diff --git a/AndroidManifest.xml b/AndroidManifest.xml
index c72d106..47278bb 100644
--- a/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@
     <original-package android:name="com.android.launcher2" />
 
     <permission
+        android:name="com.android.launcher.permission.PRELOAD_WORKSPACE"
+        android:permissionGroup="android.permission-group.SYSTEM_TOOLS"
+        android:protectionLevel="system|signature" />
+    <permission
         android:name="com.android.launcher.permission.INSTALL_SHORTCUT"
         android:permissionGroup="android.permission-group.SYSTEM_TOOLS"
         android:protectionLevel="normal"
@@ -103,6 +107,15 @@
             </intent-filter>
         </activity>
 
+        <!-- Intent received used to prepopulate the default workspace. -->
+        <receiver
+            android:name="com.android.launcher2.PreloadReceiver"
+            android:permission="com.android.launcher.permission.PRELOAD_WORKSPACE">
+            <intent-filter>
+                <action android:name="com.android.launcher.action.PRELOAD_WORKSPACE" />
+            </intent-filter>
+        </receiver>
+
         <!-- Intent received used to install shortcuts from other applications -->
         <receiver
             android:name="com.android.launcher2.InstallShortcutReceiver"
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher2/LauncherProvider.java b/src/com/android/launcher2/LauncherProvider.java
index 4cf87d2..0720259 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher2/LauncherProvider.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher2/LauncherProvider.java
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@
 
     private static final String DATABASE_NAME = "launcher.db";
 
-    private static final int DATABASE_VERSION = 11;
+    private static final int DATABASE_VERSION = 12;
 
     static final String AUTHORITY = "com.android.launcher2.settings";
 
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@
         return mOpenHelper.generateNewId();
     }
 
-    public void loadDefaultFavoritesIfNecessary() {
+    synchronized public void loadDefaultFavoritesIfNecessary() {
         String spKey = LauncherApplication.getSharedPreferencesKey();
         SharedPreferences sp = getContext().getSharedPreferences(spKey, Context.MODE_PRIVATE);
         if (sp.getBoolean(DB_CREATED_BUT_DEFAULT_WORKSPACE_NOT_LOADED, false)) {
@@ -477,14 +477,15 @@
                 version = 9;
             }
 
-            // We bumped the version twice during JB, once to update the launch flags, and once to
-            // update the override for the default launch animation.
-            if (version < 11) {
+            // We bumped the version three time during JB, once to update the launch flags, once to
+            // update the override for the default launch animation and once to set the mimetype
+            // to improve startup performance
+            if (version < 12) {
                 // Contact shortcuts need a different set of flags to be launched now
                 // The updateContactsShortcuts change is idempotent, so we can keep using it like
                 // back in the Donut days
                 updateContactsShortcuts(db);
-                version = 11;
+                version = 12;
             }
 
             if (version != DATABASE_VERSION) {
@@ -540,6 +541,9 @@
                                     newIntent.putExtra(
                                             Launcher.INTENT_EXTRA_IGNORE_LAUNCH_ANIMATION, true);
                                     newIntent.setData(uri);
+                                    // Determine the type and also put that in the shortcut
+                                    // (that can speed up launch a bit)
+                                    newIntent.setDataAndType(uri, newIntent.resolveType(mContext));
 
                                     final ContentValues values = new ContentValues();
                                     values.put(LauncherSettings.Favorites.INTENT,
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher2/PreloadReceiver.java b/src/com/android/launcher2/PreloadReceiver.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d1bc639
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher2/PreloadReceiver.java
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2012 The Android Open Source Project
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+package com.android.launcher2;
+
+import android.content.BroadcastReceiver;
+import android.content.Context;
+import android.content.Intent;
+import android.util.Log;
+
+public class PreloadReceiver extends BroadcastReceiver {
+    @Override
+    public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
+        final LauncherApplication app = (LauncherApplication) context.getApplicationContext();
+        final LauncherProvider provider = app.getLauncherProvider();
+        if (provider != null) {
+            new Thread(new Runnable() {
+                public void run() {
+                    provider.loadDefaultFavoritesIfNecessary();
+                }
+            }).start();
+        }
+    }
+}