diff --git a/src/app/mod.rs b/src/app/mod.rs
index 9ef3072..610ba0d 100644
--- a/src/app/mod.rs
+++ b/src/app/mod.rs
@@ -124,18 +124,7 @@ impl cosmic::Application for AppModel {
             nav,
             key_binds: HashMap::new(),
             // Optional configuration file for an application.
-            config: cosmic_config::Config::new(Self::APP_ID, Config::VERSION)
-                .map(|context| match Config::get_entry(&context) {
-                    Ok(config) => config,
-                    Err((errors, config)) => {
-                        for why in errors {
-                            tracing::error!(%why, "error loading app config");
-                        }
-
-                        config
-                    }
-                })
-                .unwrap_or_default(),
+            config: Config::default(),
             status: fl!("status-connecting"),
             device_path: None,
             device_proxy: None,
@@ -170,7 +159,34 @@ impl cosmic::Application for AppModel {
             cosmic::Action::App,
         );
 
-        (app, command.chain(connect_task))
+        let config_task = Task::perform(
+            async move {
+                let config = tokio::task::spawn_blocking(move || {
+                    cosmic_config::Config::new(Self::APP_ID, Config::VERSION)
+                        .map(|context| match Config::get_entry(&context) {
+                            Ok(config) => config,
+                            Err((errors, config)) => {
+                                for why in errors {
+                                    tracing::error!(%why, "error loading app config");
+                                }
+
+                                config
+                            }
+                        })
+                        .unwrap_or_default()
+                })
+                .await
+                .unwrap_or_else(|e| {
+                    tracing::error!("Config task join error: {}", e);
+                    Config::default()
+                });
+
+                Message::UpdateConfig(config)
+            },
+            cosmic::Action::App,
+        );
+
+        (app, Task::batch(vec![command, connect_task, config_task]))
     }
 
     /// Elements to pack at the start of the header bar.