diff --git a/vscode-trace-extension/src/extension.ts b/vscode-trace-extension/src/extension.ts
index ec739c8..6b93491 100644
--- a/vscode-trace-extension/src/extension.ts
+++ b/vscode-trace-extension/src/extension.ts
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ export function activate(context: vscode.ExtensionContext): ExternalAPI {
             await startTraceServerIfAvailable(file.fsPath);
             if (await isTraceServerUp()) {
                 fileOpenHandler(context, file);
-                vscode.commands.executeCommand('setContext', 'trace-explorer.noExperiments', false);
+                vscode.commands.executeCommand('trace-explorer.refreshContext');
             }
         })
     );
@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@ export function activate(context: vscode.ExtensionContext): ExternalAPI {
             await startTraceServerIfAvailable(traceUri.fsPath);
             if (await isTraceServerUp()) {
                 fileOpenHandler(context, traceUri);
+                serverStatusService.updateServerStatus(true);
                 vscode.commands.executeCommand('setContext', 'trace-explorer.noExperiments', false);
             }
         })
@@ -193,24 +194,28 @@ export function activate(context: vscode.ExtensionContext): ExternalAPI {
     );
 
     context.subscriptions.push(
-        vscode.commands.registerCommand('serverStatus.started', () => {
-            serverStatusService.checkAndUpdateServerStatus();
+        vscode.commands.registerCommand('serverStatus.started', async () => {
+            await serverStatusService.updateServerStatus(true);
             if (tracesProvider) {
+                // Trigger webview refresh
                 tracesProvider.postMessagetoWebview(VSCODE_MESSAGES.TRACE_SERVER_STARTED, undefined);
             }
+            // Refresh so that either trace explorer or welcome page is rendered
+            updateNoExperimentsContext();
         })
     );
 
     context.subscriptions.push(
-        vscode.commands.registerCommand('serverStatus.stopped', () => {
-            serverStatusService.checkAndUpdateServerStatus();
+        vscode.commands.registerCommand('serverStatus.stopped', async () => {
+            await serverStatusService.updateServerStatus(false);
         })
     );
 
     context.subscriptions.push(
         vscode.commands.registerCommand('trace-explorer.refreshContext', async () => {
+            // Refresh so that either trace explorer or welcome page is rendered
             const isUp = await isTraceServerUp();
-            vscode.commands.executeCommand('setContext', 'traceViewer.serverUp', isUp);
+            await serverStatusService.updateServerStatus(isUp);
             if (isUp) {
                 await updateNoExperimentsContext();
             }
@@ -219,9 +224,13 @@ export function activate(context: vscode.ExtensionContext): ExternalAPI {
 
     vscode.commands.executeCommand('setContext', 'traceViewer.markerSetsPresent', false);
     vscode.commands.executeCommand('setContext', 'traceViewer.markerCategoriesPresent', false);
-    vscode.commands.executeCommand('setContext', 'trace-explorer.noExperiments', true);
+
+    // Initialize noExperiments/serverUp in a way so that trace explorer webviews are initialized
+    vscode.commands.executeCommand('setContext', 'trace-explorer.noExperiments', false);
+    vscode.commands.executeCommand('setContext', 'traceViewer.serverUp', true);
+
+    // Refresh to trigger rendering trace explorer or welcome page
     vscode.commands.executeCommand('trace-explorer.refreshContext');
-    serverStatusService.checkAndUpdateServerStatus();
     return traceExtensionAPI;
 }
 
diff --git a/vscode-trace-extension/src/trace-explorer/available-views/trace-explorer-available-views-webview-provider.ts b/vscode-trace-extension/src/trace-explorer/available-views/trace-explorer-available-views-webview-provider.ts
index e60a6bf..5e283cd 100644
--- a/vscode-trace-extension/src/trace-explorer/available-views/trace-explorer-available-views-webview-provider.ts
+++ b/vscode-trace-extension/src/trace-explorer/available-views/trace-explorer-available-views-webview-provider.ts
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ export class TraceExplorerAvailableViewsProvider extends AbstractTraceExplorerPr
                 const data: any = message.data;
                 switch (command) {
                     case VSCODE_MESSAGES.CONNECTION_STATUS:
-                        if (data && data.status) {
+                        if (data?.status) {
                             const status: boolean = JSON.parse(message.data.status);
                             this._statusService.updateServerStatus(status);
                         }
diff --git a/vscode-trace-extension/src/trace-explorer/opened-traces/trace-explorer-opened-traces-webview-provider.ts b/vscode-trace-extension/src/trace-explorer/opened-traces/trace-explorer-opened-traces-webview-provider.ts
index b9e72b3..69c795f 100644
--- a/vscode-trace-extension/src/trace-explorer/opened-traces/trace-explorer-opened-traces-webview-provider.ts
+++ b/vscode-trace-extension/src/trace-explorer/opened-traces/trace-explorer-opened-traces-webview-provider.ts
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ export class TraceExplorerOpenedTracesViewProvider extends AbstractTraceExplorer
                 const data: any = message.data;
                 switch (command) {
                     case VSCODE_MESSAGES.CONNECTION_STATUS:
-                        if (data && data.status) {
+                        if (data?.status) {
                             const status: boolean = JSON.parse(message.data.status);
                             this._statusService.updateServerStatus(status);
                         }
diff --git a/vscode-trace-extension/src/trace-viewer-panel/trace-viewer-webview-panel.ts b/vscode-trace-extension/src/trace-viewer-panel/trace-viewer-webview-panel.ts
index 7a4c298..cc835db 100644
--- a/vscode-trace-extension/src/trace-viewer-panel/trace-viewer-webview-panel.ts
+++ b/vscode-trace-extension/src/trace-viewer-panel/trace-viewer-webview-panel.ts
@@ -255,7 +255,8 @@ export class TraceViewerPanel {
                         return;
                     case VSCODE_MESSAGES.CONNECTION_STATUS:
                         if (message.data?.status && this._statusService) {
-                            this._statusService.checkAndUpdateServerStatus();
+                            const status: boolean = JSON.parse(message.data.status);
+                            this._statusService.updateServerStatus(status);
                         }
                         return;
                     case VSCODE_MESSAGES.SHOW_MARKER_CATEGORIES:
diff --git a/vscode-trace-extension/src/utils/trace-server-status.ts b/vscode-trace-extension/src/utils/trace-server-status.ts
index 9f1dfc2..8c3e53f 100644
--- a/vscode-trace-extension/src/utils/trace-server-status.ts
+++ b/vscode-trace-extension/src/utils/trace-server-status.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { ThemeColor, StatusBarItem } from 'vscode';
 import { isTraceServerUp } from './backend-tsp-client-provider';
+import * as vscode from 'vscode';
 
 export class TraceServerConnectionStatusService {
     private statusBarItem: StatusBarItem;
@@ -11,9 +12,14 @@ export class TraceServerConnectionStatusService {
 
     public checkAndUpdateServerStatus = async (): Promise<void> => {
         const isUp = await isTraceServerUp();
-        this.render(isUp);
+        await this.updateServerStatus(isUp);
     };
 
+    public async updateServerStatus(status: boolean): Promise<void> {
+        await vscode.commands.executeCommand('setContext', 'traceViewer.serverUp', status);
+        this.render(status);
+    }
+
     private render = (status: boolean): void => {
         if (status) {
             this.statusBarItem.backgroundColor = new ThemeColor('statusBarItem.warningBackground');