diff --git a/src/libs/utils/basetreeview.cpp b/src/libs/utils/basetreeview.cpp
index 12db1ab3ac3..98adaf01194 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/basetreeview.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/utils/basetreeview.cpp
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@
 
 #include "basetreeview.h"
 
+#include "progressindicator.h"
+
 #include <utils/qtcassert.h>
 
 #include <QDebug>
@@ -54,7 +56,7 @@ class BaseTreeViewPrivate : public QObject
 
 public:
     explicit BaseTreeViewPrivate(BaseTreeView *parent)
-        : q(parent), m_settings(0), m_expectUserChanges(false)
+        : q(parent), m_settings(0), m_expectUserChanges(false), m_progressIndicator(0)
     {}
 
     bool eventFilter(QObject *, QEvent *event)
@@ -211,6 +213,7 @@ public:
     QSettings *m_settings;
     QString m_settingsKey;
     bool m_expectUserChanges;
+    ProgressIndicator *m_progressIndicator;
 };
 
 class BaseTreeViewDelegate : public QItemDelegate
@@ -310,6 +313,32 @@ void BaseTreeView::mousePressEvent(QMouseEvent *ev)
         d->toggleColumnWidth(columnAt(ev->x()));
 }
 
+/*!
+    Shows a round spinning progress indicator on top of the tree view.
+    Creates a progress indicator widget if necessary.
+    \sa hideProgressIndicator()
+ */
+void BaseTreeView::showProgressIndicator()
+{
+    if (!d->m_progressIndicator) {
+        d->m_progressIndicator = new ProgressIndicator(ProgressIndicator::Large);
+        d->m_progressIndicator->attachToWidget(this);
+    }
+    d->m_progressIndicator->show();
+}
+
+/*!
+    Hides the round spinning progress indicator that was shown with
+    BaseTreeView::showProgressIndicator(). Note that the progress indicator widget is not
+    destroyed.
+    \sa showProgressIndicator()
+ */
+void BaseTreeView::hideProgressIndicator()
+{
+    QTC_ASSERT(d->m_progressIndicator, return);
+    d->m_progressIndicator->hide();
+}
+
 void BaseTreeView::setSettings(QSettings *settings, const QByteArray &key)
 {
     QTC_ASSERT(!d->m_settings, qDebug() << "DUPLICATED setSettings" << key);
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/basetreeview.h b/src/libs/utils/basetreeview.h
index 0710888a814..1577f88f823 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/basetreeview.h
+++ b/src/libs/utils/basetreeview.h
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ public:
     virtual void rowClicked(const QModelIndex &) {}
     void mousePressEvent(QMouseEvent *ev);
 
+    void showProgressIndicator();
+    void hideProgressIndicator();
+
 public slots:
     void setAlternatingRowColorsHelper(bool on) { setAlternatingRowColors(on); }
 
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/progressindicator.cpp b/src/libs/utils/progressindicator.cpp
index 10e0f9a5d13..f1a6f3e905c 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/progressindicator.cpp
+++ b/src/libs/utils/progressindicator.cpp
@@ -29,26 +29,40 @@
 ****************************************************************************/
 
 #include "progressindicator.h"
+
+#include "qtcassert.h"
 #include "stylehelper.h"
 
+#include <QEvent>
 #include <QPainter>
 #include <QPixmap>
 
 using namespace Utils;
 
-ProgressIndicator::ProgressIndicator(Size size, QWidget *parent)
+ProgressIndicator::ProgressIndicator(IndicatorSize size, QWidget *parent)
     : QWidget(parent),
       m_rotation(0)
 {
     setAttribute(Qt::WA_TransparentForMouseEvents);
+    m_timer.setSingleShot(false);
+    connect(&m_timer, &QTimer::timeout, this, &ProgressIndicator::step);
+    setIndicatorSize(size);
+}
+
+void ProgressIndicator::setIndicatorSize(ProgressIndicator::IndicatorSize size)
+{
     m_size = size;
     m_rotationStep = size == Small ? 45 : 30;
+    m_timer.setInterval(size == Small ? 100 : 80);
     m_pixmap.load(StyleHelper::dpiSpecificImageFile(
                       size == Small ? QLatin1String(":/utils/images/progressindicator_small.png")
                                     : QLatin1String(":/utils/images/progressindicator_big.png")));
-    m_timer.setInterval(size == Small ? 100 : 80);
-    m_timer.setSingleShot(false);
-    connect(&m_timer, &QTimer::timeout, this, &ProgressIndicator::step);
+    updateGeometry();
+}
+
+ProgressIndicator::IndicatorSize ProgressIndicator::indicatorSize() const
+{
+    return m_size;
 }
 
 QSize ProgressIndicator::sizeHint() const
@@ -56,6 +70,16 @@ QSize ProgressIndicator::sizeHint() const
     return m_pixmap.size() / m_pixmap.devicePixelRatio();
 }
 
+void ProgressIndicator::attachToWidget(QWidget *parent)
+{
+    if (parentWidget())
+        parentWidget()->removeEventFilter(this);
+    setParent(parent);
+    parent->installEventFilter(this);
+    resizeToParent();
+    raise();
+}
+
 void ProgressIndicator::paintEvent(QPaintEvent *)
 {
     QPainter p(this);
@@ -82,9 +106,23 @@ void ProgressIndicator::hideEvent(QHideEvent *)
     m_timer.stop();
 }
 
+bool ProgressIndicator::eventFilter(QObject *obj, QEvent *ev)
+{
+    if (obj == parent() && ev->type() == QEvent::Resize) {
+        resizeToParent();
+    }
+    return QWidget::eventFilter(obj, ev);
+}
+
 void ProgressIndicator::step()
 {
     m_rotation = (m_rotation + m_rotationStep + 360) % 360;
     update();
 }
 
+void ProgressIndicator::resizeToParent()
+{
+    QTC_ASSERT(parentWidget(), return);
+    setGeometry(QRect(QPoint(0, 0), parentWidget()->size()));
+}
+
diff --git a/src/libs/utils/progressindicator.h b/src/libs/utils/progressindicator.h
index c75fcbe0dc9..a34365b2ddc 100644
--- a/src/libs/utils/progressindicator.h
+++ b/src/libs/utils/progressindicator.h
@@ -45,24 +45,31 @@ class QTCREATOR_UTILS_EXPORT ProgressIndicator : public QWidget
 {
     Q_OBJECT
 public:
-    enum Size {
+    enum IndicatorSize {
         Small,
         Large
     };
 
-    explicit ProgressIndicator(Size size, QWidget *parent = 0);
+    explicit ProgressIndicator(IndicatorSize size, QWidget *parent = 0);
+
+    void setIndicatorSize(IndicatorSize size);
+    IndicatorSize indicatorSize() const;
 
     QSize sizeHint() const;
 
+    void attachToWidget(QWidget *parent);
+
 protected:
     void paintEvent(QPaintEvent *);
     void showEvent(QShowEvent *);
     void hideEvent(QHideEvent *);
+    bool eventFilter(QObject *obj, QEvent *ev);
 
 private:
     void step();
+    void resizeToParent();
 
-    ProgressIndicator::Size m_size;
+    ProgressIndicator::IndicatorSize m_size;
     int m_rotationStep;
     int m_rotation;
     QTimer m_timer;