diff --git a/app/core.cpp b/app/core.cpp
index d737a0563..55f0b2c49 100644
--- a/app/core.cpp
+++ b/app/core.cpp
@@ -151,6 +151,30 @@ int Core::execute(QCoreApplication* a)
   return exit_code;
 }
 
+void Core::DeclareTypesForQt()
+{
+  qRegisterMetaType<rational>();
+  qRegisterMetaType<OpenGLTexturePtr>();
+  qRegisterMetaType<OpenGLTextureCache::ReferencePtr>();
+  qRegisterMetaType<NodeValue>();
+  qRegisterMetaType<NodeValueTable>();
+  qRegisterMetaType<NodeValueDatabase>();
+  qRegisterMetaType<FramePtr>();
+  qRegisterMetaType<SampleBufferPtr>();
+  qRegisterMetaType<AudioParams>();
+  qRegisterMetaType<NodeKeyframe::Type>();
+  qRegisterMetaType<Decoder::RetrieveState>();
+  qRegisterMetaType<OLIVE_NAMESPACE::TimeRange>();
+  qRegisterMetaType<Color>();
+  qRegisterMetaType<OLIVE_NAMESPACE::ProjectPtr>();
+  qRegisterMetaType<OLIVE_NAMESPACE::AudioVisualWaveform>();
+  qRegisterMetaType<OLIVE_NAMESPACE::SampleJob>();
+  qRegisterMetaType<OLIVE_NAMESPACE::ShaderJob>();
+  qRegisterMetaType<OLIVE_NAMESPACE::GenerateJob>();
+  qRegisterMetaType<OLIVE_NAMESPACE::VideoParams>();
+  qRegisterMetaType<OLIVE_NAMESPACE::MainWindowLayoutInfo>();
+}
+
 void Core::Start()
 {
   // Reset config (Config sets to default on construction already, but we do it again here as a workaround that fixes
@@ -480,9 +504,11 @@ void Core::AddOpenProject(ProjectPtr p)
 void Core::AddOpenProjectFromTask(Task *task)
 {
   QList<ProjectPtr> projects = static_cast<ProjectLoadTask*>(task)->GetLoadedProjects();
+  QList<MainWindowLayoutInfo> layouts = static_cast<ProjectLoadTask*>(task)->GetLoadedLayouts();
 
-  foreach (ProjectPtr p, projects) {
-    AddOpenProject(p);
+  for (int i=0; i<projects.size(); i++) {
+    AddOpenProject(projects.at(i));
+    main_window_->LoadLayout(layouts.at(i));
   }
 }
 
@@ -629,29 +655,6 @@ void Core::OpenStartupProject()
   }
 }
 
-void Core::DeclareTypesForQt()
-{
-  qRegisterMetaType<rational>();
-  qRegisterMetaType<OpenGLTexturePtr>();
-  qRegisterMetaType<OpenGLTextureCache::ReferencePtr>();
-  qRegisterMetaType<NodeValue>();
-  qRegisterMetaType<NodeValueTable>();
-  qRegisterMetaType<NodeValueDatabase>();
-  qRegisterMetaType<FramePtr>();
-  qRegisterMetaType<SampleBufferPtr>();
-  qRegisterMetaType<AudioParams>();
-  qRegisterMetaType<NodeKeyframe::Type>();
-  qRegisterMetaType<Decoder::RetrieveState>();
-  qRegisterMetaType<OLIVE_NAMESPACE::TimeRange>();
-  qRegisterMetaType<Color>();
-  qRegisterMetaType<OLIVE_NAMESPACE::ProjectPtr>();
-  qRegisterMetaType<OLIVE_NAMESPACE::AudioVisualWaveform>();
-  qRegisterMetaType<OLIVE_NAMESPACE::SampleJob>();
-  qRegisterMetaType<OLIVE_NAMESPACE::ShaderJob>();
-  qRegisterMetaType<OLIVE_NAMESPACE::GenerateJob>();
-  qRegisterMetaType<OLIVE_NAMESPACE::VideoParams>();
-}
-
 void Core::StartGUI(bool full_screen)
 {
   // Set UI style
@@ -1011,21 +1014,11 @@ void Core::OpenProjectInternal(const QString &filename)
 
   ProjectLoadTask* plm = new ProjectLoadTask(filename);
 
-  if (gui_active_) {
+  TaskDialog* task_dialog = new TaskDialog(plm, tr("Load Project"), main_window());
 
-    TaskDialog* task_dialog = new TaskDialog(plm, tr("Load Project"), main_window());
+  connect(task_dialog, &TaskDialog::TaskSucceeded, this, &Core::AddOpenProjectFromTask);
 
-    connect(task_dialog, &TaskDialog::TaskSucceeded, this, &Core::AddOpenProjectFromTask);
-
-    task_dialog->open();
-
-  } else {
-
-    //connect(plm, &ProjectLoadManager::ProjectLoaded, this, &Core::AddOpenProject);
-
-
-
-  }
+  task_dialog->open();
 }
 
 int Core::CountFilesInFileList(const QFileInfoList &filenames)
diff --git a/app/project/item/sequence/sequence.cpp b/app/project/item/sequence/sequence.cpp
index b2c5a0c22..9e89a0aaa 100644
--- a/app/project/item/sequence/sequence.cpp
+++ b/app/project/item/sequence/sequence.cpp
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ void Sequence::Save(QXmlStreamWriter *writer) const
 
   writer->writeAttribute(QStringLiteral("name"), name());
 
-  writer->writeAttribute(QStringLiteral("ptr"), QString::number(reinterpret_cast<quintptr>(viewer_output_)));
+  writer->writeAttribute(QStringLiteral("ptr"), QString::number(reinterpret_cast<quintptr>(this)));
 
   writer->writeStartElement(QStringLiteral("video"));
 
diff --git a/app/project/project.cpp b/app/project/project.cpp
index 014489dd6..653202c02 100644
--- a/app/project/project.cpp
+++ b/app/project/project.cpp
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ Project::Project() :
   root_.set_project(this);
 }
 
-void Project::Load(QXmlStreamReader *reader, const QAtomicInt* cancelled)
+void Project::Load(QXmlStreamReader *reader, MainWindowLayoutInfo* layout, const QAtomicInt* cancelled)
 {
   XMLNodeData xml_node_data;
 
@@ -62,7 +62,12 @@ void Project::Load(QXmlStreamReader *reader, const QAtomicInt* cancelled)
 
     } else if (reader->name() == QStringLiteral("layout")) {
 
-      Core::instance()->main_window()->LoadLayout(reader, xml_node_data);
+      // Since the main window's functions have to occur in the GUI thread (and we're likely
+      // loading in a secondary thread), we load all necessary data into a separate struct so we
+      // can continue loading and queue it with the main window so it can handle the data
+      // appropriately in its own thread.
+
+      *layout = MainWindowLayoutInfo::fromXml(reader, xml_node_data);
 
     } else {
       reader->skipCurrentElement();
@@ -93,7 +98,8 @@ void Project::Save(QXmlStreamWriter *writer) const
   writer->writeEndElement(); // colormanagement
 
   // Save main window project layout
-  Core::instance()->main_window()->SaveLayout(writer);
+  MainWindowLayoutInfo main_window_info = Core::instance()->main_window()->SaveLayout();
+  main_window_info.toXml(writer);
 
   writer->writeEndElement(); // project
 }
diff --git a/app/project/project.h b/app/project/project.h
index f61fc50da..ff3f8ce35 100644
--- a/app/project/project.h
+++ b/app/project/project.h
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 
 #include "render/colormanager.h"
 #include "project/item/folder/folder.h"
+#include "window/mainwindow/mainwindowlayoutinfo.h"
 
 OLIVE_NAMESPACE_ENTER
 
@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@ class Project : public QObject
 public:
   Project();
 
-  void Load(QXmlStreamReader* reader, const QAtomicInt* cancelled);
+  void Load(QXmlStreamReader* reader, MainWindowLayoutInfo *layout, const QAtomicInt* cancelled);
 
   void Save(QXmlStreamWriter* writer) const;
 
diff --git a/app/task/project/load/load.cpp b/app/task/project/load/load.cpp
index 932a94c74..27dff9e11 100644
--- a/app/task/project/load/load.cpp
+++ b/app/task/project/load/load.cpp
@@ -51,13 +51,16 @@ bool ProjectLoadTask::Run()
 
             project->set_filename(filename_);
 
-            project->Load(&reader, &IsCancelled());
+            MainWindowLayoutInfo layout;
+
+            project->Load(&reader, &layout, &IsCancelled());
 
             // Ensure project is in main thread
             moveToThread(qApp->thread());
 
             if (!IsCancelled()) {
               projects_.append(project);
+              layout_info_.append(layout);
             }
           } else {
             reader.skipCurrentElement();
diff --git a/app/task/project/load/load.h b/app/task/project/load/load.h
index fa203abfe..398853028 100644
--- a/app/task/project/load/load.h
+++ b/app/task/project/load/load.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 
 #include "project/project.h"
 #include "task/task.h"
+#include "window/mainwindow/mainwindowlayoutinfo.h"
 
 OLIVE_NAMESPACE_ENTER
 
@@ -32,17 +33,24 @@ class ProjectLoadTask : public Task
 public:
   ProjectLoadTask(const QString& filename);
 
-  const QList<ProjectPtr>& GetLoadedProjects()
+  const QList<ProjectPtr>& GetLoadedProjects() const
   {
     return projects_;
   }
 
+  const QList<MainWindowLayoutInfo>& GetLoadedLayouts() const
+  {
+    return layout_info_;
+  }
+
 protected:
   virtual bool Run() override;
 
 private:
   QList<ProjectPtr> projects_;
 
+  QList<MainWindowLayoutInfo> layout_info_;
+
   QString filename_;
 
 };
diff --git a/app/window/mainwindow/CMakeLists.txt b/app/window/mainwindow/CMakeLists.txt
index 151883684..4b70b8f9e 100644
--- a/app/window/mainwindow/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/app/window/mainwindow/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -22,5 +22,7 @@ set(OLIVE_SOURCES
   window/mainwindow/mainstatusbar.cpp
   window/mainwindow/mainwindow.h
   window/mainwindow/mainwindow.cpp
+  window/mainwindow/mainwindowlayoutinfo.h
+  window/mainwindow/mainwindowlayoutinfo.cpp
   PARENT_SCOPE
 )
diff --git a/app/window/mainwindow/mainwindow.cpp b/app/window/mainwindow/mainwindow.cpp
index 09286c316..26b765b0d 100644
--- a/app/window/mainwindow/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/app/window/mainwindow/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -111,43 +111,37 @@ MainWindow::~MainWindow()
 #endif
 }
 
-void MainWindow::LoadLayout(QXmlStreamReader *reader, XMLNodeData &xml_data)
+void MainWindow::LoadLayout(const MainWindowLayoutInfo &info)
 {
-  QMetaObject::invokeMethod(this,
-                            "LoadLayoutInternal",
-                            Qt::BlockingQueuedConnection,
-                            Q_ARG(QXmlStreamReader*, reader),
-                            Q_ARG(XMLNodeData*, &xml_data));
+  foreach (Folder* folder, info.open_folders()) {
+    FolderOpen(folder->project(), folder, true);
+  }
+
+  foreach (Sequence* sequence, info.open_sequences()) {
+    OpenSequence(sequence, false);
+  }
+
+  restoreState(info.state());
 }
 
-void MainWindow::SaveLayout(QXmlStreamWriter *writer) const
+MainWindowLayoutInfo MainWindow::SaveLayout() const
 {
-  writer->writeStartElement(QStringLiteral("layout"));
-
-  writer->writeStartElement(QStringLiteral("folders"));
+  MainWindowLayoutInfo info;
 
   foreach (ProjectPanel* panel, folder_panels_) {
-    writer->writeTextElement(QStringLiteral("folder"),
-                             QString::number(reinterpret_cast<quintptr>(panel->get_root_index().internalPointer())));
+    info.add_folder(static_cast<Folder*>(panel->get_root_index().internalPointer()));
   }
 
-  writer->writeEndElement(); // folders
-
-  writer->writeStartElement(QStringLiteral("timeline"));
-
   foreach (TimelinePanel* panel, timeline_panels_) {
-    writer->writeTextElement(QStringLiteral("sequence"),
-                             QString::number(reinterpret_cast<quintptr>(panel->GetConnectedViewer())));
+    info.add_sequence(static_cast<Sequence*>(panel->GetConnectedViewer()->parent()));
   }
 
-  writer->writeEndElement(); // timeline
+  info.set_state(saveState());
 
-  writer->writeTextElement(QStringLiteral("state"), QString(saveState().toBase64()));
-
-  writer->writeEndElement(); // layout
+  return info;
 }
 
-void MainWindow::OpenSequence(Sequence *sequence)
+void MainWindow::OpenSequence(Sequence *sequence, bool enable_focus)
 {
   // See if this sequence is already open, and switch to it if so
   foreach (TimelinePanel* tl, timeline_panels_) {
@@ -164,11 +158,14 @@ void MainWindow::OpenSequence(Sequence *sequence)
     panel = timeline_panels_.first();
   } else {
     panel = AppendTimelinePanel();
+    enable_focus = false;
   }
 
   panel->ConnectViewerNode(sequence->viewer_output());
 
-  TimelineFocused(sequence->viewer_output());
+  if (enable_focus) {
+    TimelineFocused(sequence->viewer_output());
+  }
 }
 
 void MainWindow::CloseSequence(Sequence *sequence)
@@ -467,53 +464,6 @@ void MainWindow::FloatingPanelCloseRequested()
   panel->deleteLater();
 }
 
-void MainWindow::LoadLayoutInternal(QXmlStreamReader *reader, XMLNodeData *xml_data)
-{
-  while (XMLReadNextStartElement(reader)) {
-    if (reader->name() == QStringLiteral("folders")) {
-
-      while (XMLReadNextStartElement(reader)) {
-        if (reader->name() == QStringLiteral("folder")) {
-          quintptr item_id = reader->readElementText().toULongLong();
-
-          Item* open_item = xml_data->item_ptrs.value(item_id);
-
-          if (open_item) {
-            FolderOpen(open_item->project(), open_item, true);
-          }
-        } else {
-          reader->skipCurrentElement();
-        }
-      }
-
-    } else if (reader->name() == QStringLiteral("timeline")) {
-
-      while (XMLReadNextStartElement(reader)) {
-        if (reader->name() == QStringLiteral("sequence")) {
-          quintptr item_id = reader->readElementText().toULongLong();
-
-          Sequence* open_seq = dynamic_cast<Sequence*>(xml_data->item_ptrs.value(item_id));
-
-          if (open_seq) {
-            OpenSequence(open_seq);
-          }
-        } else {
-          reader->skipCurrentElement();
-        }
-      }
-
-    } else if (reader->name() == QStringLiteral("state")) {
-
-      QByteArray state = QByteArray::fromBase64(reader->readElementText().toLatin1());
-
-      restoreState(state);
-
-    } else {
-      reader->skipCurrentElement();
-    }
-  }
-}
-
 TimelinePanel* MainWindow::AppendTimelinePanel()
 {
   TimelinePanel* panel = AppendPanelInternal<TimelinePanel>(timeline_panels_);
diff --git a/app/window/mainwindow/mainwindow.h b/app/window/mainwindow/mainwindow.h
index c9f349051..f06b8c0fe 100644
--- a/app/window/mainwindow/mainwindow.h
+++ b/app/window/mainwindow/mainwindow.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 
 #include <QMainWindow>
 
+#include "mainwindowlayoutinfo.h"
 #include "panel/panelmanager.h"
 #include "panel/audiomonitor/audiomonitor.h"
 #include "panel/curve/curve.h"
@@ -55,11 +56,11 @@ public:
 
   virtual ~MainWindow() override;
 
-  void LoadLayout(QXmlStreamReader* reader, XMLNodeData& xml_data);
+  void LoadLayout(const MainWindowLayoutInfo &info);
 
-  void SaveLayout(QXmlStreamWriter* writer) const;
+  MainWindowLayoutInfo SaveLayout() const;
 
-  void OpenSequence(Sequence* sequence);
+  void OpenSequence(Sequence* sequence, bool enable_focus = true);
 
   void CloseSequence(Sequence* sequence);
 
@@ -167,8 +168,6 @@ private slots:
 
   void FloatingPanelCloseRequested();
 
-  void LoadLayoutInternal(QXmlStreamReader* reader, XMLNodeData *xml_data);
-
   void StatusBarDoubleClicked();
 
 #ifdef Q_OS_LINUX
diff --git a/app/window/mainwindow/mainwindowlayoutinfo.cpp b/app/window/mainwindow/mainwindowlayoutinfo.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..168978f79
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/window/mainwindow/mainwindowlayoutinfo.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+#include "mainwindowlayoutinfo.h"
+
+OLIVE_NAMESPACE_ENTER
+
+void MainWindowLayoutInfo::toXml(QXmlStreamWriter *writer) const
+{
+  writer->writeStartElement(QStringLiteral("layout"));
+
+  writer->writeStartElement(QStringLiteral("folders"));
+
+  foreach (Folder* folder, open_folders_) {
+    writer->writeTextElement(QStringLiteral("folder"),
+                             QString::number(reinterpret_cast<quintptr>(folder)));
+  }
+
+  writer->writeEndElement(); // folders
+
+  writer->writeStartElement(QStringLiteral("timeline"));
+
+  foreach (Sequence* sequence, open_sequences_) {
+    writer->writeTextElement(QStringLiteral("sequence"),
+                             QString::number(reinterpret_cast<quintptr>(sequence)));
+  }
+
+  writer->writeEndElement(); // timeline
+
+  writer->writeTextElement(QStringLiteral("state"), QString(state_.toBase64()));
+
+  writer->writeEndElement(); // layout
+}
+
+MainWindowLayoutInfo MainWindowLayoutInfo::fromXml(QXmlStreamReader *reader, XMLNodeData &xml_data)
+{
+  MainWindowLayoutInfo info;
+
+  while (XMLReadNextStartElement(reader)) {
+    if (reader->name() == QStringLiteral("folders")) {
+
+      while (XMLReadNextStartElement(reader)) {
+        if (reader->name() == QStringLiteral("folder")) {
+          quintptr item_id = reader->readElementText().toULongLong();
+
+          Item* open_item = xml_data.item_ptrs.value(item_id);
+
+          if (open_item) {
+            info.open_folders_.append(static_cast<Folder*>(open_item));
+          }
+        } else {
+          reader->skipCurrentElement();
+        }
+      }
+
+    } else if (reader->name() == QStringLiteral("timeline")) {
+
+      while (XMLReadNextStartElement(reader)) {
+        if (reader->name() == QStringLiteral("sequence")) {
+          quintptr item_id = reader->readElementText().toULongLong();
+
+          Sequence* open_seq = dynamic_cast<Sequence*>(xml_data.item_ptrs.value(item_id));
+
+          if (open_seq) {
+            info.open_sequences_.append(open_seq);
+          }
+        } else {
+          reader->skipCurrentElement();
+        }
+      }
+
+    } else if (reader->name() == QStringLiteral("state")) {
+
+      info.state_ = QByteArray::fromBase64(reader->readElementText().toLatin1());
+
+    } else {
+      reader->skipCurrentElement();
+    }
+  }
+
+  return info;
+}
+
+void MainWindowLayoutInfo::add_folder(olive::Folder *f)
+{
+  open_folders_.append(f);
+}
+
+void MainWindowLayoutInfo::add_sequence(Sequence *s)
+{
+  open_sequences_.append(s);
+}
+
+void MainWindowLayoutInfo::set_state(const QByteArray &layout)
+{
+  state_ = layout;
+}
+
+OLIVE_NAMESPACE_EXIT
diff --git a/app/window/mainwindow/mainwindowlayoutinfo.h b/app/window/mainwindow/mainwindowlayoutinfo.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5f76cbc2b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/window/mainwindow/mainwindowlayoutinfo.h
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+#ifndef MAINWINDOWLAYOUTINFO_H
+#define MAINWINDOWLAYOUTINFO_H
+
+#include "project/item/folder/folder.h"
+#include "project/item/sequence/sequence.h"
+
+OLIVE_NAMESPACE_ENTER
+
+class MainWindowLayoutInfo
+{
+public:
+  MainWindowLayoutInfo() = default;
+
+  void toXml(QXmlStreamWriter* writer) const;
+
+  static MainWindowLayoutInfo fromXml(QXmlStreamReader* reader, XMLNodeData &xml_data);
+
+  void add_folder(Folder* f);
+
+  void add_sequence(Sequence* s);
+
+  void set_state(const QByteArray& layout);
+
+  const QList<Folder*>& open_folders() const
+  {
+    return open_folders_;
+  }
+
+  const QList<Sequence*>& open_sequences() const
+  {
+    return open_sequences_;
+  }
+
+  const QByteArray& state() const
+  {
+    return state_;
+  }
+
+private:
+  QByteArray state_;
+
+  QList<Folder*> open_folders_;
+
+  QList<Sequence*> open_sequences_;
+
+};
+
+OLIVE_NAMESPACE_EXIT
+
+Q_DECLARE_METATYPE(OLIVE_NAMESPACE::MainWindowLayoutInfo)
+
+#endif // MAINWINDOWLAYOUTINFO_H