diff --git a/global/global.cpp b/global/global.cpp
index 048a57e9b..382bb3a16 100644
--- a/global/global.cpp
+++ b/global/global.cpp
@@ -182,6 +182,8 @@ void OliveGlobal::LoadProject(const QString &fn, bool autorecovery)
 
   LoadDialog ld(olive::MainWindow);
 
+  ld.open();
+
   LoadThread* lt = new LoadThread(fn, autorecovery);
   connect(&ld, SIGNAL(cancel()), lt, SLOT(cancel()));
   connect(lt, SIGNAL(success()), &ld, SLOT(accept()));
@@ -190,8 +192,6 @@ void OliveGlobal::LoadProject(const QString &fn, bool autorecovery)
   connect(lt, SIGNAL(report_progress(int)), &ld, SLOT(setValue(int)));
   lt->start();
 
-  ld.exec();
-
   panel_project->ConnectFilterToModel();
 }
 
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ void OliveGlobal::set_sequence(SequencePtr s)
   panel_timeline->setFocus();
 }
 
-void OliveGlobal::OpenProjectWorker(const QString& fn, bool autorecovery) {
+void OliveGlobal::OpenProjectWorker(QString fn, bool autorecovery) {
   ClearProject();
   update_project_filename(fn);
   LoadProject(fn, autorecovery);
diff --git a/global/global.h b/global/global.h
index ac05b21bf..1fb372076 100644
--- a/global/global.h
+++ b/global/global.h
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ private:
      * beside the original project file so that it does not overwrite the original and so that the user is not working
      * on the autorecovery project in Olive's application data directory.
      */
-    void OpenProjectWorker(const QString& fn, bool autorecovery);
+    void OpenProjectWorker(QString fn, bool autorecovery);
 
     /**
      * @brief Returns whether a Sequence is currently active or not, and optionally displays a messagebox if not