diff --git a/packages/vscode-extension/lib/wrapper.js b/packages/vscode-extension/lib/wrapper.js
index 8475f07ad..dde960c86 100644
--- a/packages/vscode-extension/lib/wrapper.js
+++ b/packages/vscode-extension/lib/wrapper.js
@@ -395,14 +395,12 @@ export function AppWrapper({ children, initialProps, fabric }) {
         appKey,
         navigationPlugins: navigationPlugins.map((plugin) => plugin.name),
       });
-      devtoolsAgent._bridge.send("RNIDE_devtoolPluginsChanged", {
-        plugins: Array.from(devtoolPlugins.values()),
-      });
       devtoolPluginsChanged = () => {
         devtoolsAgent._bridge.send("RNIDE_devtoolPluginsChanged", {
           plugins: Array.from(devtoolPlugins.values()),
         });
       };
+      devtoolPluginsChanged();
       return () => {
         devtoolPluginsChanged = undefined;
       };
diff --git a/packages/vscode-extension/src/webview/components/PreviewLoader.css b/packages/vscode-extension/src/webview/components/PreviewLoader.css
index 062026ce1..748b991f7 100644
--- a/packages/vscode-extension/src/webview/components/PreviewLoader.css
+++ b/packages/vscode-extension/src/webview/components/PreviewLoader.css
@@ -3,6 +3,32 @@
   cursor: pointer;
 }
 
+.preview-loader-center-pad {
+  flex: 1;
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  align-items: center;
+  width: 75%;
+}
+
+.preview-loader-waiting-actions {
+  position: relative;
+  bottom: 0;
+  overflow: visible;
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  gap: 1em;
+  align-items: stretch;
+}
+
+.preview-loader-waiting-actions a {
+  text-decoration: none;
+  color: inherit;
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  align-content: stretch;
+}
+
 .preview-loader-button-group {
   display: flex;
   justify-content: space-between;
@@ -26,6 +52,11 @@
   width: 100%;
 }
 
+.preview-loader-submessage {
+  width: 100%;
+  margin-bottom: 8px;
+}
+
 .preview-loader-slow-progress {
   text-decoration: underline;
 }
diff --git a/packages/vscode-extension/src/webview/components/PreviewLoader.tsx b/packages/vscode-extension/src/webview/components/PreviewLoader.tsx
index 076027c91..ddc9eb5f5 100644
--- a/packages/vscode-extension/src/webview/components/PreviewLoader.tsx
+++ b/packages/vscode-extension/src/webview/components/PreviewLoader.tsx
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import ProgressBar from "./shared/ProgressBar";
 
 import { StartupMessage, StartupStageWeight } from "../../common/Project";
 import { useProject } from "../providers/ProjectProvider";
+import Button from "./shared/Button";
 
 const startupStageWeightSum = StartupStageWeight.map((item) => item.weight).reduce(
   (acc, cur) => acc + cur,
@@ -48,9 +49,9 @@ function PreviewLoader({ onRequestShowPreview }: { onRequestShowPreview: () => v
   useEffect(() => {
     setIsLoadingSlowly(false);
 
-    // we show the slow loading message after 30 seconds for each phase,
+    // we show the slow loading message after 12 seconds for each phase,
     // but for the native build phase we show it after 5 seconds.
-    let timeoutMs = 30_000;
+    let timeoutMs = 12_000;
     if (projectState.startupMessage === StartupMessage.Building) {
       timeoutMs = 5_000;
     }
@@ -72,8 +73,12 @@ function PreviewLoader({ onRequestShowPreview }: { onRequestShowPreview: () => v
     }
   }
 
+  const isWaitingForApp = projectState.startupMessage === StartupMessage.WaitingForAppToLoad;
+  const isBuilding = projectState.startupMessage === StartupMessage.Building;
+
   return (
     <>
+      <div className="preview-loader-center-pad" />
       <button className="preview-loader-container" onClick={handleLoaderClick}>
         <div className="preview-loader-button-group">
           <StartupMessageComponent
@@ -82,9 +87,7 @@ function PreviewLoader({ onRequestShowPreview }: { onRequestShowPreview: () => v
               isLoadingSlowly && "preview-loader-slow-progress"
             )}>
             {projectState.startupMessage}
-            {isLoadingSlowly && projectState.startupMessage === StartupMessage.Building
-              ? " (open logs)"
-              : ""}
+            {isLoadingSlowly && isBuilding ? " (open logs)" : ""}
           </StartupMessageComponent>
           {projectState.stageProgress !== undefined && (
             <div className="preview-loader-stage-progress">
@@ -94,6 +97,32 @@ function PreviewLoader({ onRequestShowPreview }: { onRequestShowPreview: () => v
         </div>
       </button>
       <ProgressBar progress={progress} />
+      <div className="preview-loader-center-pad">
+        {isLoadingSlowly && isWaitingForApp && (
+          <>
+            <div className="preview-loader-submessage">
+              Loading app takes longer than expected. If nothing happens after a while try the below
+              options to troubleshoot:
+            </div>
+            <div className="preview-loader-waiting-actions">
+              <Button type="secondary" onClick={() => project.focusExtensionLogsOutput()}>
+                <span className="codicon codicon-output" /> Open Radon IDE Logs
+              </Button>
+              <Button type="secondary" onClick={onRequestShowPreview}>
+                <span className="codicon codicon-open-preview" /> Force show device screen
+              </Button>
+              <a href="https://ide.swmansion.com/docs/guides/troubleshooting" target="_blank">
+                <Button type="secondary">
+                  <span className="codicon codicon-browser" /> Visit troubleshoot guide
+                </Button>
+              </a>
+              <Button type="secondary" onClick={() => project.restart("all")}>
+                <span className="codicon codicon-refresh" /> Clean rebuild project
+              </Button>
+            </div>
+          </>
+        )}
+      </div>
     </>
   );
 }