diff --git a/mantidimaging/gui/windows/live_viewer/model.py b/mantidimaging/gui/windows/live_viewer/model.py
index 9d41dfd01d0..44b5400eb38 100644
--- a/mantidimaging/gui/windows/live_viewer/model.py
+++ b/mantidimaging/gui/windows/live_viewer/model.py
@@ -100,7 +100,6 @@ def path(self, path: Path) -> None:
         self._dataset_path = path
         self.image_watcher = ImageWatcher(path)
         self.image_watcher.image_changed.connect(self._handle_image_changed_in_list)
-        self.image_watcher.find_images()
 
     def _handle_image_changed_in_list(self, image_files: list[Image_Data]) -> None:
         """
@@ -113,6 +112,15 @@ def _handle_image_changed_in_list(self, image_files: list[Image_Data]) -> None:
         self.images = image_files
         self.presenter.update_image_list(image_files)
 
+    def get_images(self) -> None:
+        """
+        Trigger the image watcher to find images in the directory
+        in case images are already present.
+        """
+        if self.image_watcher:
+            image_files = self.image_watcher.find_images()
+            self._handle_image_changed_in_list(image_files)
+
 
 class ImageWatcher(QObject):
     """
diff --git a/mantidimaging/gui/windows/live_viewer/view.py b/mantidimaging/gui/windows/live_viewer/view.py
index aec0de7237e..6d530177223 100644
--- a/mantidimaging/gui/windows/live_viewer/view.py
+++ b/mantidimaging/gui/windows/live_viewer/view.py
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ def __init__(self, main_window: 'MainWindowView', live_dir_path: Path) -> None:
         self.move(self.main_window.x() + self.main_window.width(), self.main_window.y())
 
         self.live_viewer.z_slider.valueChanged.connect(self.presenter.select_image)
+        self.presenter.model.get_images()
 
     def show_most_recent_image(self, image: np.ndarray) -> None:
         """
@@ -49,6 +50,10 @@ def watch_directory(self) -> None:
         """Show the most recent image arrived in the selected directory"""
         self.presenter.set_dataset_path(self.path)
 
+    def load_exisitng_images(self) -> None:
+        """Load the existing images in the selected directory if present"""
+        self.presenter.model.get_images()
+
     def remove_image(self) -> None:
         """Remove the image from the view."""
         self.live_viewer.handle_deleted()