diff --git a/src/GProgressDialog.cpp b/src/GProgressDialog.cpp
index 75762a16b..c0bd10951 100644
--- a/src/GProgressDialog.cpp
+++ b/src/GProgressDialog.cpp
@@ -18,16 +18,16 @@
 
 #include "GProgressDialog.h"
 
-GProgressDialog::GProgressDialog(QString title, int min, int max, QWidget *parent) : 
+GProgressDialog::GProgressDialog(QString title, int min, int max, bool modal, QWidget *parent) : 
 
     // sheet on mac and no window manager chrome
-    QDialog(parent, Qt::Sheet | Qt::FramelessWindowHint | Qt::WindowStaysOnTopHint),
+    QDialog(modal ? parent : NULL, Qt::Sheet | Qt::FramelessWindowHint | Qt::WindowStaysOnTopHint),
 
     // defaults
     title(title), min(min), max(max)
 {
     // only block mainwindow
-    setWindowModality(Qt::WindowModal); // only block mainwindow
+    if (modal) setWindowModality(Qt::WindowModal); // only block mainwindow
 
     // zap me when closed and make me see through
     setAttribute(Qt::WA_DeleteOnClose, true);
diff --git a/src/GProgressDialog.h b/src/GProgressDialog.h
index 6de412aaf..458abad55 100644
--- a/src/GProgressDialog.h
+++ b/src/GProgressDialog.h
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class GProgressDialog : public QDialog
     public:
 
         // no frame, translucent, no button, no parent - always modal with chrome heading
-        GProgressDialog(QString title, int min, int max, QWidget *parent = NULL);
+        GProgressDialog(QString title, int min, int max, bool modal, QWidget *parent = NULL);
 
         // set value, which in turn repaints the progress at the bottom
         void setValue(int x);
diff --git a/src/MainWindow.cpp b/src/MainWindow.cpp
index cbe00af7b..a19e67cf8 100644
--- a/src/MainWindow.cpp
+++ b/src/MainWindow.cpp
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow(const QDir &home)
      *--------------------------------------------------------------------*/
     setAttribute(Qt::WA_DeleteOnClose);
     mainwindows.append(this);  // add us to the list of open windows
+    init = false;
 #ifdef Q_OS_MAC
     head = NULL; // early resize event causes a crash
 #endif
@@ -713,6 +714,8 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow(const QDir &home)
     // catch config changes
     connect(context, SIGNAL(configChanged()), this, SLOT(configChanged()));
     configChanged();
+
+    init = true;
 }
 
 /*----------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/MainWindow.h b/src/MainWindow.h
index ddf8350a3..3341c8465 100644
--- a/src/MainWindow.h
+++ b/src/MainWindow.h
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ class MainWindow : public QMainWindow
         ~MainWindow(); // temp to zap db - will move to tab //
 
         void byebye() { close(); } // go bye bye for a restart
+        bool init; // if constructor has completed set to true
 
     protected:
 
diff --git a/src/MetricAggregator.cpp b/src/MetricAggregator.cpp
index cc23b75c9..8d10946f5 100644
--- a/src/MetricAggregator.cpp
+++ b/src/MetricAggregator.cpp
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ void MetricAggregator::refreshMetrics(QDateTime forceAfterThisDate)
         // create the dialog if we need to show progress for long running uodate
         long elapsedtime = elapsed.elapsed();
         if ((!forceAfterThisDate.isNull() || first || elapsedtime > 6000) && bar == NULL) {
-            bar = new GProgressDialog(title, 0, filenames.count()); // not owned by mainwindow
+            bar = new GProgressDialog(title, 0, filenames.count(), context->mainWindow->init, context->mainWindow);
             bar->show(); // lets hide until elapsed time is > 6 seconds
 
             // lets make sure it goes to the center!
@@ -516,7 +516,8 @@ MetricAggregator::refreshCPModelMetrics(bool bg)
     // progress for the model parameters
     GProgressDialog *bar = NULL;
     if (!bg) {
-        bar = new GProgressDialog(tr("Update Model Estimates"), 1, (lastYear*12 + lastMonth) - (year*12 + month));
+        bar = new GProgressDialog(tr("Update Model Estimates"), 1, (lastYear*12 + lastMonth) - (year*12 + month), 
+                                  context->mainWindow->init, context->mainWindow);
         bar->setValue(1);
         bar->show(); // lets hide until elapsed time is > 6 seconds
         QApplication::processEvents();