diff --git a/main/commons/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/common/vaults/Vault.java b/main/commons/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/common/vaults/Vault.java
index 56e889c44..8eafd14a2 100644
--- a/main/commons/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/common/vaults/Vault.java
+++ b/main/commons/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/common/vaults/Vault.java
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ public class Vault {
 	@Deprecated(forRemoval = true, since = "1.5.0")
 	public static final Predicate<Vault> NOT_LOCKED = hasState(VaultState.LOCKED).negate();
 	private static final Logger LOG = LoggerFactory.getLogger(Vault.class);
-	private static final String MASTERKEY_FILENAME = "masterkey.cryptomator";
+	private static final String MASTERKEY_FILENAME = "masterkey.cryptomator"; // TODO: deduplicate constant declared in multiple classes
 	private static final Path HOME_DIR = Paths.get(SystemUtils.USER_HOME);
 
 	private final VaultSettings vaultSettings;
diff --git a/main/commons/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/common/vaults/VaultComponent.java b/main/commons/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/common/vaults/VaultComponent.java
index 763d6bb43..58abd2d37 100644
--- a/main/commons/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/common/vaults/VaultComponent.java
+++ b/main/commons/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/common/vaults/VaultComponent.java
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@ public interface VaultComponent {
 		@BindsInstance
 		Builder vaultSettings(VaultSettings vaultSettings);
 
+		@BindsInstance
+		Builder initialVaultState(VaultState vaultState);
+
 		VaultComponent build();
 	}
 
diff --git a/main/commons/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/common/vaults/VaultFactory.java b/main/commons/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/common/vaults/VaultFactory.java
index 584cdd8f8..da8361723 100644
--- a/main/commons/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/common/vaults/VaultFactory.java
+++ b/main/commons/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/common/vaults/VaultFactory.java
@@ -9,14 +9,20 @@
 package org.cryptomator.common.vaults;
 
 import org.cryptomator.common.settings.VaultSettings;
+import org.cryptomator.cryptofs.CryptoFileSystemProvider;
+import org.cryptomator.cryptofs.migration.Migrators;
 
 import javax.inject.Inject;
 import javax.inject.Singleton;
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.nio.file.Path;
 import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;
 import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentMap;
 
 @Singleton
 public class VaultFactory {
+	
+	private static final String MASTERKEY_FILENAME = "masterkey.cryptomator"; // TODO: deduplicate constant declared in multiple classes
 
 	private final VaultComponent.Builder vaultComponentBuilder;
 	private final ConcurrentMap<VaultSettings, Vault> vaults = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();
@@ -31,8 +37,23 @@ public class VaultFactory {
 	}
 
 	private Vault create(VaultSettings vaultSettings) {
-		VaultComponent comp = vaultComponentBuilder.vaultSettings(vaultSettings).build();
+		VaultState vaultState = determineVaultState(vaultSettings.path().get());
+		VaultComponent comp = vaultComponentBuilder.vaultSettings(vaultSettings).initialVaultState(vaultState).build();
 		return comp.vault();
 	}
 
+	private VaultState determineVaultState(Path pathToVault) {
+		try {
+			if (!CryptoFileSystemProvider.containsVault(pathToVault, MASTERKEY_FILENAME)) {
+				return VaultState.MISSING;
+			} else if (Migrators.get().needsMigration(pathToVault, MASTERKEY_FILENAME)) {
+				return VaultState.NEEDS_MIGRATION;
+			} else {
+				return VaultState.LOCKED;
+			}
+		} catch (IOException e) {
+			return VaultState.ERROR;
+		}
+	}
+
 }
diff --git a/main/commons/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/common/vaults/VaultModule.java b/main/commons/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/common/vaults/VaultModule.java
index 24cc5cdf8..f9c6b9177 100644
--- a/main/commons/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/common/vaults/VaultModule.java
+++ b/main/commons/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/common/vaults/VaultModule.java
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ public class VaultModule {
 
 	@Provides
 	@PerVault
-	public ObjectProperty<VaultState> provideVaultState() {
-		return new SimpleObjectProperty<>(VaultState.LOCKED);
+	public ObjectProperty<VaultState> provideVaultState(VaultState initialState) {
+		return new SimpleObjectProperty<>(initialState);
 	}
 
 	@Provides
diff --git a/main/commons/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/common/vaults/VaultState.java b/main/commons/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/common/vaults/VaultState.java
index 85e7dc570..a25ce59fa 100644
--- a/main/commons/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/common/vaults/VaultState.java
+++ b/main/commons/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/common/vaults/VaultState.java
@@ -1,6 +1,34 @@
 package org.cryptomator.common.vaults;
 
 public enum VaultState {
-	LOCKED, PROCESSING, UNLOCKED;
+	/**
+	 * No vault found at the provided path 
+	 */
+	MISSING,
+
+	/**
+	 * Vault requires migration to a newer vault format
+	 */
+	NEEDS_MIGRATION,
+
+	/**
+	 * Vault ready to be unlocked
+	 */
+	LOCKED,
+
+	/**
+	 * Vault in transition between two other states
+	 */
+	PROCESSING,
+
+	/**
+	 * Vault is unlocked
+	 */
+	UNLOCKED,
+
+	/**
+	 * Unknown state due to preceeding unrecoverable exceptions.
+	 */
+	ERROR;
 
 }
diff --git a/main/ui/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/ui/addvaultwizard/CreateNewVaultPasswordController.java b/main/ui/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/ui/addvaultwizard/CreateNewVaultPasswordController.java
index f53f0f2d6..e0bde4514 100644
--- a/main/ui/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/ui/addvaultwizard/CreateNewVaultPasswordController.java
+++ b/main/ui/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/ui/addvaultwizard/CreateNewVaultPasswordController.java
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ import static java.nio.charset.StandardCharsets.US_ASCII;
 public class CreateNewVaultPasswordController implements FxController {
 
 	private static final Logger LOG = LoggerFactory.getLogger(CreateNewVaultPasswordController.class);
-	private static final String MASTERKEY_FILENAME = "masterkey.cryptomator";
+	private static final String MASTERKEY_FILENAME = "masterkey.cryptomator"; // TODO: deduplicate constant declared in multiple classes
 
 	private final Stage window;
 	private final Lazy<Scene> chooseLocationScene;
diff --git a/main/ui/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/ui/controllers/ChangePasswordController.java b/main/ui/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/ui/controllers/ChangePasswordController.java
index eb1ad1614..43e0e5547 100644
--- a/main/ui/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/ui/controllers/ChangePasswordController.java
+++ b/main/ui/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/ui/controllers/ChangePasswordController.java
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ import java.util.Optional;
 public class ChangePasswordController implements ViewController {
 
 	private static final Logger LOG = LoggerFactory.getLogger(ChangePasswordController.class);
-	private static final String MASTERKEY_FILENAME = "masterkey.cryptomator";
+	private static final String MASTERKEY_FILENAME = "masterkey.cryptomator"; // TODO: deduplicate constant declared in multiple classes
 
 	private final Application app;
 	private final PasswordStrengthUtil strengthRater;
diff --git a/main/ui/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/ui/controls/DirectoryListCell.java b/main/ui/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/ui/controls/DirectoryListCell.java
index 9be78013c..b2fe76d4b 100644
--- a/main/ui/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/ui/controls/DirectoryListCell.java
+++ b/main/ui/src/main/java/org/cryptomator/ui/controls/DirectoryListCell.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import javafx.scene.layout.VBox;
 import javafx.scene.paint.Color;
 import javafx.scene.paint.Paint;
 
+@Deprecated(forRemoval = true, since = "1.5.0")
 public class DirectoryListCell extends DraggableListCell<Vault> {
 
 	private static final Color UNLOCKED_ICON_COLOR = new Color(0.901, 0.494, 0.133, 1.0);