diff --git a/app/ui/boot.js b/app/ui/boot.js
index a07f4475..e25cb2e3 100644
--- a/app/ui/boot.js
+++ b/app/ui/boot.js
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ import { createDock } from "./shell/dock.js";
 import { hostFor } from "./shell/mounts.js";
 import paths from "./modules.js";
 import { composer as c } from "./composer/composer.js";
+import { startLoading } from "./shell/loading.js";
+
+// First thing on screen, before the frame exists: the buttons arrive one by one and this says why.
+const loading = startLoading(c);
 
 // What the core offers a feature, by name. `on(fn)` hears every change; fn gets "open" when a
 // different project was opened, "change" for an edit.
@@ -38,7 +42,7 @@ const installed = await Promise.race([api.modules(), new Promise((_, no) => setT
 app.hasModule = (id) => !installed || installed.has(id);
 const settings = createSettings({ menubar: hostFor("menubar.menus") });
 app.openSettings = (id) => settings.open(id);
-const result = await loadFeatures(paths, { app });
+const result = await loadFeatures(paths, { app, onProgress: loading.progress }).finally(loading.done);
 settings.addButton();
 app.project.start().catch((err) => console.warn("could not open a project:", err.message));
 window.FunPackUI = { frame, settings, app, ...result };
diff --git a/app/ui/shell/features.js b/app/ui/shell/features.js
index 3eb3033d..eec05464 100644
--- a/app/ui/shell/features.js
+++ b/app/ui/shell/features.js
@@ -24,10 +24,11 @@ function mountOne(hub, has, app) {
 }
 
 // `app` is what the core offers features (project, ...). A feature names what it needs; a missing one hides it.
-export async function loadFeatures(paths, { load = (path) => import(path), app = {}, has = (name) => name in app } = {}) {
+export async function loadFeatures(paths, { load = (path) => import(path), app = {}, has = (name) => name in app, onProgress = () => {} } = {}) {
   const mounted = [], hidden = [];
   const hide = (id, err) => { hidden.push({ id, why: err.message }); console.warn(`[FunPack] ${id} hidden: ${err.message}`); };
-  for (const path of paths) {
+  for (const [i, path] of paths.entries()) {
+    try { onProgress({ n: i + 1, of: paths.length, path }); } catch (err) { console.warn(err); }      // a broken progress display must not stop loading
     let hubs;
     try { hubs = [].concat((await load(path)).default); } catch (err) { hide(path, err); continue; }
     for (const hub of hubs) {
diff --git a/app/ui/shell/loading.js b/app/ui/shell/loading.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3a9c2c10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/ui/shell/loading.js
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+// The loading window: opens as soon as the page starts, names the module being loaded, closes when all are in.
+// Built only from the kit. It cannot be dismissed, because the screen behind it is still filling in.
+const name = (path) => {
+  const parts = path.replace(/^\.\/features\//, "").replace(/\.js$/, "").split("/");
+  if (parts[parts.length - 1] === "index") parts.pop();
+  return parts.join("/") || path;
+};
+
+export function startLoading(c) {
+  let win = null, text = null, bar = null;
+  try {
+    text = c.text.md({ text: "Starting FunPack. Please wait for UI to finish loading." });
+    bar = c.progress.bar({ value: 0, max: 100, label: "Loading modules" });
+    win = c.modal.generic({
+      title: "Loading FunPack", size: "md", closeOnOutside: false, closeOnEsc: false,
+      body: c.region.stack({ gap: "lg", children: [text, bar] }),
+    });
+  } catch (err) { console.warn("[FunPack] loading window failed:", err.message); }      // no window is better than no app
+  return {
+    progress({ n, of, path }) {
+      if (!win) return;
+      text.setText(`Loading module ${n} out of ${of}: ${name(path)}. Please wait for UI to finish loading.`);
+      bar.setValue(((n - 1) / of) * 100);
+    },
+    done() { if (win) win.close("done"); win = null; },
+  };
+}
diff --git a/app/ui/shell/loading.test.js b/app/ui/shell/loading.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5286ab4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/ui/shell/loading.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+import test from "node:test";
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import { startLoading } from "./loading.js";
+
+const fake = () => {
+  const log = { closed: 0, text: "", pct: -1 };
+  const c = {
+    text: { md: ({ text }) => ({ setText: (t) => { log.text = t; log.text0 = text; } }) },
+    progress: { bar: () => ({ node: {}, setValue: (v) => { log.pct = v; } }) },
+    region: { stack: () => ({}) },
+    modal: { generic: (p) => { log.props = p; return { close: () => { log.closed++; } }; } },
+  };
+  return { c, log };
+};
+
+test("the window cannot be dismissed, names the module and its place, and closes once", () => {
+  const { c, log } = fake();
+  const l = startLoading(c);
+  assert.equal(log.props.closeOnEsc, false);
+  assert.equal(log.props.closeOnOutside, false);
+  l.progress({ n: 2, of: 4, path: "./features/timeline/index.js" });
+  assert.equal(log.text, "Loading module 2 out of 4: timeline. Please wait for UI to finish loading.");
+  assert.equal(log.pct, 25);
+  l.progress({ n: 3, of: 4, path: "./features/render/selected.js" });
+  assert.match(log.text, /3 out of 4: render\/selected\./);
+  l.done(); l.done();
+  assert.equal(log.closed, 1);
+});
+
+test("a kit that cannot draw the window does not stop the app", () => {
+  const l = startLoading({});
+  l.progress({ n: 1, of: 1, path: "./features/a/index.js" });
+  l.done();
+});