diff --git a/app/errors.c b/app/errors.c
index 4996fd1dfe..1598470d61 100644
--- a/app/errors.c
+++ b/app/errors.c
@@ -454,6 +454,12 @@ gimp_eek (const gchar *reason,
    */
   if (backup_path)
     {
+      /* increase the busy counter, so XCF saving calling
+       * gimp_set_busy() and gimp_unset_busy() won't call the GUI
+       * layer and do whatever windowing system calls to set cursors.
+       */
+      the_errors_gimp->busy++;
+
       /* The index of 'XXX' in backup_path string. */
       num_idx = strlen (backup_path) - 7;