diff --git a/src/ui/itemview.c b/src/ui/itemview.c
index 9568266a5..976c878cb 100644
--- a/src/ui/itemview.c
+++ b/src/ui/itemview.c
@@ -400,17 +400,8 @@ itemview_set_layout (nodeViewType newMode)
 		itemlist_unload ();
 
 	/* Prepare widgets for layout */
-	if (!itemview->htmlview) {
-		debug0 (DEBUG_GUI, "Creating HTML widget");
-		itemview->htmlview = liferea_browser_new (FALSE);
-		g_signal_connect (itemview->htmlview, "statusbar-changed",
-		                  G_CALLBACK (on_important_status_message), NULL);
-
-		/* Set initial zoom */
-		liferea_browser_set_zoom (itemview->htmlview, itemview->zoom/100.);
-	} else {
-		liferea_browser_clear (itemview->htmlview);
-	}
+	g_assert (itemview->htmlview);
+	liferea_browser_clear (itemview->htmlview);
 
 	debug2 (DEBUG_GUI, "Setting item list layout mode: %d (auto=%d)", effectiveMode, itemview->autoLayout);
 
@@ -507,6 +498,14 @@ itemview_create (GtkWidget *window)
 	itemview->zoom = zoom;
 	itemview->currentLayoutMode = 1000;	// something invalid
 
+	debug0 (DEBUG_GUI, "Creating HTML widget");
+	itemview->htmlview = liferea_browser_new (FALSE);
+	g_signal_connect (itemview->htmlview, "statusbar-changed",
+	                  G_CALLBACK (on_important_status_message), NULL);
+
+	/* Set initial zoom */
+	liferea_browser_set_zoom (itemview->htmlview, itemview->zoom/100.);
+
 	return itemview;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/ui/liferea_shell.c b/src/ui/liferea_shell.c
index 7acf99894..0501eba1f 100644
--- a/src/ui/liferea_shell.c
+++ b/src/ui/liferea_shell.c
@@ -1318,20 +1318,7 @@ liferea_shell_create (GtkApplication *app, const gchar *overrideWindowState, gin
 	gtk_grid_attach_next_to (GTK_GRID (liferea_shell_lookup ("vbox1")), shell->toolbar, NULL, GTK_POS_TOP, 1,1);
 
 	gtk_widget_show_all(GTK_WIDGET(shell->toolbar));
-
-	g_signal_connect ((gpointer) liferea_shell_lookup ("itemtabs"), "key_press_event",
-	                  G_CALLBACK (on_key_press_event_null_cb), NULL);
-
-	g_signal_connect ((gpointer) liferea_shell_lookup ("itemtabs"), "key_release_event",
-	                  G_CALLBACK (on_key_press_event_null_cb), NULL);
-
-	g_signal_connect ((gpointer) liferea_shell_lookup ("itemtabs"), "scroll_event",
-	                  G_CALLBACK (on_notebook_scroll_event_null_cb), NULL);
-
-	g_signal_connect (G_OBJECT (shell->window), "delete_event", G_CALLBACK(on_close), NULL);
-	g_signal_connect (G_OBJECT (shell->window), "window_state_event", G_CALLBACK(on_window_state_event), shell);
-	g_signal_connect (G_OBJECT (shell->window), "configure_event", G_CALLBACK(on_configure_event), shell);
-	g_signal_connect (G_OBJECT (shell->window), "key_press_event", G_CALLBACK(on_key_press_event), shell);
+	render_init_theme_colors (GTK_WIDGET (shell->window));
 	g_signal_connect (G_OBJECT (shell->window), "style-updated", G_CALLBACK(liferea_shell_rebuild_css), NULL);
 
 	/* 3.) setup status bar */
@@ -1383,7 +1370,6 @@ liferea_shell_create (GtkApplication *app, const gchar *overrideWindowState, gin
         icons_load ();
 
 	/* 9.) update and restore all menu elements */
-
 	liferea_shell_update_toolbar ();
 	liferea_shell_update_history_actions ();
 	liferea_shell_setup_URL_receiver ();
@@ -1391,20 +1377,8 @@ liferea_shell_create (GtkApplication *app, const gchar *overrideWindowState, gin
 
 	gtk_widget_set_sensitive (GTK_WIDGET (shell->feedlistViewWidget), TRUE);
 
-	/* 10.) After main window is realized get theme colors and set up feed list */
-	// FIXME: this should not be necessary, but style-updated does not
-	// always fire before we get here
-	render_init_theme_colors (GTK_WIDGET (shell->window));
-
+	/* 10.) Set up feed list */
 	shell->feedlist = feedlist_create (feedListView);
-	g_signal_connect (shell->feedlist, "new-items",
-	                  G_CALLBACK (liferea_shell_update_unread_stats), shell->feedlist);
-	g_signal_connect (shell->feedlist, "items-updated",
-	                  G_CALLBACK (liferea_shell_update_node_actions), NULL);
-	g_signal_connect (shell->itemlist, "item-updated",
-	                  G_CALLBACK (liferea_shell_update_node_actions), NULL);
-	g_signal_connect (feedListView, "selection-changed",
-	                  G_CALLBACK (liferea_shell_update_node_actions), NULL);
 
 	/* 11.) Restore latest layout and selection */
 	conf_get_int_value (DEFAULT_VIEW_MODE, &mode);
@@ -1416,7 +1390,31 @@ liferea_shell_create (GtkApplication *app, const gchar *overrideWindowState, gin
 		g_free (id);
 	}
 
-	/* 12. Setup shell plugins */
+	/* 12. Setup shell window signals, only after all widgets are ready */
+	g_signal_connect (shell->feedlist, "new-items",
+	                  G_CALLBACK (liferea_shell_update_unread_stats), shell->feedlist);
+	g_signal_connect (shell->feedlist, "items-updated",
+	                  G_CALLBACK (liferea_shell_update_node_actions), NULL);
+	g_signal_connect (shell->itemlist, "item-updated",
+	                  G_CALLBACK (liferea_shell_update_node_actions), NULL);
+	g_signal_connect (feedListView, "selection-changed",
+	                  G_CALLBACK (liferea_shell_update_node_actions), NULL);
+
+	g_signal_connect ((gpointer) liferea_shell_lookup ("itemtabs"), "key_press_event",
+	                  G_CALLBACK (on_key_press_event_null_cb), NULL);
+
+	g_signal_connect ((gpointer) liferea_shell_lookup ("itemtabs"), "key_release_event",
+	                  G_CALLBACK (on_key_press_event_null_cb), NULL);
+
+	g_signal_connect ((gpointer) liferea_shell_lookup ("itemtabs"), "scroll_event",
+	                  G_CALLBACK (on_notebook_scroll_event_null_cb), NULL);
+
+	g_signal_connect (G_OBJECT (shell->window), "delete_event", G_CALLBACK(on_close), NULL);
+	g_signal_connect (G_OBJECT (shell->window), "window_state_event", G_CALLBACK(on_window_state_event), shell);
+	g_signal_connect (G_OBJECT (shell->window), "configure_event", G_CALLBACK(on_configure_event), shell);
+	g_signal_connect (G_OBJECT (shell->window), "key_press_event", G_CALLBACK(on_key_press_event), shell);
+
+	/* 13. Setup shell plugins */
 	if(0 == pluginsDisabled) {
 		shell->extensions = peas_extension_set_new (PEAS_ENGINE (liferea_plugins_engine_get_default ()),
 				                     LIFEREA_TYPE_SHELL_ACTIVATABLE, "shell", shell, NULL);