRegistry();
+    mProfiler->end();
+  }
+  {
+    mProfiler->start( tr( "Setup paint effect" ) );
+    mPaintEffectRegistry = new QgsPaintEffectRegistry();
+    mProfiler->end();
+  }
+  {
+    mProfiler->start( tr( "Setup symbol layer registry" ) );
+    mSymbolLayerRegistry = new QgsSymbolLayerRegistry();
+    mProfiler->end();
+  }
+  {
+    mProfiler->start( tr( "Setup callout registry" ) );
+    mCalloutRegistry = new QgsCalloutRegistry();
+    mProfiler->end();
+  }
+  {
+    mProfiler->start( tr( "Setup renderer registry" ) );
+    mRendererRegistry = new QgsRendererRegistry();
+    mProfiler->end();
+  }
+  {
+    mProfiler->start( tr( "Setup raster renderer registry" ) );
+    mRasterRendererRegistry = new QgsRasterRendererRegistry();
+    mProfiler->end();
+  }
+  {
+    mProfiler->start( tr( "Setup GPS registry" ) );
+    mGpsConnectionRegistry = new QgsGpsConnectionRegistry();
+    mProfiler->end();
+  }
+  {
+    mProfiler->start( tr( "Setup plugin layer registry" ) );
+    mPluginLayerRegistry = new QgsPluginLayerRegistry();
+    mProfiler->end();
+  }
+  {
+    mProfiler->start( tr( "Setup Processing registry" ) );
+    mProcessingRegistry = new QgsProcessingRegistry();
+    mProfiler->end();
+  }
   mPageSizeRegistry = new QgsPageSizeRegistry();
-  mLayoutItemRegistry = new QgsLayoutItemRegistry();
-  mLayoutItemRegistry->populate();
-  mAnnotationRegistry = new QgsAnnotationRegistry();
-  m3DRendererRegistry = new Qgs3DRendererRegistry();
-  mProjectStorageRegistry = new QgsProjectStorageRegistry();
-  mNetworkContentFetcherRegistry = new QgsNetworkContentFetcherRegistry();
-  mValidityCheckRegistry = new QgsValidityCheckRegistry();
-  mClassificationMethodRegistry = new QgsClassificationMethodRegistry();
-  mBookmarkManager = new QgsBookmarkManager( nullptr );
-  mScaleBarRendererRegistry = new QgsScaleBarRendererRegistry();
+  {
+    mProfiler->start( tr( "Setup layout item registry" ) );
+    mLayoutItemRegistry = new QgsLayoutItemRegistry();
+    mLayoutItemRegistry->populate();
+    mProfiler->end();
+  }
+  {
+    mProfiler->start( tr( "Setup annotation registry" ) );
+    mAnnotationRegistry = new QgsAnnotationRegistry();
+    mProfiler->end();
+  }
+  {
+    mProfiler->start( tr( "Setup 3D renderer registry" ) );
+    m3DRendererRegistry = new Qgs3DRendererRegistry();
+    mProfiler->end();
+  }
+  {
+    mProfiler->start( tr( "Setup project storage registry" ) );
+    mProjectStorageRegistry = new QgsProjectStorageRegistry();
+    mProfiler->end();
+  }
+  {
+    mProfiler->start( tr( "Setup network content cache" ) );
+    mNetworkContentFetcherRegistry = new QgsNetworkContentFetcherRegistry();
+    mProfiler->end();
+  }
+  {
+    mProfiler->start( tr( "Setup layout check registry" ) );
+    mValidityCheckRegistry = new QgsValidityCheckRegistry();
+    mProfiler->end();
+  }
+  {
+    mProfiler->start( tr( "Setup classification registry" ) );
+    mClassificationMethodRegistry = new QgsClassificationMethodRegistry();
+    mProfiler->end();
+  }
+  {
+    mProfiler->start( tr( "Setup bookmark manager" ) );
+    mBookmarkManager = new QgsBookmarkManager( nullptr );
+    mProfiler->end();
+  }
+  {
+    mProfiler->start( tr( "Setup scalebar registry" ) );
+    mScaleBarRendererRegistry = new QgsScaleBarRendererRegistry();
+    mProfiler->end();
+  }
 }
 
 QgsApplication::ApplicationMembers::~ApplicationMembers()
diff --git a/src/core/symbology/qgsstyle.cpp b/src/core/symbology/qgsstyle.cpp
index 2b483d2d1af9..cfadb60992b5 100644
--- a/src/core/symbology/qgsstyle.cpp
+++ b/src/core/symbology/qgsstyle.cpp
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include "qgsmarkersymbollayer.h"
 #include "qgslinesymbollayer.h"
 #include "qgsfillsymbollayer.h"
+#include "qgsruntimeprofiler.h"
 
 #include <QDomDocument>
 #include <QDomElement>
@@ -111,6 +112,7 @@ QgsStyle *QgsStyle::defaultStyle() // static
 {
   if ( !sDefaultStyle )
   {
+    QgsScopedRuntimeProfile profile( tr( "Load default style database" ) );
     QString styleFilename = QgsApplication::userStylePath();
 
     // copy default style if user style doesn't exist
@@ -575,97 +577,112 @@ bool QgsStyle::load( const QString &filename )
                            );
   runEmptyQuery( query );
 
-  // First create all the main symbols
-  query = QgsSqlite3Mprintf( "SELECT * FROM symbol" );
-  statement = mCurrentDB.prepare( query, rc );
-
-  while ( rc == SQLITE_OK && sqlite3_step( statement.get() ) == SQLITE_ROW )
   {
-    QDomDocument doc;
-    QString symbol_name = statement.columnAsText( SymbolName );
-    QString xmlstring = statement.columnAsText( SymbolXML );
-    if ( !doc.setContent( xmlstring ) )
+    QgsScopedRuntimeProfile profile( tr( "Load symbols" ) );
+    // First create all the main symbols
+    query = QgsSqlite3Mprintf( "SELECT * FROM symbol" );
+    statement = mCurrentDB.prepare( query, rc );
+
+    while ( rc == SQLITE_OK && sqlite3_step( statement.get() ) == SQLITE_ROW )
     {
-      QgsDebugMsg( "Cannot open symbol " + symbol_name );
-      continue;
-    }
+      QDomDocument doc;
+      QString symbol_name = statement.columnAsText( SymbolName );
+      QString xmlstring = statement.columnAsText( SymbolXML );
+      if ( !doc.setContent( xmlstring ) )
+      {
+        QgsDebugMsg( "Cannot open symbol " + symbol_name );
+        continue;
+      }
 
-    QDomElement symElement = doc.documentElement();
-    QgsSymbol *symbol = QgsSymbolLayerUtils::loadSymbol( symElement, QgsReadWriteContext() );
-    if ( symbol )
-      mSymbols.insert( symbol_name, symbol );
+      QDomElement symElement = doc.documentElement();
+      QgsSymbol *symbol = QgsSymbolLayerUtils::loadSymbol( symElement, QgsReadWriteContext() );
+      if ( symbol )
+        mSymbols.insert( symbol_name, symbol );
+    }
   }
 
-  query = QgsSqlite3Mprintf( "SELECT * FROM colorramp" );
-  statement = mCurrentDB.prepare( query, rc );
-  while ( rc == SQLITE_OK && sqlite3_step( statement.get() ) == SQLITE_ROW )
   {
-    QDomDocument doc;
-    QString ramp_name = statement.columnAsText( ColorrampName );
-    QString xmlstring = statement.columnAsText( ColorrampXML );
-    if ( !doc.setContent( xmlstring ) )
+    QgsScopedRuntimeProfile profile( tr( "Load color ramps" ) );
+    query = QgsSqlite3Mprintf( "SELECT * FROM colorramp" );
+    statement = mCurrentDB.prepare( query, rc );
+    while ( rc == SQLITE_OK && sqlite3_step( statement.get() ) == SQLITE_ROW )
     {
-      QgsDebugMsg( "Cannot open symbol " + ramp_name );
-      continue;
+      QDomDocument doc;
+      QString ramp_name = statement.columnAsText( ColorrampName );
+      QString xmlstring = statement.columnAsText( ColorrampXML );
+      if ( !doc.setContent( xmlstring ) )
+      {
+        QgsDebugMsg( "Cannot open symbol " + ramp_name );
+        continue;
+      }
+      QDomElement rampElement = doc.documentElement();
+      QgsColorRamp *ramp = QgsSymbolLayerUtils::loadColorRamp( rampElement );
+      if ( ramp )
+        mColorRamps.insert( ramp_name, ramp );
     }
-    QDomElement rampElement = doc.documentElement();
-    QgsColorRamp *ramp = QgsSymbolLayerUtils::loadColorRamp( rampElement );
-    if ( ramp )
-      mColorRamps.insert( ramp_name, ramp );
   }
 
-  query = QgsSqlite3Mprintf( "SELECT * FROM textformat" );
-  statement = mCurrentDB.prepare( query, rc );
-  while ( rc == SQLITE_OK && sqlite3_step( statement.get() ) == SQLITE_ROW )
   {
-    QDomDocument doc;
-    const QString formatName = statement.columnAsText( TextFormatName );
-    const QString xmlstring = statement.columnAsText( TextFormatXML );
-    if ( !doc.setContent( xmlstring ) )
+    QgsScopedRuntimeProfile profile( tr( "Load text formats" ) );
+    query = QgsSqlite3Mprintf( "SELECT * FROM textformat" );
+    statement = mCurrentDB.prepare( query, rc );
+    while ( rc == SQLITE_OK && sqlite3_step( statement.get() ) == SQLITE_ROW )
     {
-      QgsDebugMsg( "Cannot open text format " + formatName );
-      continue;
+      QDomDocument doc;
+      const QString formatName = statement.columnAsText( TextFormatName );
+      const QString xmlstring = statement.columnAsText( TextFormatXML );
+      if ( !doc.setContent( xmlstring ) )
+      {
+        QgsDebugMsg( "Cannot open text format " + formatName );
+        continue;
+      }
+      QDomElement formatElement = doc.documentElement();
+      QgsTextFormat format;
+      format.readXml( formatElement, QgsReadWriteContext() );
+      mTextFormats.insert( formatName, format );
     }
-    QDomElement formatElement = doc.documentElement();
-    QgsTextFormat format;
-    format.readXml( formatElement, QgsReadWriteContext() );
-    mTextFormats.insert( formatName, format );
   }
 
-  query = QgsSqlite3Mprintf( "SELECT * FROM labelsettings" );
-  statement = mCurrentDB.prepare( query, rc );
-  while ( rc == SQLITE_OK && sqlite3_step( statement.get() ) == SQLITE_ROW )
   {
-    QDomDocument doc;
-    const QString settingsName = statement.columnAsText( LabelSettingsName );
-    const QString xmlstring = statement.columnAsText( LabelSettingsXML );
-    if ( !doc.setContent( xmlstring ) )
+    QgsScopedRuntimeProfile profile( tr( "Load label settings" ) );
+    query = QgsSqlite3Mprintf( "SELECT * FROM labelsettings" );
+    statement = mCurrentDB.prepare( query, rc );
+    while ( rc == SQLITE_OK && sqlite3_step( statement.get() ) == SQLITE_ROW )
     {
-      QgsDebugMsg( "Cannot open label settings " + settingsName );
-      continue;
+      QDomDocument doc;
+      const QString settingsName = statement.columnAsText( LabelSettingsName );
+      const QString xmlstring = statement.columnAsText( LabelSettingsXML );
+      if ( !doc.setContent( xmlstring ) )
+      {
+        QgsDebugMsg( "Cannot open label settings " + settingsName );
+        continue;
+      }
+      QDomElement settingsElement = doc.documentElement();
+      QgsPalLayerSettings settings;
+      settings.readXml( settingsElement, QgsReadWriteContext() );
+      mLabelSettings.insert( settingsName, settings );
     }
-    QDomElement settingsElement = doc.documentElement();
-    QgsPalLayerSettings settings;
-    settings.readXml( settingsElement, QgsReadWriteContext() );
-    mLabelSettings.insert( settingsName, settings );
   }
 
-  query = QgsSqlite3Mprintf( "SELECT * FROM legendpatchshapes" );
-  statement = mCurrentDB.prepare( query, rc );
-  while ( rc == SQLITE_OK && sqlite3_step( statement.get() ) == SQLITE_ROW )
   {
-    QDomDocument doc;
-    const QString settingsName = statement.columnAsText( LegendPatchTableName );
-    const QString xmlstring = statement.columnAsText( LegendPatchTableXML );
-    if ( !doc.setContent( xmlstring ) )
+    QgsScopedRuntimeProfile profile( tr( "Load legend patch shapes" ) );
+    query = QgsSqlite3Mprintf( "SELECT * FROM legendpatchshapes" );
+    statement = mCurrentDB.prepare( query, rc );
+    while ( rc == SQLITE_OK && sqlite3_step( statement.get() ) == SQLITE_ROW )
     {
-      QgsDebugMsg( "Cannot open legend patch shape " + settingsName );
-      continue;
+      QDomDocument doc;
+      const QString settingsName = statement.columnAsText( LegendPatchTableName );
+      const QString xmlstring = statement.columnAsText( LegendPatchTableXML );
+      if ( !doc.setContent( xmlstring ) )
+      {
+        QgsDebugMsg( "Cannot open legend patch shape " + settingsName );
+        continue;
+      }
+      QDomElement settingsElement = doc.documentElement();
+      QgsLegendPatchShape shape;
+      shape.readXml( settingsElement, QgsReadWriteContext() );
+      mLegendPatchShapes.insert( settingsName, shape );
     }
-    QDomElement settingsElement = doc.documentElement();
-    QgsLegendPatchShape shape;
-    shape.readXml( settingsElement, QgsReadWriteContext() );
-    mLegendPatchShapes.insert( settingsName, shape );
   }
 
   mFileName = filename;