diff --git a/extension.ts b/extension.ts
index 082598d14..46e949428 100644
--- a/extension.ts
+++ b/extension.ts
@@ -58,7 +58,11 @@ export async function getAndUpdateModeHandler(): Promise<ModeHandler> {
     }
   } else {
     previousActiveEditorId = activeEditorId;
-    await curHandler.updateView(curHandler.vimState, { drawSelection: false, revealRange: false });
+    await curHandler.updateView(curHandler.vimState, {
+      drawSelection: false,
+      revealRange: false,
+      forceSetContext: false,
+    });
   }
 
   if (prevHandler && curHandler.vimState.focusChanged) {
@@ -238,7 +242,7 @@ export async function activate(context: vscode.ExtensionContext) {
   // Initialize mode handler for current active Text Editor at startup.
   if (vscode.window.activeTextEditor) {
     let mh = await getAndUpdateModeHandler();
-    mh.updateView(mh.vimState, { drawSelection: false, revealRange: false });
+    mh.updateView(mh.vimState, { drawSelection: false, revealRange: false, forceSetContext: true });
   }
 
   // This is called last because getAndUpdateModeHandler() will change cursor
@@ -337,7 +341,11 @@ async function handleActiveEditorChange(): Promise<void> {
     if (vscode.window.activeTextEditor !== undefined) {
       const mh = await getAndUpdateModeHandler();
 
-      mh.updateView(mh.vimState, { drawSelection: false, revealRange: false });
+      mh.updateView(mh.vimState, {
+        drawSelection: false,
+        revealRange: false,
+        forceSetContext: true,
+      });
     }
   });
 }
diff --git a/src/mode/modeHandler.ts b/src/mode/modeHandler.ts
index 011f893ac..0c90383e2 100644
--- a/src/mode/modeHandler.ts
+++ b/src/mode/modeHandler.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ export class ModeHandler implements vscode.Disposable {
   private _disposables: vscode.Disposable[] = [];
   private _modes: Mode[];
   private _remappers: Remappers;
+  private _prevMode: ModeName;
 
   public vimState: VimState;
 
@@ -256,7 +257,11 @@ export class ModeHandler implements vscode.Disposable {
         }
       }
 
-      await this.updateView(this.vimState, { drawSelection: toDraw, revealRange: true });
+      await this.updateView(this.vimState, {
+        drawSelection: toDraw,
+        revealRange: true,
+        forceSetContext: false,
+      });
     }
   }
 
@@ -1179,9 +1184,10 @@ export class ModeHandler implements vscode.Disposable {
 
   public async updateView(
     vimState: VimState,
-    args: { drawSelection: boolean; revealRange: boolean } = {
+    args: { drawSelection: boolean; revealRange: boolean; forceSetContext: boolean } = {
       drawSelection: true,
       revealRange: true,
+      forceSetContext: false,
     }
   ): Promise<void> {
     // Draw selection (or cursor)
@@ -1396,11 +1402,15 @@ export class ModeHandler implements vscode.Disposable {
 
     this._renderStatusBar();
 
-    await vscode.commands.executeCommand(
-      'setContext',
-      'vim.mode',
-      ModeName[this.vimState.currentMode]
-    );
+    // Only update the context if the mode has changed for performance reasons
+    if (args.forceSetContext || this._prevMode !== this.vimState.currentMode) {
+      this._prevMode = this.vimState.currentMode;
+      await vscode.commands.executeCommand(
+        'setContext',
+        'vim.mode',
+        ModeName[this.vimState.currentMode]
+      );
+    }
   }
 
   private _renderStatusBar(): void {