diff --git a/gramps2/ChangeLog b/gramps2/ChangeLog
index ee7ffdb47..627e8b653 100644
--- a/gramps2/ChangeLog
+++ b/gramps2/ChangeLog
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 2004-12-19  Don Allingham  <dallingham@users.sourceforge.net>
+	* src/DbPrompter.py: Add display messages during load
+	* src/GrampsBSDDB.py: Add display messages during load
+	* src/gramps_main.py: Add display messages during load
 	* src/DisplayModels.py: use a dictionary to handle reverse
 	indices instead of list.index function. Drastically reduces
 	time are larger lists.
diff --git a/gramps2/src/DbPrompter.py b/gramps2/src/DbPrompter.py
index f0d1705ff..94bf9f759 100644
--- a/gramps2/src/DbPrompter.py
+++ b/gramps2/src/DbPrompter.py
@@ -386,7 +386,15 @@ def open_native(parent,filename,filetype):
         parent.db = GrampsBSDDB.GrampsBSDDB()
         msgxml = gtk.glade.XML(const.gladeFile, "load_message","gramps")
         msg_top = msgxml.get_widget('load_message')
-        parent.read_file(filename)
+        msg_label = msgxml.get_widget('message')
+
+        def update_msg(msg):
+            msg_label.set_text("<i>%s</i>" % msg)
+            msg_label.set_use_markup(True)
+            while gtk.events_pending():
+                gtk.main_iteration()
+
+        parent.read_file(filename,update_msg)
         msg_top.destroy()
         success = True
     elif filetype == const.app_gramps_xml:
diff --git a/gramps2/src/GrampsBSDDB.py b/gramps2/src/GrampsBSDDB.py
index adb62abcf..89f80647b 100644
--- a/gramps2/src/GrampsBSDDB.py
+++ b/gramps2/src/GrampsBSDDB.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ Provides the Berkeley DB (BSDDB) database backend for GRAMPS
 import os
 import time
 import locale
+from gettext import gettext as _
 
 from RelLib import *
 from GrampsDbBase import *
@@ -120,7 +121,6 @@ class GrampsBSDDB(GrampsDbBase):
         self.name_group = db.DB(self.env)
         self.name_group.set_flags(db.DB_DUP)
         self.name_group.open(name, "name_group", db.DB_HASH, flags=db.DB_CREATE)
-
         self.id_trans = db.DB(self.env)
         self.id_trans.set_flags(db.DB_DUP)
         self.id_trans.open(name, "idtrans", db.DB_HASH, flags=db.DB_CREATE)
diff --git a/gramps2/src/gramps_main.py b/gramps2/src/gramps_main.py
index 251ce7ba9..896b84325 100755
--- a/gramps2/src/gramps_main.py
+++ b/gramps2/src/gramps_main.py
@@ -1068,7 +1068,7 @@ class Gramps:
         os.rmdir(tmpdir_path)
         self.import_tool_callback()
 
-    def read_file(self,filename):
+    def read_file(self,filename,callback=None):
         self.topWindow.set_resizable(gtk.FALSE)
         filename = os.path.normpath(os.path.abspath(filename))
         
@@ -1090,7 +1090,7 @@ class Gramps:
                 return 0
 
         try:
-            if self.load_database(filename) == 1:
+            if self.load_database(filename,callback) == 1:
                 if filename[-1] == '/':
                     filename = filename[:-1]
                 name = os.path.basename(filename)
@@ -1540,17 +1540,12 @@ class Gramps:
         else:
             return GrampsCfg.get_nameof()(person)
 
-    def load_progress(self,value):
-        self.statusbar.set_progress_percentage(value)
-        while gtk.events_pending():
-            gtk.main_iteration()
-
     def status_text(self,text):
         self.statusbar.set_status(text)
         while gtk.events_pending():
             gtk.main_iteration()
         
-    def post_load(self,name):
+    def post_load(self,name,callback=None):
         self.db.set_save_path(name)
         res = self.db.get_researcher()
         owner = GrampsCfg.get_researcher()
@@ -1558,22 +1553,31 @@ class Gramps:
         if res.get_name() == "" and owner.get_name():
             self.db.set_researcher(owner)
 
+        if callback:
+            callback(_('Setting up bookmarks...'))
         self.setup_bookmarks()
 
         GrampsGconfKeys.save_last_file(name)
         self.gtop.get_widget("filter").set_text("")
     
-        self.statusbar.set_progress_percentage(1.0)
-
+        if callback:
+            callback(_('Building Person list...'))
         self.people_view.change_db(self.db)
+        if callback:
+            callback(_('Building Place list...'))
         self.place_view.change_db(self.db)
+        if callback:
+            callback(_('Building Source list...'))
         self.source_view.change_db(self.db)
+        if callback:
+            callback(_('Building Media list...'))
         self.media_view.change_db(self.db)
         self.relationship = self.RelClass(self.db)
 
         self.change_active_person(self.find_initial_person())
         self.goto_active_person()
-        self.statusbar.set_progress_percentage(0.0)
+        if callback:
+            callback(_('Setup complete'))
         return 1
 
     def find_initial_person(self):
@@ -1585,18 +1589,21 @@ class Gramps:
                 person = self.db.get_person_from_handle(the_ids[0])
         return person
     
-    def load_database(self,name):
+    def load_database(self,name,callback=None):
 
         filename = name
 
         self.status_text(_("Loading %s...") % name)
 
-        if self.db.load(filename,self.load_progress) == 0:
+        if callback:
+            callback(_('Opening database...'))
+            
+        if self.db.load(filename,callback) == 0:
             self.status_text('')
             return 0
         self.status_text('')
 
-        val = self.post_load(name)
+        val = self.post_load(name,callback)
         return val
 
     def setup_bookmarks(self):