diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.cpp b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.cpp
index 5c89e8dbed..c6139666e2 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.cpp
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.cpp
@@ -1011,8 +1011,15 @@ bool GuiView::focusNextPrevChild(bool /*next*/)
 }
 
 
+bool GuiView::busy()
+{
+	return busy_;
+}
+
+
 void GuiView::setBusy(bool busy)
 {
+	busy_ = busy;
 	if (d.current_work_area_) {
 		d.current_work_area_->setUpdatesEnabled(!busy);
 		if (busy)
diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.h b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.h
index b540094f0b..33f9fb3108 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.h
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.h
@@ -73,7 +73,10 @@ public:
 
 	int id() const { return id_; }
 
+	///
 	void setBusy(bool);
+	/// are we busy ?
+	bool busy();
 
 	/// \name Generic accessor functions
 	//@{
@@ -402,6 +405,8 @@ private:
 
 	/// flag to avoid two concurrent close events.
 	bool closing_;
+	/// if the view is busy the cursor shouldn't blink for instance.
+	bool busy_;
 };
 
 } // namespace frontend
diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.cpp b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.cpp
index 9d9d82abf8..368fa774b1 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.cpp
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiWorkArea.cpp
@@ -391,6 +391,10 @@ void GuiWorkArea::stopBlinkingCursor()
 
 void GuiWorkArea::startBlinkingCursor()
 {
+	// do not show the cursor if the view is busy
+	if (view().busy())
+		return;
+
 	Point p;
 	int h = 0;
 	buffer_view_->cursorPosAndHeight(p, h);