diff --git a/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/arduino-frontend-contribution.tsx b/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/arduino-frontend-contribution.tsx
index b653f452..85c733bc 100644
--- a/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/arduino-frontend-contribution.tsx
+++ b/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/arduino-frontend-contribution.tsx
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ import { WorkspaceServiceExt } from './workspace-service-ext';
 import { ToolOutputServiceClient } from '../common/protocol/tool-output-service';
 import { ConfirmDialog } from '@theia/core/lib/browser';
 import { QuickPickService } from '@theia/core/lib/common/quick-pick-service';
+import { BoardsListWidgetFrontendContribution } from './boards/boards-widget-frontend-contribution';
+import { BoardsNotificationService } from './boards-notification-service';
 
 
 @injectable()
@@ -37,6 +39,12 @@ export class ArduinoFrontendContribution extends DefaultFrontendApplicationContr
     @inject(QuickPickService)
     protected readonly quickPickService: QuickPickService;
 
+    @inject(BoardsListWidgetFrontendContribution)
+    protected readonly boardsListWidgetFrontendContribution: BoardsListWidgetFrontendContribution;
+
+    @inject(BoardsNotificationService)
+    protected readonly boardsNotificationService: BoardsNotificationService;
+
     @postConstruct()
     protected async init(): Promise<void> {
         // This is a hack. Otherwise, the backend services won't bind.
@@ -60,7 +68,12 @@ export class ArduinoFrontendContribution extends DefaultFrontendApplicationContr
         });
         registry.registerItem({
             id: ConnectedBoards.TOOLBAR_ID,
-            render: () => <ConnectedBoards boardsService={this.boardService} quickPickService={this.quickPickService} />,
+            render: () => <ConnectedBoards
+                boardsService={this.boardService}
+                boardsNotificationService={this.boardsNotificationService}
+                quickPickService={this.quickPickService}
+                onNoBoardsInstalled={this.onNoBoardsInstalled.bind(this)}
+                onUnknownBoard={this.onUnknownBoard.bind(this)} />,
             isVisible: widget => this.isArduinoEditor(widget)
         })
     }
@@ -103,6 +116,25 @@ export class ArduinoFrontendContribution extends DefaultFrontendApplicationContr
         });
     }
 
+    private async onNoBoardsInstalled() {
+        const action = await this.messageService.info("You have no boards installed. Use the boards mangager to install one.", "Open Boards Manager");
+        if (!action) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        this.boardsListWidgetFrontendContribution.openView({reveal: true});
+    }
+
+    private async onUnknownBoard() {
+        const action = await this.messageService.warn("There's a board connected for which you need to install software." +
+            " If this were not a PoC we would offer you the right package now.", "Open Boards Manager");
+        if (!action) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        this.boardsListWidgetFrontendContribution.openView({reveal: true});
+    }
+
     private isArduinoEditor(maybeEditorWidget: any): boolean {
         if (maybeEditorWidget instanceof EditorWidget) {
             return maybeEditorWidget.editor.uri.toString().endsWith('.ino');
diff --git a/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/arduino-frontend-module.ts b/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/arduino-frontend-module.ts
index 5ce6fa32..97688bd2 100644
--- a/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/arduino-frontend-module.ts
+++ b/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/arduino-frontend-module.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import { ToolOutputServiceClient } from '../common/protocol/tool-output-service'
 import '../../src/browser/style/index.css';
 import { ToolOutputService } from '../common/protocol/tool-output-service';
 import { ToolOutputServiceClientImpl } from './tool-output/client-service-impl';
+import { BoardsNotificationService } from './boards-notification-service';
 
 export default new ContainerModule((bind: interfaces.Bind, unbind: interfaces.Unbind, isBound: interfaces.IsBound, rebind: interfaces.Rebind) => {
     // Commands and toolbar items
@@ -44,6 +45,10 @@ export default new ContainerModule((bind: interfaces.Bind, unbind: interfaces.Un
     }));
     bind(FrontendApplicationContribution).toService(LibraryListWidgetFrontendContribution);
 
+    // Boards Notification service for updating boards list
+    // TODO (post-PoC): move this to boards service/backend
+    bind(BoardsNotificationService).toSelf().inSingletonScope();
+
     // Boards service
     bind(BoardsService).toDynamicValue(context => WebSocketConnectionProvider.createProxy(context.container, BoardsServicePath)).inSingletonScope();
 
diff --git a/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/boards-notification-service.ts b/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/boards-notification-service.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0d529685
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/boards-notification-service.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import { EventEmitter } from "events";
+import { injectable } from "inversify";
+
+// TODO (post-PoC): move this to the backend / BoardsService
+@injectable()
+export class BoardsNotificationService {
+
+    protected readonly emitter = new EventEmitter();
+
+    public on(event: 'boards-installed', listener: (...args: any[]) => void): this {
+        this.emitter.on(event, listener);
+        return this;
+    }
+
+    public notifyBoardsInstalled() {
+        this.emitter.emit('boards-installed');
+    }
+
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/boards/list-widget.tsx b/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/boards/list-widget.tsx
index 46d5b469..a4be44fc 100644
--- a/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/boards/list-widget.tsx
+++ b/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/boards/list-widget.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ import { Message } from '@phosphor/messaging';
 import { ReactWidget } from '@theia/core/lib/browser/widgets/react-widget';
 import { WindowService } from '@theia/core/lib/browser/window/window-service';
 import { FilterableListContainer } from '../components/component-list/filterable-list-container';
-import { BoardsService } from '../../common/protocol/boards-service';
+import { BoardsService, Board, BoardPackage } from '../../common/protocol/boards-service';
+import { BoardsNotificationService } from '../boards-notification-service';
 
 @injectable()
 export abstract class ListWidget extends ReactWidget {
@@ -15,6 +16,9 @@ export abstract class ListWidget extends ReactWidget {
     @inject(WindowService)
     protected readonly windowService: WindowService;
 
+    @inject(BoardsNotificationService)
+    protected readonly boardsNotificationService: BoardsNotificationService;
+
     constructor() {
         super();
         const { id, title, iconClass } = this.widgetProps();
@@ -46,8 +50,19 @@ export abstract class ListWidget extends ReactWidget {
     }
 
     render(): React.ReactNode {
+        const boardsServiceDelegate = this.boardsService;
+        const boardsService: BoardsService = {
+            getAttachedBoards: () => boardsServiceDelegate.getAttachedBoards(),
+            selectBoard: (board: Board) => boardsServiceDelegate.selectBoard(board),
+            getSelectBoard: () => boardsServiceDelegate.getSelectBoard(),
+            search: (options: { query?: string }) => boardsServiceDelegate.search(options),
+            install: async (item: BoardPackage) => {
+                await boardsServiceDelegate.install(item);
+                this.boardsNotificationService.notifyBoardsInstalled();
+            }
+        }
         return <FilterableListContainer
-            service={this.boardsService}
+            service={boardsService}
             windowService={this.windowService}
         />;
     }
diff --git a/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/components/connected-boards.tsx b/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/components/connected-boards.tsx
index 7a95765f..163e2e72 100644
--- a/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/components/connected-boards.tsx
+++ b/arduino-ide-extension/src/browser/components/connected-boards.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import * as React from 'react';
 import { BoardsService, Board } from '../../common/protocol/boards-service';
 // import { SelectBoardDialog } from './select-board-dialog';
 import { QuickPickService } from '@theia/core/lib/common/quick-pick-service';
+import { BoardsNotificationService } from '../boards-notification-service';
 
 export class ConnectedBoards extends React.Component<ConnectedBoards.Props, ConnectedBoards.State> {
     static TOOLBAR_ID: 'connected-boards-toolbar';
@@ -9,6 +10,8 @@ export class ConnectedBoards extends React.Component<ConnectedBoards.Props, Conn
     constructor(props: ConnectedBoards.Props) {
         super(props);
         this.state = { boardsLoading: false };
+
+        props.boardsNotificationService.on('boards-installed', () => this.onBoardsInstalled());
     }
 
     render(): React.ReactNode {
@@ -44,14 +47,34 @@ export class ConnectedBoards extends React.Component<ConnectedBoards.Props, Conn
         this.reloadBoards();
     }
 
+    protected onBoardsInstalled() {
+        if (!!this.findUnknownBoards()) {
+            this.reloadBoards();
+        }
+    }
+
+    protected findUnknownBoards(): Board[] {
+        if (!this.state || !this.state.boards) {
+            return [];
+        }
+
+        return this.state.boards.filter(b => !b.fqbn || b.name === "unknown");
+    }
+
     protected async reloadBoards() {
-        this.setState({ boardsLoading: true, boards: undefined, selection: undefined });
+        const prevSelection = this.state.selection;
+        this.setState({ boardsLoading: true, boards: undefined, selection: "loading" });
         const { boards } = await this.props.boardsService.getAttachedBoards()
-        this.setState({ boards, boardsLoading: false });
+        this.setState({ boards, boardsLoading: false, selection: prevSelection });
 
         if (boards) {
             this.setState({ selection: "0" });
             await this.props.boardsService.selectBoard(boards[0]);
+
+            const unknownBoards = this.findUnknownBoards();
+            if (unknownBoards && unknownBoards.length > 0) {
+                this.props.onUnknownBoard(unknownBoards[0]);
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -85,6 +108,11 @@ export class ConnectedBoards extends React.Component<ConnectedBoards.Props, Conn
         const idx = new Map<string, Board>();
         items.filter(pkg => !!pkg.installedVersion).forEach(pkg => pkg.boards.forEach(brd => idx.set(`${brd.name}`, brd) ));
 
+        if (idx.size === 0) {
+            this.props.onNoBoardsInstalled();
+            return;
+        }
+
         const selection = await this.props.quickPickService.show(Array.from(idx.keys()));
         if (!selection) {
             return;
@@ -99,7 +127,10 @@ export namespace ConnectedBoards {
 
     export interface Props {
         readonly boardsService: BoardsService;
+        readonly boardsNotificationService: BoardsNotificationService;
         readonly quickPickService: QuickPickService;
+        readonly onNoBoardsInstalled: () => void;
+        readonly onUnknownBoard: (board: Board) => void;
     }
 
     export interface State {
diff --git a/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/boards-service-impl.ts b/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/boards-service-impl.ts
index 29a646d4..cb46bb40 100644
--- a/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/boards-service-impl.ts
+++ b/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/boards-service-impl.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { BoardsService, AttachedSerialBoard, AttachedNetworkBoard, BoardPackage,
 import { PlatformSearchReq, PlatformSearchResp, PlatformInstallReq, PlatformInstallResp, PlatformListReq, PlatformListResp } from './cli-protocol/core_pb';
 import { CoreClientProvider } from './core-client-provider';
 import { BoardListReq, BoardListResp } from './cli-protocol/board_pb';
+import { ToolOutputServiceServer } from '../common/protocol/tool-output-service';
 
 @injectable()
 export class BoardsServiceImpl implements BoardsService {
@@ -10,6 +11,9 @@ export class BoardsServiceImpl implements BoardsService {
     @inject(CoreClientProvider)
     protected readonly coreClientProvider: CoreClientProvider;
 
+    @inject(ToolOutputServiceServer)
+    protected readonly toolOutputService: ToolOutputServiceServer;
+
     protected selectedBoard: Board | undefined;
 
     public async getAttachedBoards(): Promise<{ boards: Board[] }> {
@@ -100,8 +104,8 @@ export class BoardsServiceImpl implements BoardsService {
         const resp = client.platformInstall(req);
         resp.on('data', (r: PlatformInstallResp) => {
             const prog = r.getProgress();
-            if (prog) {
-                console.info(`downloading ${prog.getFile()}: ${prog.getCompleted()}%`)
+            if (prog && prog.getFile()) {
+                this.toolOutputService.publishNewOutput("board download", `downloading ${prog.getFile()}\n`)
             }
         });
         await new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
diff --git a/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/core-client-provider-impl.ts b/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/core-client-provider-impl.ts
index 9b224d7d..4d75cadd 100644
--- a/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/core-client-provider-impl.ts
+++ b/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/core-client-provider-impl.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ import { FileSystem } from '@theia/filesystem/lib/common';
 import URI from '@theia/core/lib/common/uri';
 import { CoreClientProvider, Client } from './core-client-provider';
 import * as PQueue from 'p-queue';
+import { ToolOutputServiceServer } from '../common/protocol/tool-output-service';
+import { Instance } from './cli-protocol/common_pb';
 
 @injectable()
 export class CoreClientProviderImpl implements CoreClientProvider {
@@ -19,6 +21,9 @@ export class CoreClientProviderImpl implements CoreClientProvider {
     @inject(WorkspaceServiceExt)
     protected readonly workspaceServiceExt: WorkspaceServiceExt;
 
+    @inject(ToolOutputServiceServer)
+    protected readonly toolOutputService: ToolOutputServiceServer;
+
     protected clients = new Map<string, Client>();
 
     async getClient(workspaceRootOrResourceUri?: string): Promise<Client> {
@@ -69,24 +74,20 @@ export class CoreClientProviderImpl implements CoreClientProvider {
             throw new Error(`Could not retrieve instance from the initialize response.`);
         }
 
-        // workaround to speed up startup on existing workspaces
-        const updateReq = new UpdateIndexReq();
-        updateReq.setInstance(instance);
-        const updateResp = client.updateIndex(updateReq);
-        updateResp.on('data', (o: UpdateIndexResp) => {
-            const progress = o.getDownloadProgress();
-            if (progress) {
-                if (progress.getCompleted()) {
-                    console.log(`Download${progress.getFile() ? ` of ${progress.getFile()}` : ''} completed.`);
-                } else {
-                    console.log(`Downloading${progress.getFile() ? ` ${progress.getFile()}:` : ''} ${progress.getDownloaded()}.`);
-                }
+        // in a seperate promise, try and update the index
+        let succeeded = true;
+        for (let i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
+            try {
+                await this.updateIndex(client, instance);
+                succeeded = true;
+                break;
+            } catch (e) {
+                this.toolOutputService.publishNewOutput("daemon", `Error while updating index in attempt ${i}: ${e}`);
             }
-        });
-        await new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
-            updateResp.on('error', reject);
-            updateResp.on('end', resolve);
-        });
+        }
+        if (!succeeded) {
+            this.toolOutputService.publishNewOutput("daemon", `Was unable to update the index. Please restart to try again.`);
+        }
 
         const result = {
             client,
@@ -96,4 +97,23 @@ export class CoreClientProviderImpl implements CoreClientProvider {
         console.info(` <<< New client has been successfully created and cached for ${rootUri}.`);
         return result;
     }
+
+    protected async updateIndex(client: ArduinoCoreClient, instance: Instance): Promise<void> {
+        const updateReq = new UpdateIndexReq();
+        updateReq.setInstance(instance);
+        const updateResp = client.updateIndex(updateReq);
+        updateResp.on('data', (o: UpdateIndexResp) => {
+            const progress = o.getDownloadProgress();
+            if (progress) {
+                if (progress.getCompleted()) {
+                    this.toolOutputService.publishNewOutput("daemon", `Download${progress.getFile() ? ` of ${progress.getFile()}` : ''} completed.\n`);
+                }
+            }
+        });
+        await new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
+            updateResp.on('error', reject);
+            updateResp.on('end', resolve);
+        });
+    }
+
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/known-issues.txt b/known-issues.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..250112b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/known-issues.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+Known issues:
+    - arduino-cli does not get stopped reliably upon app shutdown
+    - startup time is not as fast we'd like to have it