diff --git a/qubesmanager/common_threads.py b/qubesmanager/common_threads.py
index 4f35539..0097082 100644
--- a/qubesmanager/common_threads.py
+++ b/qubesmanager/common_threads.py
@@ -20,10 +20,21 @@
 #
 
 
-from PyQt4 import QtCore  # pylint: disable=import-error
+from PyQt4 import QtCore, QtGui  # pylint: disable=import-error
+from contextlib import contextmanager
+
 from qubesadmin import exc
 
 
+@contextmanager
+def busy_cursor():
+    try:
+        QtGui.QApplication.setOverrideCursor(QtCore.Qt.BusyCursor)
+        yield
+    finally:
+        QtGui.QApplication.restoreOverrideCursor()
+
+
 # pylint: disable=too-few-public-methods
 class RemoveVMThread(QtCore.QThread):
     def __init__(self, vm):
diff --git a/qubesmanager/qube_manager.py b/qubesmanager/qube_manager.py
index 83720ab..c2fc42d 100644
--- a/qubesmanager/qube_manager.py
+++ b/qubesmanager/qube_manager.py
@@ -741,7 +741,8 @@ class VmManagerWindow(ui_qubemanager.Ui_VmManagerWindow, QtGui.QMainWindow):
     # noinspection PyArgumentList
     @QtCore.pyqtSlot(name='on_action_createvm_triggered')
     def action_createvm_triggered(self):  # pylint: disable=no-self-use
-        create_window = create_new_vm.NewVmDlg(self.qt_app, self.qubes_app)
+        with common_threads.busy_cursor():
+            create_window = create_new_vm.NewVmDlg(self.qt_app, self.qubes_app)
         create_window.exec_()
 
     def get_selected_vm(self):
@@ -976,8 +977,9 @@ class VmManagerWindow(ui_qubemanager.Ui_VmManagerWindow, QtGui.QMainWindow):
     def action_settings_triggered(self):
         vm = self.get_selected_vm()
         if vm:
-            settings_window = settings.VMSettingsWindow(
-                vm, self.qt_app, "basic")
+            with common_threads.busy_cursor():
+                settings_window = settings.VMSettingsWindow(
+                    vm, self.qt_app, "basic")
             settings_window.exec_()
 
             vm_deleted = False
@@ -1003,11 +1005,11 @@ class VmManagerWindow(ui_qubemanager.Ui_VmManagerWindow, QtGui.QMainWindow):
     def action_appmenus_triggered(self):
         vm = self.get_selected_vm()
         if vm:
-            settings_window = settings.VMSettingsWindow(
-                vm, self.qt_app, "applications")
+            with common_threads.busy_cursor():
+                settings_window = settings.VMSettingsWindow(
+                    vm, self.qt_app, "applications")
             settings_window.exec_()
 
-
     # noinspection PyArgumentList
     @QtCore.pyqtSlot(name='on_action_updatevm_triggered')
     def action_updatevm_triggered(self):
@@ -1056,16 +1058,18 @@ class VmManagerWindow(ui_qubemanager.Ui_VmManagerWindow, QtGui.QMainWindow):
     # noinspection PyArgumentList
     @QtCore.pyqtSlot(name='on_action_editfwrules_triggered')
     def action_editfwrules_triggered(self):
-        vm = self.get_selected_vm()
-        settings_window = settings.VMSettingsWindow(vm, self.qt_app, "firewall")
+        with common_threads.busy_cursor():
+            vm = self.get_selected_vm()
+            settings_window = settings.VMSettingsWindow(vm, self.qt_app, "firewall")
         settings_window.exec_()
 
     # noinspection PyArgumentList
     @QtCore.pyqtSlot(name='on_action_global_settings_triggered')
     def action_global_settings_triggered(self):  # pylint: disable=invalid-name
-        global_settings_window = global_settings.GlobalSettingsWindow(
-            self.qt_app,
-            self.qubes_app)
+        with common_threads.busy_cursor():
+            global_settings_window = global_settings.GlobalSettingsWindow(
+                self.qt_app,
+                self.qubes_app)
         global_settings_window.exec_()
 
     # noinspection PyArgumentList
@@ -1085,14 +1089,16 @@ class VmManagerWindow(ui_qubemanager.Ui_VmManagerWindow, QtGui.QMainWindow):
     # noinspection PyArgumentList
     @QtCore.pyqtSlot(name='on_action_restore_triggered')
     def action_restore_triggered(self):
-        restore_window = restore.RestoreVMsWindow(self.qt_app, self.qubes_app)
+        with common_threads.busy_cursor():
+            restore_window = restore.RestoreVMsWindow(self.qt_app, self.qubes_app)
         restore_window.exec_()
 
     # noinspection PyArgumentList
     @QtCore.pyqtSlot(name='on_action_backup_triggered')
     def action_backup_triggered(self):
-        backup_window = backup.BackupVMsWindow(self.qt_app, self.qubes_app,
-                                            self.dispatcher, self)
+        with common_threads.busy_cursor():
+            backup_window = backup.BackupVMsWindow(self.qt_app, self.qubes_app,
+                                                self.dispatcher, self)
         backup_window.show()
 
     # noinspection PyArgumentList
diff --git a/qubesmanager/settings.py b/qubesmanager/settings.py
old mode 100755
new mode 100644
index 9aacca7..b9cf5ee
--- a/qubesmanager/settings.py
+++ b/qubesmanager/settings.py
@@ -278,10 +278,13 @@ class VMSettingsWindow(ui_settingsdlg.Ui_SettingsDialog, QtGui.QDialog):
                 self.tr("ERROR: {0}").format('\n'.join(error)))
 
     def apply(self):
+        with common_threads.busy_cursor():
+            self.save_changes()
         self.save_changes()
 
     def save_and_apply(self):
-        self.save_changes()
+        with common_threads.busy_cursor():
+            self.save_changes()
         self.done(0)
 
     def __save_changes__(self):