diff --git a/devtools/client/debugger/src/actions/navigation.js b/devtools/client/debugger/src/actions/navigation.js
index d8b54db5631a..fb84fad27ddd 100644
--- a/devtools/client/debugger/src/actions/navigation.js
+++ b/devtools/client/debugger/src/actions/navigation.js
@@ -8,9 +8,10 @@ import { clearDocuments } from "../utils/editor";
 import sourceQueue from "../utils/source-queue";
 
 import { updateThreads } from "./threads";
+import { evaluateExpressions } from "./expressions";
 
 import { clearWasmStates } from "../utils/wasm";
-import { getMainThread } from "../selectors";
+import { getMainThread, getThreadContext } from "../selectors";
 import type { Action, ThunkArgs } from "./types";
 
 /**
@@ -51,9 +52,9 @@ export function connect(
   traits: Object,
   isWebExtension: boolean
 ) {
-  return async function({ dispatch }: ThunkArgs) {
+  return async function({ dispatch, getState }: ThunkArgs) {
     await dispatch(updateThreads());
-    dispatch(
+    await dispatch(
       ({
         type: "CONNECT",
         mainThread: {
@@ -66,6 +67,9 @@ export function connect(
         isWebExtension,
       }: Action)
     );
+
+    const cx = getThreadContext(getState());
+    dispatch(evaluateExpressions(cx));
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/devtools/client/debugger/src/actions/tests/navigation.spec.js b/devtools/client/debugger/src/actions/tests/navigation.spec.js
index 50b7c0b66aa1..4e1e4fb6b250 100644
--- a/devtools/client/debugger/src/actions/tests/navigation.spec.js
+++ b/devtools/client/debugger/src/actions/tests/navigation.spec.js
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ describe("navigation", () => {
     const { dispatch, getState } = createStore({
       fetchThreads: async () => [],
       getMainThread: () => "FakeThread",
+      evaluateExpressions: () => {},
     });
     await dispatch(
       actions.connect("http://test.com/foo", "actor", false, false)
diff --git a/devtools/client/debugger/src/components/SecondaryPanes/Expressions.js b/devtools/client/debugger/src/components/SecondaryPanes/Expressions.js
index f9fab8c258ea..cba4c4729e8f 100644
--- a/devtools/client/debugger/src/components/SecondaryPanes/Expressions.js
+++ b/devtools/client/debugger/src/components/SecondaryPanes/Expressions.js
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ type Props = {
   clearAutocomplete: typeof actions.clearAutocomplete,
   addExpression: typeof actions.addExpression,
   clearExpressionError: typeof actions.clearExpressionError,
-  evaluateExpressions: typeof actions.evaluateExpressions,
   updateExpression: typeof actions.updateExpression,
   deleteExpression: typeof actions.deleteExpression,
   openLink: typeof actions.openLink,
@@ -81,11 +80,7 @@ class Expressions extends Component<Props, State> {
   }
 
   componentDidMount() {
-    const { cx, expressions, evaluateExpressions, showInput } = this.props;
-
-    if (expressions.length > 0) {
-      evaluateExpressions(cx);
-    }
+    const { showInput } = this.props;
 
     // Ensures that the input is focused when the "+"
     // is clicked while the panel is collapsed
@@ -404,7 +399,6 @@ export default connect<Props, OwnProps, _, _, _, _>(
     clearAutocomplete: actions.clearAutocomplete,
     addExpression: actions.addExpression,
     clearExpressionError: actions.clearExpressionError,
-    evaluateExpressions: actions.evaluateExpressions,
     updateExpression: actions.updateExpression,
     deleteExpression: actions.deleteExpression,
     openLink: actions.openLink,