diff --git a/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp b/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
index 85d79ee26..d6c6fd6e9 100644
--- a/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/bitcoin.cpp
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@ int GuiMain(int argc, char* argv[])
     //   IMPORTANT if it is no longer a typedef use the normal variant above
     qRegisterMetaType< CAmount >("CAmount");
     qRegisterMetaType< std::function<void()> >("std::function<void()>");
-
+    qRegisterMetaType<QMessageBox::Icon>("QMessageBox::Icon");
     /// 2. Parse command-line options. We do this after qt in order to show an error if there are problems parsing these
     // Command-line options take precedence:
     node->setupServerArgs();
diff --git a/src/qt/bitcoingui.cpp b/src/qt/bitcoingui.cpp
index e7279e122..3622bd565 100644
--- a/src/qt/bitcoingui.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/bitcoingui.cpp
@@ -371,7 +371,9 @@ void BitcoinGUI::createActions()
                 QString name = path.empty() ? QString("["+tr("default wallet")+"]") : QString::fromStdString(path);
                 QAction* action = m_open_wallet_action->menu()->addAction(name);
                 connect(action, &QAction::triggered, [this, path] {
-                    setCurrentWallet(m_wallet_controller->openWallet(path));
+                    OpenWalletActivity* activity = m_wallet_controller->openWallet(path);
+                    connect(activity, &OpenWalletActivity::opened, this, &BitcoinGUI::setCurrentWallet);
+                    connect(activity, &OpenWalletActivity::finished, activity, &QObject::deleteLater);
                 });
             }
         });
diff --git a/src/qt/walletcontroller.cpp b/src/qt/walletcontroller.cpp
index a103f4c89..3483c7597 100644
--- a/src/qt/walletcontroller.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/walletcontroller.cpp
@@ -55,17 +55,12 @@ std::vector<std::string> WalletController::getWalletsAvailableToOpen() const
     return wallets;
 }
 
-WalletModel* WalletController::openWallet(const std::string& name, QWidget* parent)
+OpenWalletActivity* WalletController::openWallet(const std::string& name, QWidget* parent)
 {
-    std::string error, warning;
-    WalletModel* wallet_model = getOrCreateWallet(m_node.loadWallet(name, error, warning));
-    if (!wallet_model) {
-        QMessageBox::warning(parent, tr("Open Wallet"), QString::fromStdString(error));
-    }
-    if (!warning.empty()) {
-        QMessageBox::information(parent, tr("Open Wallet"), QString::fromStdString(warning));
-    }
-    return wallet_model;
+    OpenWalletActivity* activity = new OpenWalletActivity(this, name);
+    activity->moveToThread(&m_activity_thread);
+    QMetaObject::invokeMethod(activity, "open", Qt::QueuedConnection);
+    return activity;
 }
 
 WalletModel* WalletController::getOrCreateWallet(std::unique_ptr<interfaces::Wallet> wallet)
@@ -124,3 +119,24 @@ void WalletController::removeAndDeleteWallet(WalletModel* wallet_model)
     // CWallet shared pointer.
     delete wallet_model;
 }
+
+
+OpenWalletActivity::OpenWalletActivity(WalletController* wallet_controller, const std::string& name)
+    : m_wallet_controller(wallet_controller)
+    , m_name(name)
+{}
+
+void OpenWalletActivity::open()
+{
+    std::string error, warning;
+    std::unique_ptr<interfaces::Wallet> wallet = m_wallet_controller->m_node.loadWallet(m_name, error, warning);
+    if (!warning.empty()) {
+        Q_EMIT message(QMessageBox::Warning, QString::fromStdString(warning));
+    }
+    if (wallet) {
+        Q_EMIT opened(m_wallet_controller->getOrCreateWallet(std::move(wallet)));
+    } else {
+        Q_EMIT message(QMessageBox::Critical, QString::fromStdString(error));
+    }
+    Q_EMIT finished();
+}
diff --git a/src/qt/walletcontroller.h b/src/qt/walletcontroller.h
index 1664fa6f3..f19c0e1f3 100644
--- a/src/qt/walletcontroller.h
+++ b/src/qt/walletcontroller.h
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include <memory>
 #include <vector>
 
+#include <QMessageBox>
 #include <QMutex>
 #include <QThread>
 
@@ -23,6 +24,8 @@ class Handler;
 class Node;
 } // namespace interfaces
 
+class OpenWalletActivity;
+
 /**
  * Controller between interfaces::Node, WalletModel instances and the GUI.
  */
@@ -40,7 +43,7 @@ public:
     std::vector<WalletModel*> getWallets() const;
     std::vector<std::string> getWalletsAvailableToOpen() const;
 
-    WalletModel* openWallet(const std::string& name, QWidget* parent = nullptr);
+    OpenWalletActivity* openWallet(const std::string& name, QWidget* parent = nullptr);
 
 private Q_SLOTS:
     void addWallet(WalletModel* wallet_model);
@@ -59,6 +62,28 @@ private:
     mutable QMutex m_mutex;
     std::vector<WalletModel*> m_wallets;
     std::unique_ptr<interfaces::Handler> m_handler_load_wallet;
+
+    friend class OpenWalletActivity;
+};
+
+class OpenWalletActivity : public QObject
+{
+    Q_OBJECT
+
+public:
+    OpenWalletActivity(WalletController* wallet_controller, const std::string& name);
+
+public Q_SLOTS:
+    void open();
+
+Q_SIGNALS:
+    void message(QMessageBox::Icon icon, const QString text);
+    void finished();
+    void opened(WalletModel* wallet_model);
+
+private:
+    WalletController* const m_wallet_controller;
+    std::string const m_name;
 };
 
 #endif // BITCOIN_QT_WALLETCONTROLLER_H