diff --git a/apps/gui/splash.c b/apps/gui/splash.c
index 5bb8514d30..efb4b1cda2 100644
--- a/apps/gui/splash.c
+++ b/apps/gui/splash.c
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@
 #include "strtok_r.h"
 #include "scrollbar.h"
 
+static long progress_next_tick = 0;
+
 #define MAXLINES  (LCD_HEIGHT/6)
 #define MAXBUFFER 512
 #define RECT_SPACING 2
@@ -194,21 +196,26 @@ void splash(int ticks, const char *str)
     splashf(ticks, "%s", P2STR((const unsigned char*)str));
 }
 
+/* set delay before progress meter is shown */
+void splash_progress_set_delay(long delay_ticks)
+{
+    progress_next_tick = current_tick + delay_ticks;
+}
+
 /* splash a progress meter */
 void splash_progress(int current, int total, const char *fmt, ...)
 {
     va_list ap;
     int vp_flag = VP_FLAG_VP_DIRTY;
     /* progress update tick */
-    static long next_tick = 0;
     long now = current_tick;
 
     if (current < total)
     {
-        if(TIME_BEFORE(now, next_tick))
+        if(TIME_BEFORE(now, progress_next_tick))
             return;
         /* limit to 20fps */
-        next_tick = now + HZ/20;
+        progress_next_tick = now + HZ/20;
         vp_flag = 0; /* don't mark vp dirty to prevent flashing */
     }
 
diff --git a/apps/gui/splash.h b/apps/gui/splash.h
index 4002af5296..f7ff44e00b 100644
--- a/apps/gui/splash.h
+++ b/apps/gui/splash.h
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ extern void splashf(int ticks, const char *fmt, ...) ATTRIBUTE_PRINTF(2, 3);
  */
 extern void splash(int ticks, const char *str);
 
+/* set a delay before displaying the progress meter the first time */
+extern void splash_progress_set_delay(long delay_ticks);
 /*
  * Puts a splash message centered on all the screens with a progressbar
  *  - current : current progress increment
diff --git a/apps/playlist.c b/apps/playlist.c
index e54918f4f7..888b53d282 100644
--- a/apps/playlist.c
+++ b/apps/playlist.c
@@ -2196,25 +2196,23 @@ int playlist_resume(void)
         char *str1 = NULL;
         char *str2 = NULL;
         char *str3 = NULL;
-        unsigned long last_tick = current_tick + HZ / 2; /* wait 1/2 sec before progress */
+        unsigned long last_tick = current_tick;
+        splash_progress_set_delay(HZ / 2); /* wait 1/2 sec before progress */
         bool useraborted = false;
         
         for(count=0; count<nread && !exit_loop && !useraborted; count++,p++)
         {
             /* Show a splash while we are loading. */
-            if (TIME_AFTER(current_tick, last_tick - 1))
+            splash_progress((total_read + count), control_file_size,
+                         "%s (%s)", str(LANG_WAIT), str(LANG_OFF_ABORT));
+            if (TIME_AFTER(current_tick, last_tick + HZ/4))
             {
-                splash_progress((total_read + count), control_file_size,
-                             "%s (%s)", str(LANG_WAIT), str(LANG_OFF_ABORT));
-                if (TIME_AFTER(current_tick, last_tick + HZ/4))
+                if (action_userabort(TIMEOUT_NOBLOCK))
                 {
-                    if (action_userabort(TIMEOUT_NOBLOCK))
-                    {
-                        useraborted = true;
-                        break;
-                    }
-                    last_tick = current_tick;
+                    useraborted = true;
+                    break;
                 }
+                last_tick = current_tick;
             }
             /* Are we on a new line? */
             if((*p == '\n') || (*p == '\r'))
diff --git a/apps/tagtree.c b/apps/tagtree.c
index d354d7c2a1..39bc0ab37c 100644
--- a/apps/tagtree.c
+++ b/apps/tagtree.c
@@ -2063,19 +2063,17 @@ static bool insert_all_playlist(struct tree_context *c, int position, bool queue
     }
 
     last_tick = current_tick + HZ/2; /* Show splash after 0.5 seconds have passed */
-
+    splash_progress_set_delay(HZ / 2); /* wait 1/2 sec before progress */
     n = c->filesindir;
     for (i = 0; i < n; i++)
     {
-        if (TIME_AFTER(current_tick, last_tick - 1))
+
+        splash_progress(i, n, "%s (%s)", str(LANG_WAIT), str(LANG_OFF_ABORT));
+        if (TIME_AFTER(current_tick, last_tick + HZ/4))
         {
-            splash_progress(i, n, "%s (%s)", str(LANG_WAIT), str(LANG_OFF_ABORT));
-            if (TIME_AFTER(current_tick, last_tick + HZ/10))
-            {
-                if (action_userabort(TIMEOUT_NOBLOCK))
-                    break;
-                last_tick = current_tick;
-            }
+            if (action_userabort(TIMEOUT_NOBLOCK))
+                break;
+            last_tick = current_tick;
         }
 
         if (!tagcache_retrieve(&tcs, tagtree_get_entry(c, i)->extraseek,