diff --git a/src/enginebase.h b/src/enginebase.h
index 5dfaa67fd..fa7178b9f 100644
--- a/src/enginebase.h
+++ b/src/enginebase.h
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ namespace Engine
          */
         void infoMessage( const QString& );
 
+        void error( const QString& );
+
         /** Transmits metadata package. */
         void metaData( const Engine::SimpleMetaBundle& );
 
diff --git a/src/mainwindow.cpp b/src/mainwindow.cpp
index dd91702bf..533612f25 100644
--- a/src/mainwindow.cpp
+++ b/src/mainwindow.cpp
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow(QWidget *parent)
   // Player connections
   connect(ui_.volume, SIGNAL(valueChanged(int)), player_, SLOT(SetVolume(int)));
 
+  connect(player_, SIGNAL(InitFinished()), SLOT(PlayerInitFinished()));
   connect(player_, SIGNAL(Error(QString)), SLOT(ReportError(QString)));
   connect(player_, SIGNAL(Paused()), SLOT(MediaPaused()));
   connect(player_, SIGNAL(Playing()), SLOT(MediaPlaying()));
@@ -265,6 +266,9 @@ MainWindow::MainWindow(QWidget *parent)
     show();
 
   library_->StartThreads();
+
+  player_->Init();
+  multi_loading_indicator_->TaskStarted("Loading audio engine");
 }
 
 MainWindow::~MainWindow() {
@@ -543,3 +547,7 @@ void MainWindow::LibraryScanStarted() {
 void MainWindow::LibraryScanFinished() {
   multi_loading_indicator_->TaskFinished("Updating library");
 }
+
+void MainWindow::PlayerInitFinished() {
+  multi_loading_indicator_->TaskFinished("Loading audio engine");
+}
diff --git a/src/mainwindow.h b/src/mainwindow.h
index 92f1b3e8a..046ec6628 100644
--- a/src/mainwindow.h
+++ b/src/mainwindow.h
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ class MainWindow : public QMainWindow {
   void LibraryScanStarted();
   void LibraryScanFinished();
 
+  void PlayerInitFinished();
+
  private:
   void SaveGeometry();
 
diff --git a/src/multiloadingindicator.cpp b/src/multiloadingindicator.cpp
index bb4fdf072..238b20f96 100644
--- a/src/multiloadingindicator.cpp
+++ b/src/multiloadingindicator.cpp
@@ -25,5 +25,19 @@ void MultiLoadingIndicator::TaskFinished(const QString &name) {
 }
 
 void MultiLoadingIndicator::UpdateText() {
-  ui_.text->setText(tasks_.join(", ") + "...");
+  QStringList strings;
+  foreach (QString task, tasks_) {
+    if (task.isEmpty())
+      continue;
+
+    task[0] = task[0].toLower();
+    strings << task;
+  }
+
+  QString text(strings.join(", "));
+  if (!text.isEmpty()) {
+    text[0] = text[0].toUpper();
+  }
+
+  ui_.text->setText(text + "...");
 }
diff --git a/src/player.cpp b/src/player.cpp
index 5518f62ec..f034ffce0 100644
--- a/src/player.cpp
+++ b/src/player.cpp
@@ -4,26 +4,46 @@
 #include "lastfmservice.h"
 
 #include <QtDebug>
+#include <QtConcurrentRun>
+
+#include <boost/bind.hpp>
 
 Player::Player(Playlist* playlist, LastFMService* lastfm, QObject* parent)
   : QObject(parent),
     playlist_(playlist),
     lastfm_(lastfm),
     current_item_options_(PlaylistItem::Default),
-    engine_(new XineEngine)
+    engine_(new XineEngine),
+    init_engine_watcher_(new QFutureWatcher<bool>(this))
 {
-  if (!engine_->init()) {
-    qFatal("Couldn't load engine");
+  settings_.beginGroup("Player");
+
+  connect(init_engine_watcher_, SIGNAL(finished()), SLOT(EngineInitFinished()));
+  connect(engine_, SIGNAL(error(QString)), SIGNAL(Error(QString)));
+}
+
+void Player::Init() {
+  init_engine_ = QtConcurrent::run(boost::bind(&EngineBase::init, engine_));
+  init_engine_watcher_->setFuture(init_engine_);
+}
+
+void Player::EngineInitFinished() {
+  if (init_engine_.result() == false) {
+    qFatal("Error initialising audio engine");
   }
 
-  settings_.beginGroup("Player");
-  SetVolume(settings_.value("volume", 50).toInt());
+  SetVolumeInternal(settings_.value("volume", 50).toInt());
 
   connect(engine_, SIGNAL(stateChanged(Engine::State)), SLOT(EngineStateChanged(Engine::State)));
   connect(engine_, SIGNAL(trackEnded()), SLOT(TrackEnded()));
+
+  emit InitFinished();
 }
 
 void Player::ReloadSettings() {
+  if (!init_engine_.isFinished())
+    return;
+
   engine_->reloadSettings();
 }
 
@@ -54,6 +74,9 @@ void Player::TrackEnded() {
 }
 
 void Player::PlayPause() {
+  if (!init_engine_.isFinished())
+    return;
+
   switch (engine_->state()) {
   case Engine::Paused:
     qDebug() << "Unpausing";
@@ -84,6 +107,9 @@ void Player::PlayPause() {
 }
 
 void Player::Stop() {
+  if (!init_engine_.isFinished())
+    return;
+
   qDebug() << "Stopping";
   engine_->stop();
   playlist_->set_current_index(-1);
@@ -110,9 +136,13 @@ void Player::EngineStateChanged(Engine::State state) {
 }
 
 void Player::SetVolume(int value) {
+  SetVolumeInternal(value);
+  emit VolumeChanged(value);
+}
+
+void Player::SetVolumeInternal(int value) {
   settings_.setValue("volume", value);
   engine_->setVolume(value);
-  emit VolumeChanged(value);
 }
 
 int Player::GetVolume() const {
@@ -124,6 +154,9 @@ Engine::State Player::GetState() const {
 }
 
 void Player::PlayAt(int index) {
+  if (!init_engine_.isFinished())
+    return;
+
   playlist_->set_current_index(index);
 
   PlaylistItem* item = playlist_->item_at(index);
@@ -141,6 +174,9 @@ void Player::PlayAt(int index) {
 }
 
 void Player::StreamReady(const QUrl& original_url, const QUrl& media_url) {
+  if (!init_engine_.isFinished())
+    return;
+
   int current_index = playlist_->current_index();
   if (current_index == -1)
     return;
@@ -155,5 +191,8 @@ void Player::StreamReady(const QUrl& original_url, const QUrl& media_url) {
 }
 
 void Player::Seek(int seconds) {
+  if (!init_engine_.isFinished())
+    return;
+
   engine_->seek(seconds * 1000);
 }
diff --git a/src/player.h b/src/player.h
index ed3ac262b..c741b1507 100644
--- a/src/player.h
+++ b/src/player.h
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 
 #include <QObject>
 #include <QSettings>
+#include <QFuture>
+#include <QFutureWatcher>
 
 #include "engine_fwd.h"
 #include "playlistitem.h"
@@ -18,6 +20,8 @@ class Player : public QObject {
  public:
   Player(Playlist* playlist, LastFMService* lastfm, QObject* parent = 0);
 
+  void Init();
+
   EngineBase* GetEngine() { return engine_; }
   Engine::State GetState() const;
   int GetVolume() const;
@@ -40,6 +44,8 @@ class Player : public QObject {
   void StreamReady(const QUrl& original_url, const QUrl& media_url);
 
  signals:
+  void InitFinished();
+
   void Playing();
   void Paused();
   void Stopped();
@@ -47,8 +53,12 @@ class Player : public QObject {
   void Error(const QString& message);
 
  private slots:
+  void EngineInitFinished();
   void EngineStateChanged(Engine::State);
 
+ private:
+  void SetVolumeInternal(int value);
+
  private:
   Playlist* playlist_;
   LastFMService* lastfm_;
@@ -58,6 +68,8 @@ class Player : public QObject {
   Song current_item_;
 
   EngineBase* engine_;
+  QFuture<bool> init_engine_;
+  QFutureWatcher<bool>* init_engine_watcher_;
 };
 
 #endif // PLAYER_H
diff --git a/src/xine-engine.cpp b/src/xine-engine.cpp
index 9840df37f..95e55b22d 100644
--- a/src/xine-engine.cpp
+++ b/src/xine-engine.cpp
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ XineEngine::init()
    m_xine = xine_new();
 
    if( !m_xine ) {
-      QMessageBox::critical( 0, "Error", "Amarok could not initialize xine." );
+      emit error("Could not initialize xine.");
       return false;
    }
 
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ XineEngine::makeNewStream()
    m_audioPort = xine_open_audio_driver( m_xine, m_currentAudioPlugin.toLocal8Bit().constData(), NULL );
    if( !m_audioPort ) {
       //TODO make engine method that is the same but parents the dialog for us
-      QMessageBox::critical(0, "Error", "xine was unable to initialize any audio drivers." );
+      emit error("xine was unable to initialize any audio drivers.");
       return false;
    }
 
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ XineEngine::makeNewStream()
    if( !m_stream ) {
       xine_close_audio_driver( m_xine, m_audioPort );
       m_audioPort = NULL;
-      QMessageBox::critical(NULL, "Error", "Amarok could not create a new xine stream.");
+      emit error("Could not create a new xine stream");
       return false;
    }