diff --git a/qt/applications/workbench/workbench/plugins/memorywidget/memorypresenter.py b/qt/applications/workbench/workbench/plugins/memorywidget/memorypresenter.py
index 84e25db30bb741d224f3c1a1ef35942ca0ef99c3..aa457f3dea0121e3610bbecf86beeded026f9e3f 100644
--- a/qt/applications/workbench/workbench/plugins/memorywidget/memorypresenter.py
+++ b/qt/applications/workbench/workbench/plugins/memorywidget/memorypresenter.py
@@ -7,10 +7,15 @@ class MemoryPresenter(object):
     def __init__(self, view):
         self.view = view
         self.update_memory_usage()
-        
-        # Initial bar color has to be set explicitly
-        # as the initial value of the progress bar is
-        # undefined
+        self.set_bar_color_at_start()
+        self.update_at_regular_intervals()
+
+    def update_at_regular_intervals(self):
+        self.timer = QTimer()
+        self.timer.timeout.connect(self.update_memory_usage)
+        self.timer.start(10)
+
+    def set_bar_color_at_start(self):
         current_value = self.view.memory_bar.value()
         if (current_value >= 90):
             self.view.set_bar_color(0, current_value)
@@ -19,10 +24,6 @@ class MemoryPresenter(object):
         else:
             pass
 
-        self.timer = QTimer()
-        self.timer.timeout.connect(self.update_memory_usage)
-        self.timer.start(10)
-
     def update_memory_usage(self):
         mem_used_percent, mem_used, mem_avail = get_memory_info()
         self.view.set_value(mem_used_percent, mem_used, mem_avail)
diff --git a/qt/applications/workbench/workbench/plugins/memorywidget/memoryview.py b/qt/applications/workbench/workbench/plugins/memorywidget/memoryview.py
index f09c1fd2b4753f9caeb43a546e2a0e558efb3ead..b835fbe50d0624e6bd3dd0aa8a31419bff228e6e 100644
--- a/qt/applications/workbench/workbench/plugins/memorywidget/memoryview.py
+++ b/qt/applications/workbench/workbench/plugins/memorywidget/memoryview.py
@@ -21,11 +21,11 @@ QProgressBar::chunk {
 }
 """
 
-def from_normal_to_critical(critical, currentValue, newValue)->bool:
-    return (currentValue < critical and newValue >= critical)
+def from_normal_to_critical(critical, current_value, new_value)->bool:
+    return (current_value < critical and new_value >= critical)
 
-def from_critical_to_normal(critical, currentValue, newValue)->bool:
-    return (currentValue >= critical and newValue < critical)
+def from_critical_to_normal(critical, current_value, new_value)->bool:
+    return (current_value >= critical and new_value < critical)
 
 
 class MemoryView(QWidget):
@@ -35,20 +35,20 @@ class MemoryView(QWidget):
         self.critical = 90
         self.memory_bar = QProgressBar(self)
 
-    def set_bar_color(self, currentValue, newValue):
-        if (from_normal_to_critical(self.critical, currentValue, newValue)):
+    def set_bar_color(self, current_value, new_value):
+        if (from_normal_to_critical(self.critical, current_value, new_value)):
             self.memory_bar.setStyleSheet(CRITICAL_STYLE)
-        elif (from_critical_to_normal(self.critical, currentValue, newValue)):
+        elif (from_critical_to_normal(self.critical, current_value, new_value)):
             self.memory_bar.setStyleSheet(NORMAL_STYLE)
         else:
             pass
 
-    def set_value(self, newValue, mem_used, mem_avail):
+    def set_value(self, new_value, mem_used, mem_avail):
         # newValue is the mem_used_percent(int)
-        currentValue = self.memory_bar.value()
-        if currentValue != newValue:
-            self.set_bar_color(currentValue, newValue)
-            self.memory_bar.setValue(newValue)
+        current_value = self.memory_bar.value()
+        if current_value != new_value:
+            self.set_bar_color(current_value, new_value)
+            self.memory_bar.setValue(new_value)
             display_str = "%3.1f"%mem_used + "/" + "%3.1f"%mem_avail + " GB " + \
-                        "(" + "%d"%newValue+"%" +")"
+                        "(" + "%d"%new_value+"%" +")"
             self.memory_bar.setFormat(display_str)
diff --git a/qt/applications/workbench/workbench/plugins/test/test_memorywidget/test_memorypresenter.py b/qt/applications/workbench/workbench/plugins/test/test_memorywidget/test_memorypresenter.py
index 7302e2726632eaa39cd76fa7dcfbc158c11f0393..ecd9243d8122c3ee25a66deb69c8969f66e2db12 100644
--- a/qt/applications/workbench/workbench/plugins/test/test_memorywidget/test_memorypresenter.py
+++ b/qt/applications/workbench/workbench/plugins/test/test_memorywidget/test_memorypresenter.py
@@ -18,14 +18,16 @@ from unittest import mock
 class MemoryPresenterTest(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         self.view = mock.create_autospec(MemoryView)
+        self.mock_view_internals()
+        self.presenter = MemoryPresenter(self.view)
 
+    def mock_view_internals(self):
         self.view.critical = 90
         self.view.memory_bar = mock.Mock()
+        self.view.memory_bar.value.return_value = 0
         self.view.set_bar_color = mock.Mock()
         self.view.set_value = mock.Mock()
 
-        self.presenter = MemoryPresenter(self.view)
-
     def test_presenter(self):
         self.assertTrue(from_normal_to_critical(self.presenter.view.critical,
                         75, 95))
@@ -38,6 +40,7 @@ class MemoryPresenterTest(unittest.TestCase):
                         95, 75))
 
         self.assertEqual(self.presenter.view.set_value.call_count, 1)
+        self.assertEqual(self.presenter.view.set_bar_color.call_count, 1)
 
         self.presenter.update_memory_usage()
         self.assertEqual(self.presenter.view.set_value.call_count, 2)