diff --git a/packages/navigator/src/browser/navigator-model.spec.ts b/packages/navigator/src/browser/navigator-model.spec.ts
index 62d3d6f2d8e74..1c39443ccf215 100644
--- a/packages/navigator/src/browser/navigator-model.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/navigator/src/browser/navigator-model.spec.ts
@@ -195,13 +195,6 @@ describe('FileNavigatorModel', () => {
         toRestore.length = 0;
     });
 
-    it('should update the root(s) on receiving a WorkspaceChanged event from the WorkspaceService', done => {
-        sinon.stub(navigatorModel, 'updateRoot').callsFake(() => {
-            done(); // This test would time out if updateRoot() is not called
-        });
-        mockWorkspaceServiceEmitter.fire([]);
-    }).timeout(2000);
-
     describe('updateRoot() function', () => {
         it('should assign "this.root" a WorkspaceNode with WorkspaceRootNodes (one for each root folder in the workspace) as its children', async () => {
             sinon.stub(mockWorkspaceService, 'roots').value([folderA, folderB]);
@@ -215,7 +208,7 @@ describe('FileNavigatorModel', () => {
                 })
             );
 
-            await navigatorModel.updateRoot();
+            await navigatorModel['updateRoot']();
             const thisRoot = navigatorModel['root'] as WorkspaceNode;
             expect(thisRoot).not.to.be.undefined;
             expect(thisRoot.children.length).to.eq(2);
@@ -226,7 +219,7 @@ describe('FileNavigatorModel', () => {
         it('should assign "this.root" undefined if there is no workspace open', async () => {
             sinon.stub(mockWorkspaceService, 'opened').value(false);
 
-            await navigatorModel.updateRoot();
+            await navigatorModel['updateRoot']();
             const thisRoot = navigatorModel['root'] as WorkspaceNode;
             expect(thisRoot).to.be.undefined;
         });
diff --git a/packages/navigator/src/browser/navigator-model.ts b/packages/navigator/src/browser/navigator-model.ts
index 7ae912eb4c64e..d1e0f5b0ecb15 100644
--- a/packages/navigator/src/browser/navigator-model.ts
+++ b/packages/navigator/src/browser/navigator-model.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 import { injectable, inject, postConstruct } from 'inversify';
 import URI from '@theia/core/lib/common/uri';
 import { FileNode, FileTreeModel } from '@theia/filesystem/lib/browser';
-import { OpenerService, open, TreeNode, ExpandableTreeNode } from '@theia/core/lib/browser';
+import { OpenerService, open, TreeNode, ExpandableTreeNode, CompositeTreeNode, SelectableTreeNode } from '@theia/core/lib/browser';
 import { FileNavigatorTree, WorkspaceRootNode, WorkspaceNode } from './navigator-tree';
 import { WorkspaceService } from '@theia/workspace/lib/browser';
 import { FrontendApplicationStateService } from '@theia/core/lib/browser/frontend-application-state';
@@ -32,17 +32,32 @@ export class FileNavigatorModel extends FileTreeModel {
 
     @postConstruct()
     protected init(): void {
-        this.toDispose.push(
-            this.workspaceService.onWorkspaceChanged(event => {
-                this.updateRoot();
-            })
-        );
-        this.toDispose.push(
-            this.workspaceService.onWorkspaceLocationChanged(() => {
-                this.updateRoot();
-            })
-        );
         super.init();
+        this.initializeRoot();
+    }
+
+    protected async initializeRoot(): Promise<void> {
+        await Promise.all([
+            this.applicationState.reachedState('initialized_layout'),
+            this.workspaceService.roots
+        ]);
+        await this.updateRoot();
+        if (this.toDispose.disposed) {
+            return;
+        }
+        this.toDispose.push(this.workspaceService.onWorkspaceChanged(() => this.updateRoot()));
+        this.toDispose.push(this.workspaceService.onWorkspaceLocationChanged(() => this.updateRoot()));
+        if (this.selectedNodes.length) {
+            return;
+        }
+        const root = this.root;
+        if (CompositeTreeNode.is(root) && root.children.length === 1) {
+            const child = root.children[0];
+            if (SelectableTreeNode.is(child) && !child.selected && ExpandableTreeNode.is(child)) {
+                this.selectNode(child);
+                this.expandNode(child);
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     previewNode(node: TreeNode): void {
@@ -72,8 +87,7 @@ export class FileNavigatorModel extends FileTreeModel {
         }
     }
 
-    async updateRoot(): Promise<void> {
-        await this.applicationState.reachedState('initialized_layout');
+    protected async updateRoot(): Promise<void> {
         this.root = await this.createRoot();
     }
 
diff --git a/packages/navigator/src/browser/navigator-widget.tsx b/packages/navigator/src/browser/navigator-widget.tsx
index 686494017f0a6..9c04da1145523 100644
--- a/packages/navigator/src/browser/navigator-widget.tsx
+++ b/packages/navigator/src/browser/navigator-widget.tsx
@@ -21,8 +21,7 @@ import { CommandService, SelectionService } from '@theia/core/lib/common';
 import { CommonCommands, CorePreferences, LabelProvider, ViewContainerTitleOptions, Key } from '@theia/core/lib/browser';
 import {
     ContextMenuRenderer, ExpandableTreeNode,
-    TreeProps, TreeModel, TreeNode,
-    SelectableTreeNode, CompositeTreeNode
+    TreeProps, TreeModel, TreeNode
 } from '@theia/core/lib/browser';
 import { FileTreeWidget, FileNode, DirNode } from '@theia/filesystem/lib/browser';
 import { WorkspaceService, WorkspaceCommands } from '@theia/workspace/lib/browser';
@@ -68,7 +67,6 @@ export class FileNavigatorWidget extends FileTreeWidget {
         super(props, model, contextMenuRenderer);
         this.id = FILE_NAVIGATOR_ID;
         this.addClass(CLASS);
-        this.initialize();
     }
 
     @postConstruct()
@@ -91,21 +89,6 @@ export class FileNavigatorWidget extends FileTreeWidget {
         ]);
     }
 
-    protected async initialize(): Promise<void> {
-        await this.model.updateRoot();
-        if (this.model.selectedNodes.length) {
-            return;
-        }
-        const root = this.model.root;
-        if (CompositeTreeNode.is(root) && root.children.length === 1) {
-            const child = root.children[0];
-            if (SelectableTreeNode.is(child) && !child.selected && ExpandableTreeNode.is(child)) {
-                this.model.selectNode(child);
-                this.model.expandNode(child);
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
     protected doUpdateRows(): void {
         super.doUpdateRows();
         this.title.label = LABEL;