diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/cover_flow.py b/src/calibre/gui2/cover_flow.py
index 67b448e7a6..5c997ca4c0 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/cover_flow.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/cover_flow.py
@@ -209,6 +209,11 @@ class CoverFlow(pictureflow.PictureFlow):
         else:
             super().paintEvent(ev)
 
+    def resizeEvent(self, ev):
+        if ev.oldSize() == QSize(-1, -1):
+            self.created_at = time.monotonic()
+        super().resizeEvent(ev)
+
     def __init__(self, parent=None):
         pictureflow.PictureFlow.__init__(self, parent,
                             config['cover_flow_queue_length']+1)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/ui.py b/src/calibre/gui2/ui.py
index 12b959a5f2..de2f71fbd5 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/ui.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/ui.py
@@ -428,7 +428,6 @@ class Main(MainWindow, MainWindowMixin, DeviceMixin, EmailMixin,  # {{{
             QTimer.singleShot(10, self.show_gui_debug_msg)
 
         self.iactions['Connect Share'].check_smartdevice_menus()
-        QTimer.singleShot(1, self.start_smartdevice)
         QTimer.singleShot(100, self.update_toggle_to_tray_action)
 
     def post_initialize_actions(self, show_gui, do_hide_windows):
@@ -452,6 +451,13 @@ class Main(MainWindow, MainWindowMixin, DeviceMixin, EmailMixin,  # {{{
         # up with the wrong size. I don't know why.
         self.bd_splitter.repaint()
 
+        # Start the smartdevice later so that the network time doesn't affect
+        # the gui repaint debouncing. Wait 3 seconds before starting to be sure
+        # that all other initialization (plugins etc) has completed. Yes, 3
+        # seconds is an arbitrary value and probably too long, but it will do
+        # until the underlying structure changes to make it unnecessary.
+        QTimer.singleShot(3000, self.start_smartdevice)
+
     def start_quickview(self):
         from calibre.gui2.actions.show_quickview import get_quickview_action_plugin
         qv = get_quickview_action_plugin()
@@ -487,13 +493,15 @@ class Main(MainWindow, MainWindowMixin, DeviceMixin, EmailMixin,  # {{{
         self.focus_current_view()
 
     def start_smartdevice(self):
+        timed_print('Starting the smartdevice driver')
         message = None
         if self.device_manager.get_option('smartdevice', 'autostart'):
             try:
                 message = self.device_manager.start_plugin('smartdevice')
-            except:
-                message = 'start smartdevice unknown exception'
-                prints(message)
+                timed_print('Finished starting smartdevice')
+            except Exception as e:
+                message = str(e)
+                timed_print(f'Starting smartdevice driver failed: {message}')
                 import traceback
                 traceback.print_exc()
         if message: