diff --git a/ANNOUNCE b/ANNOUNCE
index 46e63fd8e9..cd49a9f1e2 100644
--- a/ANNOUNCE
+++ b/ANNOUNCE
@@ -97,6 +97,8 @@ What's new
 
 - Fix crash when deleting rows or columns from table.
 
+- Avoid crash when InsetBibitem::updateCommand shows a dialog.
+
 - Set cursor font after pasting to PassThru (e.g., ERT) inset (bug 12592).
 
 - Do not ask about unapplied changes if dialog has been closed.
diff --git a/src/insets/InsetBibitem.cpp b/src/insets/InsetBibitem.cpp
index 6336da32d4..e08a579173 100644
--- a/src/insets/InsetBibitem.cpp
+++ b/src/insets/InsetBibitem.cpp
@@ -95,9 +95,11 @@ void InsetBibitem::updateCommand(docstring const & new_key, bool)
 			++i;
 			key = new_key + '-' + convert<docstring>(i);
 		}
+		buffer().setBusy(true);
 		frontend::Alert::warning(_("Keys must be unique!"),
 			bformat(_("The key %1$s already exists,\n"
 			"it will be changed to %2$s."), new_key, key));
+		buffer().setBusy(false);
 	}
 	setParam("key", key);
 	buffer().invalidateBibinfoCache();