diff --git a/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/arduino-ide-backend-module.ts b/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/arduino-ide-backend-module.ts
index 1cf4f39af..169a728a9 100644
--- a/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/arduino-ide-backend-module.ts
+++ b/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/arduino-ide-backend-module.ts
@@ -203,6 +203,7 @@ export default new ContainerModule((bind, unbind, isBound, rebind) => {
 
   // Shared port/board discovery for the server
   bind(BoardDiscovery).toSelf().inSingletonScope();
+  bind(BackendApplicationContribution).toService(BoardDiscovery);
 
   // Core service -> `verify` and `upload`. Singleton per BE, each FE connection gets its proxy.
   bind(ConnectionContainerModule).toConstantValue(
@@ -350,10 +351,10 @@ export default new ContainerModule((bind, unbind, isBound, rebind) => {
   bind(ILogger)
     .toDynamicValue((ctx) => {
       const parentLogger = ctx.container.get<ILogger>(ILogger);
-      return parentLogger.child('discovery');
+      return parentLogger.child('discovery-log'); // TODO: revert
     })
     .inSingletonScope()
-    .whenTargetNamed('discovery');
+    .whenTargetNamed('discovery-log'); // TODO: revert
 
   // Logger for the CLI config service. From the CLI config (FS path aware), we make a URI-aware app config.
   bind(ILogger)
diff --git a/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/board-discovery.ts b/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/board-discovery.ts
index f2d2dcb41..448d48e42 100644
--- a/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/board-discovery.ts
+++ b/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/board-discovery.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
-import { injectable, inject, postConstruct, named } from '@theia/core/shared/inversify';
+import { injectable, inject, named } from '@theia/core/shared/inversify';
 import { ClientDuplexStream } from '@grpc/grpc-js';
 import { ILogger } from '@theia/core/lib/common/logger';
 import { deepClone } from '@theia/core/lib/common/objects';
-import { CoreClientAware, CoreClientProvider } from './core-client-provider';
+import { CoreClientAware } from './core-client-provider';
 import {
   BoardListWatchRequest,
   BoardListWatchResponse,
@@ -14,31 +14,49 @@ import {
   AvailablePorts,
   AttachedBoardsChangeEvent,
 } from '../common/protocol';
+import { Emitter, Event } from '@theia/core/lib/common/event';
+import { DisposableCollection } from '@theia/core/lib/common/disposable';
+import { Disposable } from '@theia/core/shared/vscode-languageserver-protocol';
+import { ArduinoCoreServiceClient } from './cli-protocol/cc/arduino/cli/commands/v1/commands_grpc_pb';
+import { v4 } from 'uuid';
+import { ServiceError } from './service-error';
+import { BackendApplicationContribution } from '@theia/core/lib/node';
+import { Deferred } from '@theia/core/lib/common/promise-util';
+
+type Duplex = ClientDuplexStream<BoardListWatchRequest, BoardListWatchResponse>;
+interface StreamWrapper extends Disposable {
+  readonly stream: Duplex;
+  readonly uuid: string; // For logging only
+}
 
 /**
  * Singleton service for tracking the available ports and board and broadcasting the
- * changes to all connected frontend instances. \
+ * changes to all connected frontend instances.
+ *
  * Unlike other services, this is not connection scoped.
  */
 @injectable()
-export class BoardDiscovery extends CoreClientAware {
+export class BoardDiscovery
+  extends CoreClientAware
+  implements BackendApplicationContribution
+{
   @inject(ILogger)
-  @named('discovery')
-  protected discoveryLogger: ILogger;
+  @named('discovery-log')
+  private readonly logger: ILogger;
 
   @inject(NotificationServiceServer)
-  protected readonly notificationService: NotificationServiceServer;
+  private readonly notificationService: NotificationServiceServer;
 
-  // Used to know if the board watch process is already running to avoid
-  // starting it multiple times
-  private watching: boolean;
-
-  protected boardWatchDuplex:
-    | ClientDuplexStream<BoardListWatchRequest, BoardListWatchResponse>
-    | undefined;
+  private watching: Deferred<void> | undefined;
+  private stopping: Deferred<void> | undefined;
+  private wrapper: StreamWrapper | undefined;
+  private readonly onStreamDidEndEmitter = new Emitter<void>(); // sent from the CLI when the discovery process is killed for example after the indexes update and the core client re-initialization.
+  private readonly onStreamDidCancelEmitter = new Emitter<void>(); // when the watcher is canceled by the IDE2
+  private readonly toDisposeOnStopWatch = new DisposableCollection();
 
   /**
-   * Keys are the `address` of the ports. \
+   * Keys are the `address` of the ports.
+   *
    * The `protocol` is ignored because the board detach event does not carry the protocol information,
    * just the address.
    * ```json
@@ -48,57 +66,173 @@ export class BoardDiscovery extends CoreClientAware {
    * }
    * ```
    */
-  protected _state: AvailablePorts = {};
-  get state(): AvailablePorts {
-    return this._state;
+  private _availablePorts: AvailablePorts = {};
+  get availablePorts(): AvailablePorts {
+    return this._availablePorts;
   }
 
-  @postConstruct()
-  protected async init(): Promise<void> {
-    this.coreClient.then((client) => this.startBoardListWatch(client));
+  onStart(): void {
+    this.start();
+    this.onClientDidRefresh(() => this.restart());
   }
 
-  stopBoardListWatch(coreClient: CoreClientProvider.Client): Promise<void> {
-    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-      if (!this.boardWatchDuplex) {
-        return resolve();
-      }
+  private async restart(): Promise<void> {
+    this.logger.info('restarting before stop');
+    await this.stop();
+    this.logger.info('restarting after stop');
+    return this.start();
+  }
 
-      const { instance } = coreClient;
-      const req = new BoardListWatchRequest();
-      req.setInstance(instance);
-      try {
-        this.boardWatchDuplex.write(req.setInterrupt(true), resolve);
-      } catch (e) {
-        this.discoveryLogger.error(e);
-        resolve();
-      }
-    });
+  onStop(): void {
+    this.stop();
   }
 
-  startBoardListWatch(coreClient: CoreClientProvider.Client): void {
-    if (this.watching) {
-      // We want to avoid starting the board list watch process multiple
-      // times to meet unforseen consequences
+  async stop(restart = false): Promise<void> {
+    this.logger.info('stop');
+    if (this.stopping) {
+      this.logger.info('stop already stopping');
+      return this.stopping.promise;
+    }
+    if (!this.watching) {
       return;
     }
-    this.watching = true;
-    const { client, instance } = coreClient;
-    const req = new BoardListWatchRequest();
-    req.setInstance(instance);
-    this.boardWatchDuplex = client.boardListWatch();
-    this.boardWatchDuplex.on('end', () => {
-      this.watching = false;
-      console.info('board watch ended');
+    this.stopping = new Deferred();
+    this.logger.info('>>> Stopping boards watcher...');
+    return new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
+      const timeout = this.createTimeout(10_000, reject);
+      const toDispose = new DisposableCollection();
+      const waitForEvent = (event: Event<unknown>) =>
+        event(() => {
+          this.logger.info('stop received event: either end or cancel');
+          toDispose.dispose();
+          this.stopping?.resolve();
+          this.stopping = undefined;
+          this.logger.info('stop stopped');
+          resolve();
+          if (restart) {
+            this.start();
+          }
+        });
+      toDispose.pushAll([
+        timeout,
+        waitForEvent(this.onStreamDidEndEmitter.event),
+        waitForEvent(this.onStreamDidCancelEmitter.event),
+      ]);
+      this.logger.info('Canceling boards watcher...');
+      this.toDisposeOnStopWatch.dispose();
     });
-    this.boardWatchDuplex.on('close', () => {
-      this.watching = false;
-      console.info('board watch ended');
+  }
+
+  private createTimeout(
+    after: number,
+    onTimeout: (error: Error) => void
+  ): Disposable {
+    const timer = setTimeout(
+      () => onTimeout(new Error(`Timed out after ${after} ms.`)),
+      after
+    );
+    return Disposable.create(() => clearTimeout(timer));
+  }
+
+  private async requestStartWatch(
+    req: BoardListWatchRequest,
+    duplex: Duplex
+  ): Promise<void> {
+    return new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
+      if (
+        !duplex.write(req, (err: Error | undefined) => {
+          if (err) {
+            reject(err);
+            return;
+          }
+        })
+      ) {
+        duplex.once('drain', resolve);
+      } else {
+        process.nextTick(resolve);
+      }
     });
-    this.boardWatchDuplex.on('data', (resp: BoardListWatchResponse) => {
+  }
+
+  private async createWrapper(
+    client: ArduinoCoreServiceClient
+  ): Promise<StreamWrapper> {
+    if (this.wrapper) {
+      throw new Error(`Duplex was already set.`);
+    }
+    const stream = client
+      .boardListWatch()
+      .on('end', () => {
+        this.logger.info('received end');
+        this.onStreamDidEndEmitter.fire();
+      })
+      .on('error', (error) => {
+        this.logger.info('error received');
+        if (ServiceError.isCancel(error)) {
+          this.logger.info('cancel error received!');
+          this.onStreamDidCancelEmitter.fire();
+        } else {
+          this.logger.error(
+            'Unexpected error occurred during the boards discovery.',
+            error
+          );
+          // TODO: terminate? restart? reject?
+        }
+      });
+    const wrapper = {
+      stream,
+      uuid: v4(),
+      dispose: () => {
+        this.logger.info('disposing requesting cancel');
+        // Cancelling the stream will kill the discovery `builtin:mdns-discovery process`.
+        // The client (this class) will receive a `{"eventType":"quit","error":""}` response from the CLI.
+        stream.cancel();
+        this.logger.info('disposing canceled');
+        this.wrapper = undefined;
+      },
+    };
+    this.toDisposeOnStopWatch.pushAll([
+      wrapper,
+      Disposable.create(() => {
+        this.watching?.reject(new Error(`Stopping watcher.`));
+        this.watching = undefined;
+      }),
+    ]);
+    return wrapper;
+  }
+
+  private toJson(arg: BoardListWatchRequest | BoardListWatchResponse): string {
+    let object: Record<string, unknown> | undefined = undefined;
+    if (arg instanceof BoardListWatchRequest) {
+      object = BoardListWatchRequest.toObject(false, arg);
+    } else if (arg instanceof BoardListWatchResponse) {
+      object = BoardListWatchResponse.toObject(false, arg);
+    } else {
+      throw new Error(`Unhandled object type: ${arg}`);
+    }
+    return JSON.stringify(object);
+  }
+
+  async start(): Promise<void> {
+    this.logger.info('start');
+    if (this.stopping) {
+      this.logger.info('start is stopping wait');
+      await this.stopping.promise;
+      this.logger.info('start stopped');
+    }
+    if (this.watching) {
+      this.logger.info('start already watching');
+      return this.watching.promise;
+    }
+    this.watching = new Deferred();
+    this.logger.info('start new deferred');
+    const { client, instance } = await this.coreClient;
+    const wrapper = await this.createWrapper(client);
+    wrapper.stream.on('data', async (resp: BoardListWatchResponse) => {
+      this.logger.info('onData', this.toJson(resp));
       if (resp.getEventType() === 'quit') {
-        this.watching = false;
-        console.info('board watch ended');
+        this.logger.info('quit received');
+        this.stop();
         return;
       }
 
@@ -117,8 +251,8 @@ export class BoardDiscovery extends CoreClientAware {
           throw new Error(`Unexpected event type: '${resp.getEventType()}'`);
         }
 
-        const oldState = deepClone(this._state);
-        const newState = deepClone(this._state);
+        const oldState = deepClone(this._availablePorts);
+        const newState = deepClone(this._availablePorts);
 
         const address = (detectedPort as any).getPort().getAddress();
         const protocol = (detectedPort as any).getPort().getProtocol();
@@ -130,7 +264,9 @@ export class BoardDiscovery extends CoreClientAware {
         // protocols.
         const portID = `${address}|${protocol}`;
         const label = (detectedPort as any).getPort().getLabel();
-        const protocolLabel = (detectedPort as any).getPort().getProtocolLabel();
+        const protocolLabel = (detectedPort as any)
+          .getPort()
+          .getProtocolLabel();
         const port = {
           id: portID,
           address,
@@ -150,8 +286,10 @@ export class BoardDiscovery extends CoreClientAware {
         if (eventType === 'add') {
           if (newState[portID]) {
             const [, knownBoards] = newState[portID];
-            console.warn(
-              `Port '${Port.toString(port)}' was already available. Known boards before override: ${JSON.stringify(
+            this.logger.warn(
+              `Port '${Port.toString(
+                port
+              )}' was already available. Known boards before override: ${JSON.stringify(
                 knownBoards
               )}`
             );
@@ -159,7 +297,9 @@ export class BoardDiscovery extends CoreClientAware {
           newState[portID] = [port, boards];
         } else if (eventType === 'remove') {
           if (!newState[portID]) {
-            console.warn(`Port '${Port.toString(port)}' was not available. Skipping`);
+            this.logger.warn(
+              `Port '${Port.toString(port)}' was not available. Skipping`
+            );
             return;
           }
           delete newState[portID];
@@ -180,14 +320,21 @@ export class BoardDiscovery extends CoreClientAware {
           },
         };
 
-        this._state = newState;
+        this._availablePorts = newState;
         this.notificationService.notifyAttachedBoardsDidChange(event);
       }
     });
-    this.boardWatchDuplex.write(req);
+    this.logger.info('start request start watch');
+    await this.requestStartWatch(
+      new BoardListWatchRequest().setInstance(instance),
+      wrapper.stream
+    );
+    this.logger.info('start requested start watch');
+    this.watching.resolve();
+    this.logger.info('start resolved watching');
   }
 
-  getAttachedBoards(state: AvailablePorts = this.state): Board[] {
+  getAttachedBoards(state: AvailablePorts = this.availablePorts): Board[] {
     const attachedBoards: Board[] = [];
     for (const portID of Object.keys(state)) {
       const [, boards] = state[portID];
@@ -196,7 +343,7 @@ export class BoardDiscovery extends CoreClientAware {
     return attachedBoards;
   }
 
-  getAvailablePorts(state: AvailablePorts = this.state): Port[] {
+  getAvailablePorts(state: AvailablePorts = this.availablePorts): Port[] {
     const availablePorts: Port[] = [];
     for (const portID of Object.keys(state)) {
       const [port] = state[portID];
diff --git a/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/boards-service-impl.ts b/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/boards-service-impl.ts
index 98cdcb7fb..5f2e1e64e 100644
--- a/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/boards-service-impl.ts
+++ b/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/boards-service-impl.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { injectable, inject, named } from '@theia/core/shared/inversify';
+import { injectable, inject } from '@theia/core/shared/inversify';
 import { ILogger } from '@theia/core/lib/common/logger';
 import { notEmpty } from '@theia/core/lib/common/objects';
 import {
@@ -50,10 +50,6 @@ export class BoardsServiceImpl
   @inject(ILogger)
   protected logger: ILogger;
 
-  @inject(ILogger)
-  @named('discovery')
-  protected discoveryLogger: ILogger;
-
   @inject(ResponseService)
   protected readonly responseService: ResponseService;
 
@@ -64,7 +60,7 @@ export class BoardsServiceImpl
   protected readonly boardDiscovery: BoardDiscovery;
 
   async getState(): Promise<AvailablePorts> {
-    return this.boardDiscovery.state;
+    return this.boardDiscovery.availablePorts;
   }
 
   async getAttachedBoards(): Promise<Board[]> {
@@ -414,7 +410,7 @@ export class BoardsServiceImpl
     console.info('>>> Starting boards package installation...', item);
 
     // stop the board discovery
-    await this.boardDiscovery.stopBoardListWatch(coreClient);
+    await this.boardDiscovery.stop();
 
     const resp = client.platformInstall(req);
     resp.on(
@@ -426,7 +422,7 @@ export class BoardsServiceImpl
     );
     await new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
       resp.on('end', () => {
-        this.boardDiscovery.startBoardListWatch(coreClient);
+        this.boardDiscovery.start(); // TODO: remove discovery dependency from boards service. See https://github.com/arduino/arduino-ide/pull/1107 why this is here.
         resolve();
       });
       resp.on('error', (error) => {
@@ -465,7 +461,7 @@ export class BoardsServiceImpl
     console.info('>>> Starting boards package uninstallation...', item);
 
     // stop the board discovery
-    await this.boardDiscovery.stopBoardListWatch(coreClient);
+    await this.boardDiscovery.stop();
 
     const resp = client.platformUninstall(req);
     resp.on(
@@ -477,7 +473,7 @@ export class BoardsServiceImpl
     );
     await new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
       resp.on('end', () => {
-        this.boardDiscovery.startBoardListWatch(coreClient);
+        this.boardDiscovery.start(); // TODO: remove discovery dependency from boards service. See https://github.com/arduino/arduino-ide/pull/1107 why this is here.
         resolve();
       });
       resp.on('error', reject);
diff --git a/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/core-client-provider.ts b/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/core-client-provider.ts
index 3258ef829..449f28ab5 100644
--- a/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/core-client-provider.ts
+++ b/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/core-client-provider.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import {
   injectable,
   postConstruct,
 } from '@theia/core/shared/inversify';
-import { Emitter } from '@theia/core/lib/common/event';
+import { Emitter, Event } from '@theia/core/lib/common/event';
 import { ArduinoCoreServiceClient } from './cli-protocol/cc/arduino/cli/commands/v1/commands_grpc_pb';
 import { Instance } from './cli-protocol/cc/arduino/cli/commands/v1/common_pb';
 import {
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ export class CoreClientProvider {
   private readonly onClientReadyEmitter =
     new Emitter<CoreClientProvider.Client>();
   private readonly onClientReady = this.onClientReadyEmitter.event;
+  private readonly onClientDidRefreshEmitter =
+    new Emitter<CoreClientProvider.Client>();
 
   @postConstruct()
   protected init(): void {
@@ -88,6 +90,10 @@ export class CoreClientProvider {
     return this.pending.promise;
   }
 
+  get onClientDidRefresh(): Event<CoreClientProvider.Client> {
+    return this.onClientDidRefreshEmitter.event;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Encapsulates both the gRPC core client creation (`CreateRequest`) and initialization (`InitRequest`).
    */
@@ -253,6 +259,7 @@ export class CoreClientProvider {
         await this.initInstance(client);
         // notify clients about the index update only after the client has been "re-initialized" and the new content is available.
         progressHandler.reportEnd();
+        this.onClientDidRefreshEmitter.fire(client);
       } catch (err) {
         console.error('Failed to update indexes', err);
         progressHandler.reportError(
@@ -404,6 +411,10 @@ export abstract class CoreClientAware {
   protected get coreClient(): Promise<CoreClientProvider.Client> {
     return this.coreClientProvider.client;
   }
+
+  protected get onClientDidRefresh(): Event<CoreClientProvider.Client> {
+    return this.coreClientProvider.onClientDidRefresh;
+  }
 }
 
 class IndexUpdateRequiredBeforeInitError extends Error {
diff --git a/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/library-service-impl.ts b/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/library-service-impl.ts
index 42ad456c4..e0d3be567 100644
--- a/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/library-service-impl.ts
+++ b/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/library-service-impl.ts
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ export class LibraryServiceImpl
     console.info('>>> Starting library package installation...', item);
 
     // stop the board discovery
-    await this.boardDiscovery.stopBoardListWatch(coreClient);
+    await this.boardDiscovery.stop();
 
     const resp = client.libraryInstall(req);
     resp.on(
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ export class LibraryServiceImpl
     );
     await new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
       resp.on('end', () => {
-        this.boardDiscovery.startBoardListWatch(coreClient);
+        this.boardDiscovery.start(); // TODO: remove discovery dependency from boards service. See https://github.com/arduino/arduino-ide/pull/1107 why this is here.
         resolve();
       });
       resp.on('error', (error) => {
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ export class LibraryServiceImpl
     }
 
     // stop the board discovery
-    await this.boardDiscovery.stopBoardListWatch(coreClient);
+    await this.boardDiscovery.stop();
 
     const resp = client.zipLibraryInstall(req);
     resp.on(
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ export class LibraryServiceImpl
     );
     await new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
       resp.on('end', () => {
-        this.boardDiscovery.startBoardListWatch(coreClient);
+        this.boardDiscovery.start(); // TODO: remove discovery dependency from boards service. See https://github.com/arduino/arduino-ide/pull/1107 why this is here.
         resolve();
       });
       resp.on('error', reject);
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ export class LibraryServiceImpl
     console.info('>>> Starting library package uninstallation...', item);
 
     // stop the board discovery
-    await this.boardDiscovery.stopBoardListWatch(coreClient);
+    await this.boardDiscovery.stop();
 
     const resp = client.libraryUninstall(req);
     resp.on(
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ export class LibraryServiceImpl
     );
     await new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
       resp.on('end', () => {
-        this.boardDiscovery.startBoardListWatch(coreClient);
+        this.boardDiscovery.start(); // TODO: remove discovery dependency from boards service. See https://github.com/arduino/arduino-ide/pull/1107 why this is here.
         resolve();
       });
       resp.on('error', reject);
diff --git a/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/service-error.ts b/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/service-error.ts
index 3abbbc0b0..a56cf13ea 100644
--- a/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/service-error.ts
+++ b/arduino-ide-extension/src/node/service-error.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@ import { Metadata, StatusObject } from '@grpc/grpc-js';
 
 export type ServiceError = StatusObject & Error;
 export namespace ServiceError {
+  export function isCancel(arg: unknown): arg is ServiceError & { code: 1 } {
+    return is(arg) && arg.code === 1; // https://grpc.github.io/grpc/core/md_doc_statuscodes.html
+  }
   export function is(arg: unknown): arg is ServiceError {
     return arg instanceof Error && isStatusObjet(arg);
   }