diff --git a/clang-tools-extra/clangd/ClangdServer.cpp b/clang-tools-extra/clangd/ClangdServer.cpp
--- a/clang-tools-extra/clangd/ClangdServer.cpp
+++ b/clang-tools-extra/clangd/ClangdServer.cpp
@@ -170,16 +170,20 @@
   if (Opts.StaticIndex)
     AddIndex(Opts.StaticIndex);
   if (Opts.BackgroundIndex) {
+    BackgroundIndex::Options BGOpts;
+    BGOpts.ThreadPoolSize = std::max(Opts.AsyncThreadsCount, 1u);
+    BGOpts.OnProgress = [Callbacks](BackgroundQueue::Stats S) {
+      if (Callbacks)
+        Callbacks->onBackgroundIndexProgress(S);
+    };
+    BGOpts.ContextProvider = [this](PathRef P) {
+      return createProcessingContext(P);
+    };
     BackgroundIdx = std::make_unique<BackgroundIndex>(
-        Context::current().clone(), TFS, CDB,
+        TFS, CDB,
         BackgroundIndexStorage::createDiskBackedStorageFactory(
             [&CDB](llvm::StringRef File) { return CDB.getProjectInfo(File); }),
-        std::max(Opts.AsyncThreadsCount, 1u),
-        [Callbacks](BackgroundQueue::Stats S) {
-          if (Callbacks)
-            Callbacks->onBackgroundIndexProgress(S);
-        },
-        [this](PathRef P) { return createProcessingContext(P); });
+        std::move(BGOpts));
     AddIndex(BackgroundIdx.get());
   }
   if (DynamicIdx)
diff --git a/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/Background.h b/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/Background.h
--- a/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/Background.h
+++ b/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/Background.h
@@ -124,22 +124,26 @@
 
 // Builds an in-memory index by by running the static indexer action over
 // all commands in a compilation database. Indexing happens in the background.
-// FIXME: it should also persist its state on disk for fast start.
 // FIXME: it should watch for changes to files on disk.
 class BackgroundIndex : public SwapIndex {
 public:
-  /// If BuildIndexPeriodMs is greater than 0, the symbol index will only be
-  /// rebuilt periodically (one per \p BuildIndexPeriodMs); otherwise, index is
-  /// rebuilt for each indexed file.
-  BackgroundIndex(
-      Context BackgroundContext, const ThreadsafeFS &,
-      const GlobalCompilationDatabase &CDB,
-      BackgroundIndexStorage::Factory IndexStorageFactory,
-      // Arbitrary value to ensure some concurrency in tests.
-      // In production an explicit value is passed.
-      size_t ThreadPoolSize = 4,
-      std::function<void(BackgroundQueue::Stats)> OnProgress = nullptr,
-      std::function<Context(PathRef)> ContextProvider = nullptr);
+  struct Options {
+    // Arbitrary value to ensure some concurrency in tests.
+    // In production an explicit value is specified.
+    size_t ThreadPoolSize = 4;
+    // Callback that provides notifications as indexing makes progress.
+    std::function<void(BackgroundQueue::Stats)> OnProgress = nullptr;
+    // Function called to obtain the Context to use while indexing the specified
+    // file. Called with the empty string for other tasks.
+    // (When called, the context from BackgroundIndex construction is active).
+    std::function<Context(PathRef)> ContextProvider = nullptr;
+  };
+
+  /// Creates a new background index and starts its threads.
+  /// The current Context will be propagated to each worker thread.
+  BackgroundIndex(const ThreadsafeFS &, const GlobalCompilationDatabase &CDB,
+                  BackgroundIndexStorage::Factory IndexStorageFactory,
+                  Options Opts);
   ~BackgroundIndex(); // Blocks while the current task finishes.
 
   // Enqueue translation units for indexing.
@@ -183,7 +187,6 @@
   // configuration
   const ThreadsafeFS &TFS;
   const GlobalCompilationDatabase &CDB;
-  Context BackgroundContext;
   std::function<Context(PathRef)> ContextProvider;
 
   llvm::Error index(tooling::CompileCommand);
diff --git a/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/Background.cpp b/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/Background.cpp
--- a/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/Background.cpp
+++ b/clang-tools-extra/clangd/index/Background.cpp
@@ -90,28 +90,25 @@
 } // namespace
 
 BackgroundIndex::BackgroundIndex(
-    Context BackgroundContext, const ThreadsafeFS &TFS,
-    const GlobalCompilationDatabase &CDB,
-    BackgroundIndexStorage::Factory IndexStorageFactory, size_t ThreadPoolSize,
-    std::function<void(BackgroundQueue::Stats)> OnProgress,
-    std::function<Context(PathRef)> ContextProvider)
+    const ThreadsafeFS &TFS, const GlobalCompilationDatabase &CDB,
+    BackgroundIndexStorage::Factory IndexStorageFactory, Options Opts)
     : SwapIndex(std::make_unique<MemIndex>()), TFS(TFS), CDB(CDB),
-      BackgroundContext(std::move(BackgroundContext)),
-      ContextProvider(std::move(ContextProvider)),
-      Rebuilder(this, &IndexedSymbols, ThreadPoolSize),
+      ContextProvider(std::move(Opts.ContextProvider)),
+      Rebuilder(this, &IndexedSymbols, Opts.ThreadPoolSize),
       IndexStorageFactory(std::move(IndexStorageFactory)),
-      Queue(std::move(OnProgress)),
+      Queue(std::move(Opts.OnProgress)),
       CommandsChanged(
           CDB.watch([&](const std::vector<std::string> &ChangedFiles) {
             enqueue(ChangedFiles);
           })) {
-  assert(ThreadPoolSize > 0 && "Thread pool size can't be zero.");
+  assert(Opts.ThreadPoolSize > 0 && "Thread pool size can't be zero.");
   assert(this->IndexStorageFactory && "Storage factory can not be null!");
-  for (unsigned I = 0; I < ThreadPoolSize; ++I) {
-    ThreadPool.runAsync("background-worker-" + llvm::Twine(I + 1), [this] {
-      WithContext Ctx(this->BackgroundContext.clone());
-      Queue.work([&] { Rebuilder.idle(); });
-    });
+  for (unsigned I = 0; I < Opts.ThreadPoolSize; ++I) {
+    ThreadPool.runAsync("background-worker-" + llvm::Twine(I + 1),
+                        [this, Ctx(Context::current().clone())]() mutable {
+                          WithContext BGContext(std::move(Ctx));
+                          Queue.work([&] { Rebuilder.idle(); });
+                        });
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/clang-tools-extra/clangd/unittests/BackgroundIndexTests.cpp b/clang-tools-extra/clangd/unittests/BackgroundIndexTests.cpp
--- a/clang-tools-extra/clangd/unittests/BackgroundIndexTests.cpp
+++ b/clang-tools-extra/clangd/unittests/BackgroundIndexTests.cpp
@@ -96,8 +96,8 @@
   size_t CacheHits = 0;
   MemoryShardStorage MSS(Storage, CacheHits);
   OverlayCDB CDB(/*Base=*/nullptr);
-  BackgroundIndex Idx(Context::empty(), FS, CDB,
-                      [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; });
+  BackgroundIndex Idx(FS, CDB, [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; },
+                      /*Opts=*/{});
 
   tooling::CompileCommand Cmd;
   Cmd.Filename = testPath("root/A.cc");
@@ -126,7 +126,8 @@
   }
   // Context provider that installs a configuration mutating foo's command.
   // This causes it to define foo::two instead of foo::one.
-  auto ContextProvider = [](PathRef P) {
+  BackgroundIndex::Options Opts;
+  Opts.ContextProvider = [](PathRef P) {
     Config C;
     if (P.endswith("foo.cpp"))
       C.CompileFlags.Edits.push_back(
@@ -140,9 +141,9 @@
   // We need the CommandMangler, because that applies the config we're testing.
   OverlayCDB CDB(/*Base=*/nullptr, /*FallbackFlags=*/{},
                  tooling::ArgumentsAdjuster(CommandMangler::forTests()));
+
   BackgroundIndex Idx(
-      Context::empty(), FS, CDB, [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; },
-      /*ThreadPoolSize=*/4, /*OnProgress=*/nullptr, std::move(ContextProvider));
+      FS, CDB, [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; }, std::move(Opts));
   // Index the two files.
   for (auto &Cmd : Cmds)
     CDB.setCompileCommand(testPath(Cmd.Filename), std::move(Cmd));
@@ -181,8 +182,8 @@
   size_t CacheHits = 0;
   MemoryShardStorage MSS(Storage, CacheHits);
   OverlayCDB CDB(/*Base=*/nullptr);
-  BackgroundIndex Idx(Context::empty(), FS, CDB,
-                      [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; });
+  BackgroundIndex Idx(FS, CDB, [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; },
+                      /*Opts=*/{});
 
   tooling::CompileCommand Cmd;
   Cmd.Filename = testPath("root/A.cc");
@@ -248,8 +249,8 @@
   // Check nothing is loaded from Storage, but A.cc and A.h has been stored.
   {
     OverlayCDB CDB(/*Base=*/nullptr);
-    BackgroundIndex Idx(Context::empty(), FS, CDB,
-                        [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; });
+    BackgroundIndex Idx(FS, CDB, [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; },
+                        /*Opts=*/{});
     CDB.setCompileCommand(testPath("root/A.cc"), Cmd);
     ASSERT_TRUE(Idx.blockUntilIdleForTest());
   }
@@ -258,8 +259,8 @@
 
   {
     OverlayCDB CDB(/*Base=*/nullptr);
-    BackgroundIndex Idx(Context::empty(), FS, CDB,
-                        [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; });
+    BackgroundIndex Idx(FS, CDB, [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; },
+                        /*Opts=*/{});
     CDB.setCompileCommand(testPath("root/A.cc"), Cmd);
     ASSERT_TRUE(Idx.blockUntilIdleForTest());
   }
@@ -316,8 +317,8 @@
   Cmd.CommandLine = {"clang++", testPath("root/A.cc")};
   {
     OverlayCDB CDB(/*Base=*/nullptr);
-    BackgroundIndex Idx(Context::empty(), FS, CDB,
-                        [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; });
+    BackgroundIndex Idx(FS, CDB, [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; },
+                        /*Opts=*/{});
     CDB.setCompileCommand(testPath("root/A.cc"), Cmd);
     ASSERT_TRUE(Idx.blockUntilIdleForTest());
   }
@@ -366,8 +367,8 @@
   // Check nothing is loaded from Storage, but A.cc and A.h has been stored.
   {
     OverlayCDB CDB(/*Base=*/nullptr);
-    BackgroundIndex Idx(Context::empty(), FS, CDB,
-                        [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; });
+    BackgroundIndex Idx(FS, CDB, [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; },
+                        /*Opts=*/{});
     CDB.setCompileCommand(testPath("root/A.cc"), Cmd);
     ASSERT_TRUE(Idx.blockUntilIdleForTest());
   }
@@ -381,8 +382,8 @@
       )cpp";
   {
     OverlayCDB CDB(/*Base=*/nullptr);
-    BackgroundIndex Idx(Context::empty(), FS, CDB,
-                        [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; });
+    BackgroundIndex Idx(FS, CDB, [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; },
+                        /*Opts=*/{});
     CDB.setCompileCommand(testPath("root/A.cc"), Cmd);
     ASSERT_TRUE(Idx.blockUntilIdleForTest());
   }
@@ -399,8 +400,8 @@
   {
     CacheHits = 0;
     OverlayCDB CDB(/*Base=*/nullptr);
-    BackgroundIndex Idx(Context::empty(), FS, CDB,
-                        [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; });
+    BackgroundIndex Idx(FS, CDB, [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; },
+                        /*Opts=*/{});
     CDB.setCompileCommand(testPath("root/A.cc"), Cmd);
     ASSERT_TRUE(Idx.blockUntilIdleForTest());
   }
@@ -440,8 +441,8 @@
   // Check that A.cc, A.h and B.h has been stored.
   {
     OverlayCDB CDB(/*Base=*/nullptr);
-    BackgroundIndex Idx(Context::empty(), FS, CDB,
-                        [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; });
+    BackgroundIndex Idx(FS, CDB, [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; },
+                        /*Opts=*/{});
     CDB.setCompileCommand(testPath("root/A.cc"), Cmd);
     ASSERT_TRUE(Idx.blockUntilIdleForTest());
   }
@@ -456,8 +457,8 @@
   {
     CacheHits = 0;
     OverlayCDB CDB(/*Base=*/nullptr);
-    BackgroundIndex Idx(Context::empty(), FS, CDB,
-                        [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; });
+    BackgroundIndex Idx(FS, CDB, [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; },
+                        /*Opts=*/{});
     CDB.setCompileCommand(testPath("root/A.cc"), Cmd);
     ASSERT_TRUE(Idx.blockUntilIdleForTest());
   }
@@ -472,8 +473,8 @@
   {
     CacheHits = 0;
     OverlayCDB CDB(/*Base=*/nullptr);
-    BackgroundIndex Idx(Context::empty(), FS, CDB,
-                        [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; });
+    BackgroundIndex Idx(FS, CDB, [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; },
+                        /*Opts=*/{});
     CDB.setCompileCommand(testPath("root/A.cc"), Cmd);
     ASSERT_TRUE(Idx.blockUntilIdleForTest());
   }
@@ -490,8 +491,8 @@
   size_t CacheHits = 0;
   MemoryShardStorage MSS(Storage, CacheHits);
   OverlayCDB CDB(/*Base=*/nullptr);
-  BackgroundIndex Idx(Context::empty(), FS, CDB,
-                      [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; });
+  BackgroundIndex Idx(FS, CDB, [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; },
+                      /*Opts=*/{});
   ASSERT_TRUE(Idx.blockUntilIdleForTest());
 
   tooling::CompileCommand Cmd;
@@ -521,8 +522,8 @@
   size_t CacheHits = 0;
   MemoryShardStorage MSS(Storage, CacheHits);
   OverlayCDB CDB(/*Base=*/nullptr);
-  BackgroundIndex Idx(Context::empty(), FS, CDB,
-                      [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; });
+  BackgroundIndex Idx(FS, CDB, [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; },
+                      /*Opts=*/{});
 
   tooling::CompileCommand Cmd;
   FS.Files[testPath("A.h")] = "void foo();";
@@ -584,8 +585,8 @@
   size_t CacheHits = 0;
   MemoryShardStorage MSS(Storage, CacheHits);
   OverlayCDB CDB(/*Base=*/nullptr);
-  BackgroundIndex Idx(Context::empty(), FS, CDB,
-                      [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; });
+  BackgroundIndex Idx(FS, CDB, [&](llvm::StringRef) { return &MSS; },
+                      /*Opts=*/{});
 
   tooling::CompileCommand Cmd;
   FS.Files[testPath("A.cc")] = "#include \"A.h\"";