diff --git a/securedrop_client/gui/widgets.py b/securedrop_client/gui/widgets.py
index a3151d1059..6bd0ab201c 100644
--- a/securedrop_client/gui/widgets.py
+++ b/securedrop_client/gui/widgets.py
@@ -1283,8 +1283,7 @@ class FileWidget(QWidget):
     def __init__(
         self,
         session: Session,
-        source_db_object: Source,
-        submission_db_object: File,
+        file_uuid: str,
         controller: Controller,
         file_ready_signal: pyqtBoundSignal,
         align="left",
@@ -1299,29 +1298,25 @@ def __init__(
         super().__init__()
         self.session = session
         self.controller = controller
-        self.source = source_db_object
-        self.submission = submission_db_object
-        self.file_uuid = self.submission.uuid
+        self.file_uuid = file_uuid
         self.align = align
 
         self.layout = QHBoxLayout()
         self.update()
         self.setLayout(self.layout)
 
-        file_ready_signal.connect(self._on_file_download)
+        file_ready_signal.connect(self._on_file_download, type=Qt.QueuedConnection)
 
     def update(self):
         icon = QLabel()
         icon.setPixmap(load_image('file.png'))
 
-        # we need to refresh the SQLAlchemy object because it may have been updated in another
-        # thread
-        self.submission = self.session.query(File).get(self.submission.id)
+        file_ = self.session.query(File).filter_by(uuid=self.file_uuid).one()
 
-        if self.submission.is_downloaded:
+        if file_.is_downloaded:
             description = QLabel("Open")
         else:
-            human_filesize = humanize_filesize(self.submission.size)
+            human_filesize = humanize_filesize(file_.size)
             description = QLabel("Download ({})".format(human_filesize))
 
         if self.align != "left":
@@ -1352,12 +1347,12 @@ def mouseReleaseEvent(self, e):
         Handle a completed click via the program logic. The download state
         of the file distinguishes which function in the logic layer to call.
         """
-        if self.submission.is_downloaded:
+        if self.file_is_downloaded:
             # Open the already downloaded file.
-            self.controller.on_file_open(self.submission)
+            self.controller.on_file_open(self.submission_uuid)
         else:
             # Download the file.
-            self.controller.on_submission_download(self.source, self.submission)
+            self.controller.on_submission_download(self.submission_uuid)
 
 
 class ConversationView(QWidget):
@@ -1429,8 +1424,7 @@ def add_file(self, source_db_object, submission_db_object):
         self.conversation_layout.addWidget(
             FileWidget(
                 self.session,
-                source_db_object,
-                submission_db_object,
+                submission_db_object.uuid,
                 self.controller,
                 self.controller.file_ready,
             ),
diff --git a/securedrop_client/logic.py b/securedrop_client/logic.py
index af6bb7d2e5..ce9bf6c453 100644
--- a/securedrop_client/logic.py
+++ b/securedrop_client/logic.py
@@ -566,7 +566,7 @@ def on_file_download_success(self, result: Any):
         """
         Called when a file has downloaded.
         """
-        print(result)
+        print(type(result), result)
         self.file_ready.emit(result)
 
     def on_file_download_failure(self, exception: Exception):