diff --git a/src/filemanager.html b/src/filemanager.html
index cfbdad34c..ee1926066 100644
--- a/src/filemanager.html
+++ b/src/filemanager.html
@@ -350,10 +350,13 @@
         <div class="file-list" ng-class="{ 'entry-hovered': dropToBody, 'busy': busy }" context-menu="menuOptionsBlank" ng-mousedown="select($event, null)">
           <table class="table table-hover" style="margin: 0;">
             <tbody>
-              <tr ng-show="entries.length === 0">
-                <td colspan="5" class="text-center">{{ 'filemanager.list.empty' | tr }}</td>
+              <tr ng-show="busy">
+                <td colspan="6"><center><h2><i class="fa fa-circle-notch fa-spin"></i></h2></center></td>
               </tr>
-              <tr ng-repeat="entry in entries | orderBy:sortProperty:sortAsc | orderBy:'isDirectory':true" draggable="true" ng-dragstart="dragStart($event, entry)" ng-drop="drop($event, entry)" context-menu="menuOptions" model="entry" ng-dragleave="dragExit($event, entry)" ng-dragover="dragEnter($event, entry)" ng-class="{ 'entry-hovered': entry.hovered, 'entry-selected': isSelected(entry) }">
+              <tr ng-show="!busy && entries.length === 0">
+                <td colspan="" class="text-center">{{ 'filemanager.list.empty' | tr }}</td>
+              </tr>
+              <tr ng-hide="busy" ng-repeat="entry in entries | orderBy:sortProperty:sortAsc | orderBy:'isDirectory':true" draggable="true" ng-dragstart="dragStart($event, entry)" ng-drop="drop($event, entry)" context-menu="menuOptions" model="entry" ng-dragleave="dragExit($event, entry)" ng-dragover="dragEnter($event, entry)" ng-class="{ 'entry-hovered': entry.hovered, 'entry-selected': isSelected(entry) }">
                 <td style="width: 40px" ng-mousedown="select($event, entry)" ng-dblclick="open(entry)" class="text-center">
                   <i class="fas fa-lg {{ entry.icon }}" ng-class="{ 'text-primary': entry.isDirectory && !isSelected(entry) }"></i>
                 </td>
diff --git a/src/js/filemanager.js b/src/js/filemanager.js
index 685f2a9be..4ccf1d83c 100644
--- a/src/js/filemanager.js
+++ b/src/js/filemanager.js
@@ -127,8 +127,11 @@ app.controller('FileManagerController', ['$scope', '$translate', '$timeout', 'Cl
     function openPath(path) {
         path = sanitize(path);
 
+        // we always show the parent path, even if overlayed by a mediaviewer
         var parentPath = sanitize(path + '/..');
 
+        $scope.busy = true;
+
         // nothing changes here, mostly triggered when editor is closed
         if ($scope.cwd === path) {
             $scope.busy = false;
@@ -140,7 +143,11 @@ app.controller('FileManagerController', ['$scope', '$translate', '$timeout', 'Cl
             if (!entry) return Client.error('No such file or folder: ' + path);
 
             if (entry.isDirectory) {
-                $scope.changeDirectory(path);
+                $scope.cwd = path;
+                $scope.cwdParts = path.split('/').filter(function (p) { return !!p; }).map(function (p, i) { return { name: decodeURIComponent(p), path: path.split('/').slice(0, i+1).join('/') }; });
+
+                // refresh will set busy to false once done
+                $scope.refresh();
             } else if (entry.isFile) {
                 var mimeType = Mimer().get(entry.fileName);
                 var mimeGroup = mimeType.split('/')[0];
@@ -154,15 +161,15 @@ app.controller('FileManagerController', ['$scope', '$translate', '$timeout', 'Cl
                 } else {
                     Client.filesGet($scope.id, $scope.type, path, 'open', function (error) { if (error) return Client.error(error); });
                 }
-            }
 
-            $scope.busy = false;
+                $scope.busy = false;
+            }
 
             return;
         }
 
         Client.filesGet($scope.id, $scope.type, parentPath, 'data', function (error, result) {
-            if (error) return Client.error(error);
+            if (error) return openPath(path); // try again
 
             // amend icons
             result.entries.forEach(function (e) {
@@ -183,10 +190,9 @@ app.controller('FileManagerController', ['$scope', '$translate', '$timeout', 'Cl
             });
 
             $scope.entries = result.entries;
-            $scope.cwd = parentPath;
-            $scope.cwdParts = parentPath.split('/').filter(function (p) { return !!p; }).map(function (p, i) { return { name: decodeURIComponent(p), path: path.split('/').slice(0, i+1).join('/') }; });
 
             // call itself now that we know
+            $scope.cwd = parentPath;
             openPath(path);
         });
     }
@@ -363,7 +369,6 @@ app.controller('FileManagerController', ['$scope', '$translate', '$timeout', 'Cl
         $scope.busy = true;
 
         Client.filesGet($scope.id, $scope.type, $scope.cwd, 'data', function (error, result) {
-            $scope.busy = false;
             if (error) return Client.error(error);
 
             // amend icons
@@ -385,6 +390,8 @@ app.controller('FileManagerController', ['$scope', '$translate', '$timeout', 'Cl
             });
 
             $scope.entries = result.entries;
+
+            $scope.busy = false;
         });
     };
 
@@ -536,7 +543,7 @@ app.controller('FileManagerController', ['$scope', '$translate', '$timeout', 'Cl
     };
 
     $scope.goDirectoryUp = function () {
-        $scope.changeDirectory($scope.cwd + '/..');
+        $scope.openPath($scope.cwd + '/..');
     };
 
     $scope.changeDirectory = function (path) {
@@ -545,11 +552,6 @@ app.controller('FileManagerController', ['$scope', '$translate', '$timeout', 'Cl
         if ($scope.cwd === path) return;
 
         location.hash = path;
-
-        $scope.cwd = path;
-        $scope.cwdParts = path.split('/').filter(function (p) { return !!p; }).map(function (p, i) { return { name: decodeURIComponent(p), path: path.split('/').slice(0, i+1).join('/') }; });
-
-        $scope.refresh();
     };
 
     $scope.uploadStatus = {
diff --git a/src/theme.scss b/src/theme.scss
index 7228dc070..189904047 100644
--- a/src/theme.scss
+++ b/src/theme.scss
@@ -1788,10 +1788,6 @@ tag-input {
         position: relative;
         height: 100%;
 
-        &.busy {
-            opacity: 0.5;
-        }
-
         &.top-scroll-indicator {
             transition: box-shadow 200ms;
             box-shadow: inset 0 10px 10px -10px rgba(0,0,0,0.5);