diff --git a/src/silx/app/view/Viewer.py b/src/silx/app/view/Viewer.py
index 5ff81e8644..a88b13ada3 100644
--- a/src/silx/app/view/Viewer.py
+++ b/src/silx/app/view/Viewer.py
@@ -75,7 +75,20 @@ def __init__(self, parent=None, settings=None):
 
         self.__dialogState = None
         self.__customNxDataItem = None
-        self.__treeview = silx.gui.hdf5.Hdf5TreeView(self)
+
+        # Custom the model to be able to manage the life cycle of the files
+        self.__treeModelSorted = silx.gui.hdf5.NexusSortFilterProxyModel(self)
+        self.__treeModelSorted.sort(0, qt.Qt.AscendingOrder)
+        self.__treeModelSorted.setSortCaseSensitivity(qt.Qt.CaseInsensitive)
+
+        treeModel = silx.gui.hdf5.Hdf5TreeModel(self.__treeModelSorted, ownFiles=False)
+        treeModel.sigH5pyObjectLoaded.connect(self.__h5FileLoaded)
+        treeModel.sigH5pyObjectRemoved.connect(self.__h5FileRemoved)
+        treeModel.sigH5pyObjectSynchronized.connect(self.__h5FileSynchonized)
+        treeModel.setDatasetDragEnabled(True)
+        self.__treeModelSorted.setSourceModel(treeModel)
+
+        self.__treeview = silx.gui.hdf5.Hdf5TreeView(self, model=self.__treeModelSorted)
         self.__treeview.setExpandsOnDoubleClick(False)
         """Silx HDF5 TreeView"""
 
@@ -85,21 +98,6 @@ def __init__(self, parent=None, settings=None):
 
         self.__displayIt = None
         self.__treeWindow = self.__createTreeWindow(self.__treeview)
-
-        # Custom the model to be able to manage the life cycle of the files
-        treeModel = silx.gui.hdf5.Hdf5TreeModel(self.__treeview, ownFiles=False)
-        treeModel.sigH5pyObjectLoaded.connect(self.__h5FileLoaded)
-        treeModel.sigH5pyObjectRemoved.connect(self.__h5FileRemoved)
-        treeModel.sigH5pyObjectSynchronized.connect(self.__h5FileSynchonized)
-        treeModel.setDatasetDragEnabled(True)
-        self.__treeModelSorted = silx.gui.hdf5.NexusSortFilterProxyModel(
-            self.__treeview
-        )
-        self.__treeModelSorted.setSourceModel(treeModel)
-        self.__treeModelSorted.sort(0, qt.Qt.AscendingOrder)
-        self.__treeModelSorted.setSortCaseSensitivity(qt.Qt.CaseInsensitive)
-
-        self.__treeview.setModel(self.__treeModelSorted)
         rightPanel.addWidget(self.__treeWindow)
 
         self.__customNxdata = CustomNxdataWidget(self)
diff --git a/src/silx/gui/dialog/AbstractDataFileDialog.py b/src/silx/gui/dialog/AbstractDataFileDialog.py
index c2d3580c5e..c6f3f06745 100644
--- a/src/silx/gui/dialog/AbstractDataFileDialog.py
+++ b/src/silx/gui/dialog/AbstractDataFileDialog.py
@@ -586,7 +586,7 @@ def _init(self):
         self.__fileModel.setReadOnly(True)
         self.__fileModel.directoryLoaded.connect(self.__directoryLoaded)
 
-        self.__dataModel = Hdf5TreeModel(self)
+        self.__dataModel = Hdf5TreeModel(self, ownFiles=False)
 
         self.__createWidgets()
         self.__initLayout()
diff --git a/src/silx/gui/hdf5/Hdf5TreeModel.py b/src/silx/gui/hdf5/Hdf5TreeModel.py
index fc0f468eb4..f4118138cd 100644
--- a/src/silx/gui/hdf5/Hdf5TreeModel.py
+++ b/src/silx/gui/hdf5/Hdf5TreeModel.py
@@ -237,14 +237,15 @@ def __init__(self, parent=None, ownFiles=True):
         """Store the list of files opened by the model itself."""
         # FIXME: It should be managed one by one by Hdf5Item itself
 
-        # It is not possible to override the QObject destructor nor
-        # to access to the content of the Python object with the `destroyed`
-        # signal cause the Python method was already removed with the QWidget,
-        # while the QObject still exists.
-        # We use a static method plus explicit references to objects to
-        # release. The callback do not use any ref to self.
-        onDestroy = functools.partial(self._closeFileList, self.__openedFiles)
-        self.destroyed.connect(onDestroy)
+        if self.__ownFiles:
+            # It is not possible to override the QObject destructor nor
+            # to access to the content of the Python object with the `destroyed`
+            # signal cause the Python method was already removed with the QWidget,
+            # while the QObject still exists.
+            # We use a static method plus explicit references to objects to
+            # release. The callback do not use any ref to self.
+            onDestroy = functools.partial(self._closeFileList, self.__openedFiles)
+            self.destroyed.connect(onDestroy)
 
     @staticmethod
     def _closeFileList(fileList):
diff --git a/src/silx/gui/hdf5/Hdf5TreeView.py b/src/silx/gui/hdf5/Hdf5TreeView.py
index 3c94b8a465..815f9fca08 100644
--- a/src/silx/gui/hdf5/Hdf5TreeView.py
+++ b/src/silx/gui/hdf5/Hdf5TreeView.py
@@ -58,7 +58,11 @@ class Hdf5TreeView(qt.QTreeView):
     to the selected objects.
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, parent=None):
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        parent: qt.QWidget | None = None,
+        model: Hdf5TreeModel | qt.QAbstractProxyModel | None = None,
+    ):
         """
         Constructor
 
@@ -66,7 +70,8 @@ def __init__(self, parent=None):
         """
         qt.QTreeView.__init__(self, parent)
 
-        model = self.createDefaultModel()
+        if model is None:
+            model = self.createDefaultModel()
         self.setModel(model)
 
         self.setHeader(Hdf5HeaderView(qt.Qt.Horizontal, self))