diff --git a/src/AddIns/Misc/SharpServerTools/ServerBrowserTool/ServerBrowserTool.csproj b/src/AddIns/Misc/SharpServerTools/ServerBrowserTool/ServerBrowserTool.csproj
index 87b6e49764..f0c49ac870 100644
--- a/src/AddIns/Misc/SharpServerTools/ServerBrowserTool/ServerBrowserTool.csproj
+++ b/src/AddIns/Misc/SharpServerTools/ServerBrowserTool/ServerBrowserTool.csproj
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
     <Compile Include="Src\Forms\RebuildRequiredEvents.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Src\Forms\ServerBrowserTool.cs" />
     <Compile Include="Src\Configuration\AssemblyInfo.cs" />
+    <Compile Include="Src\Forms\ProgressEllipsis.cs" />
   </ItemGroup>
   <ItemGroup>
     <Folder Include="Src" />
diff --git a/src/AddIns/Misc/SharpServerTools/ServerBrowserTool/Src/Forms/ProgressEllipsis.cs b/src/AddIns/Misc/SharpServerTools/ServerBrowserTool/Src/Forms/ProgressEllipsis.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5567e5772a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/AddIns/Misc/SharpServerTools/ServerBrowserTool/Src/Forms/ProgressEllipsis.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+/*
+ * User: dickon
+ * Date: 23/10/2006
+ * Time: 09:01
+ * 
+ */
+
+using System;
+using System.Text;
+
+namespace SharpServerTools.Forms
+{
+	/// <summary>
+	/// Shows progress as a series of ellipses. Not threadsafe.
+	/// </summary>
+	public class ProgressEllipsis
+	{
+		int noOfDots;
+		StringBuilder currentString;
+		int currentValue;
+		
+		public ProgressEllipsis()
+		{
+		}
+		
+		public ProgressEllipsis(int noOfDots)
+		{
+			this.noOfDots = noOfDots;
+			currentString = new StringBuilder();
+			currentValue = 0;
+		}
+		
+		public void performStep()
+		{
+			currentValue++;
+			if ((currentValue % noOfDots) == 0) {
+				currentValue = 0;
+				currentString.Remove(0, currentString.Length-1);
+			} else {
+				currentString.Append(".");
+			}
+		}
+		
+		public string Text {
+			get {
+				return currentString.ToString();
+			}
+		}
+		
+		public int Value {
+			set {
+				this.currentValue = value;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/AddIns/Misc/SharpServerTools/SharpDbTools/Src/Forms/DbModelInfoTreeNode.cs b/src/AddIns/Misc/SharpServerTools/SharpDbTools/Src/Forms/DbModelInfoTreeNode.cs
index 78d810b19d..46cf605d91 100644
--- a/src/AddIns/Misc/SharpServerTools/SharpDbTools/Src/Forms/DbModelInfoTreeNode.cs
+++ b/src/AddIns/Misc/SharpServerTools/SharpDbTools/Src/Forms/DbModelInfoTreeNode.cs
@@ -25,7 +25,12 @@ namespace SharpDbTools.Forms
 	/// </summary>
 	public class DbModelInfoTreeNode: TreeNode, IRequiresRebuildSource
 	{
-		BackgroundWorker loadMetadataFromFileBackgroundWorker;
+		BackgroundWorker backgroundWorker;
+		ProgressEllipsis progress;
+		Timer timer;
+		const string fileLoadMessage = ": loading from file";
+		const string connectionLoadMessage = ": loading from connection";
+		string message;
 		
 		public DbModelInfoTreeNode(string name): base(name)
 		{
@@ -65,6 +70,11 @@ namespace SharpDbTools.Forms
 			TreeNode dbNode = CreateMetaDataNode(this.LogicalConnectionName);
 			this.Nodes.Add(connectionPropsNode);
 			this.Nodes.Add(dbNode);
+			
+			timer = new Timer();
+			timer.Interval = 1000;
+			timer.Tick += new EventHandler(this.TimerClick);
+			progress = new ProgressEllipsis(4);
 		}
 		
 		public string LogicalConnectionName {
@@ -192,16 +202,37 @@ namespace SharpDbTools.Forms
 		private void LoadMetadataFromFileClickHandler(object sender, EventArgs e)
 		{
 			LoggingService.Debug("load metadata from file clicked");
-			this.loadMetadataFromFileBackgroundWorker = new BackgroundWorker();
-			loadMetadataFromFileBackgroundWorker.DoWork += new DoWorkEventHandler(this.LoadMetadataFromFileDoWork);
-			loadMetadataFromFileBackgroundWorker.RunWorkerCompleted += 
-				new RunWorkerCompletedEventHandler(this.LoadMetadataFromFileFinished);
+			this.backgroundWorker = new BackgroundWorker();
+			backgroundWorker.DoWork += new DoWorkEventHandler(this.LoadMetadataFromFileDoWork);
+			backgroundWorker.RunWorkerCompleted += 
+				new RunWorkerCompletedEventHandler(this.LoadMetadataFinished);
 			string logicalConnectionName = (string)this.Tag;
-			this.Text = logicalConnectionName + ": loading...";
+			this.message = logicalConnectionName + fileLoadMessage;
 			this.ContextMenuStrip.Enabled = false;
-			this.loadMetadataFromFileBackgroundWorker.RunWorkerAsync(logicalConnectionName);
+			timer.Start();
+			this.backgroundWorker.RunWorkerAsync(logicalConnectionName);
+		}
+		
+		private void TimerClick(object sender, EventArgs eventArgs)
+		{
+			string ellipsis = progress.Text;
+			progress.performStep();
+			string displayMsg = this.message + ellipsis;
+			SetText(displayMsg);
+			
 		}
+
+		delegate void TextSetterDelegate(string text);
 		
+		public void SetText(string text)
+		{
+			if (this.TreeView.InvokeRequired) {
+				this.TreeView.Invoke(new TextSetterDelegate(this.SetText), new object[] { text });
+				return;
+			}
+			this.Text = text;
+		}
+
 		private void LoadMetadataFromFileDoWork(object sender, DoWorkEventArgs args)
 		{
 			string logicalConnectionName = args.Argument as string;
@@ -210,26 +241,47 @@ namespace SharpDbTools.Forms
 			}
 		}
 		
-		private void LoadMetadataFromFileFinished(object sender, RunWorkerCompletedEventArgs args)
+		private void LoadMetadataFinished(object sender, RunWorkerCompletedEventArgs args)
 		{
+			if (this.TreeView.InvokeRequired) {
+				this.TreeView.Invoke(new EventHandler<RunWorkerCompletedEventArgs>
+				                     (this.LoadMetadataFinished));
+				return;
+			} 
+			this.timer.Stop();
 			this.Text = (string)this.Tag;
 			this.ContextMenuStrip.Enabled = true;
+			this.backgroundWorker.Dispose();
+			this.backgroundWorker = null;
 			this.FireRebuildRequired();
 		}
 		
 		private void LoadMetadataFromConnectionClickHandler(object sender, EventArgs args)
 		{
-			string connectionLogicalName = this.Text;
-			LoggingService.Debug("load metadata from connection clicked for connection with name: "
-			                     + connectionLogicalName);
-			try {	
-				DbModelInfoService.LoadMetadataFromConnection(connectionLogicalName);
-			}
-			catch(DbException e) {
-				MessageService.ShowError(e, 
-				"An Exception was thrown while trying to connect to: " + connectionLogicalName);                       
+			LoggingService.Debug("load metadata from connection clicked");
+			this.backgroundWorker = new BackgroundWorker();
+			backgroundWorker.DoWork += new DoWorkEventHandler(this.LoadMetadataFromConnectionDoWork);
+			backgroundWorker.RunWorkerCompleted += 
+				new RunWorkerCompletedEventHandler(this.LoadMetadataFinished);
+			string logicalConnectionName = (string)this.Tag;
+			this.message = logicalConnectionName + connectionLoadMessage;
+			this.ContextMenuStrip.Enabled = false;
+			timer.Start();
+			this.backgroundWorker.RunWorkerAsync(logicalConnectionName);
+		}
+		
+		private void LoadMetadataFromConnectionDoWork(object sender, DoWorkEventArgs args)
+		{
+			string connectionLogicalName = args.Argument as string;
+			if (connectionLogicalName != null) {
+				try {	
+					DbModelInfoService.LoadMetadataFromConnection(connectionLogicalName);
+				}
+				catch(DbException e) {
+					MessageService.ShowError(e, 
+					"An Exception was thrown while trying to connect to: " + connectionLogicalName);                       
+				}
 			}
-			this.FireRebuildRequired();
 		}
 	}
 }