diff --git a/src/Buffer.cpp b/src/Buffer.cpp
index 1a37dcc210..90512f0b63 100644
--- a/src/Buffer.cpp
+++ b/src/Buffer.cpp
@@ -356,6 +356,17 @@ Buffer::~Buffer()
 }
 
 
+Buffer * Buffer::clone() const
+{
+	Buffer * clone = new Buffer(fileName().absFilename(), false);
+	clone->d->file_fully_loaded = true;
+	clone->d->params = d->params;
+	clone->d->inset = static_cast<InsetText *>(d->inset->clone());
+	clone->d->inset->setBuffer(*clone);
+	return clone;
+}
+
+
 void Buffer::changed() const
 {
 	if (d->wa_)
diff --git a/src/Buffer.h b/src/Buffer.h
index 05050fe7af..f745aa04b8 100644
--- a/src/Buffer.h
+++ b/src/Buffer.h
@@ -130,6 +130,9 @@ public:
 	/// Destructor
 	~Buffer();
 
+	///
+	Buffer * clone() const;
+
 	/** High-level interface to buffer functionality.
 	    This function parses a command string and executes it.
 	*/
diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.cpp b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.cpp
index 1ec7a2f13e..1967eacf41 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.cpp
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.cpp
@@ -102,6 +102,13 @@
 #include <QUrl>
 #include <QScrollBar>
 
+// QtConcurrent was introduced in Qt 4.4
+#if (QT_VERSION >= 0x040400)
+#include <QFuture>
+#include <QFutureWatcher>
+#include <QtConcurrentRun>
+#endif
+
 #include <boost/bind.hpp>
 
 #include <sstream>
@@ -290,6 +297,11 @@ public:
 
 	///
 	TocModels toc_models_;
+
+#if (QT_VERSION >= 0x040400)
+	///
+	QFutureWatcher<bool> autosave_watcher_;
+#endif
 };
 
 
@@ -350,6 +362,11 @@ GuiView::GuiView(int id)
 	// clear session data if any.
 	QSettings settings;
 	settings.remove("views");
+
+#if (QT_VERSION >= 0x040400)
+	connect(&d.autosave_watcher_, SIGNAL(finished()), this,
+		SLOT(autoSaveFinished()));
+#endif
 }
 
 
@@ -359,6 +376,16 @@ GuiView::~GuiView()
 }
 
 
+void GuiView::autoSaveFinished()
+{
+#if (QT_VERSION >= 0x040400)
+	docstring const msg = d.autosave_watcher_.result()
+		? _("Automatic save done.") : _("Automatic save failed!");
+	message(msg);
+#endif
+}
+
+
 void GuiView::saveLayout() const
 {
 	QSettings settings;
@@ -1195,12 +1222,39 @@ BufferView const * GuiView::currentBufferView() const
 }
 
 
+static bool saveAndDestroyBuffer(Buffer * buffer, FileName const & fname)
+{
+	bool failed = true;
+	FileName const tmp_ret = FileName::tempName("lyxauto");
+	if (!tmp_ret.empty()) {
+		if (buffer->writeFile(tmp_ret))
+			failed = !tmp_ret.moveTo(fname);
+	}
+	if (failed) {
+		// failed to write/rename tmp_ret so try writing direct
+		failed = buffer->writeFile(fname);
+	}
+	delete buffer;
+	return !failed;
+}
+
+
 void GuiView::autoSave()
 {
 	LYXERR(Debug::INFO, "Running autoSave()");
 
-	if (documentBufferView())
-		documentBufferView()->buffer().autoSave();
+	Buffer * buffer = documentBufferView()
+		? &documentBufferView()->buffer() : 0;
+	if (!buffer)
+		return;
+
+#if (QT_VERSION >= 0x040400)
+	QFuture<bool> f = QtConcurrent::run(saveAndDestroyBuffer, buffer->clone(),
+		buffer->getAutosaveFilename());
+	d.autosave_watcher_.setFuture(f);
+#else
+	buffer->autoSave();
+#endif
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.h b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.h
index 869107b0f8..7a610f0199 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.h
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.h
@@ -180,6 +180,9 @@ private Q_SLOTS:
 	void normalSizedIcons();
 	void bigSizedIcons();
 
+	/// For completion of Buffer autosave thread.
+	void autoSaveFinished();
+
 private:
 	/// Open given child document in current buffer directory.
 	void openChildDocument(std::string const & filename);