diff --git a/briar-android/res/layout/activity_plain.xml b/briar-android/res/layout/activity_plain.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..93af4f94bfe12cd8778550e5c24f56c76ab629df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/briar-android/res/layout/activity_plain.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<LinearLayout
+	xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
+	xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
+	android:layout_width="match_parent"
+	android:layout_height="match_parent"
+	android:orientation="vertical">
+
+	<android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar
+		android:id="@+id/toolbar"
+		style="@style/BriarToolbar"
+		android:layout_width="match_parent"
+		android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+		android:background="?attr/colorPrimary"
+		android:minHeight="?attr/actionBarSize"
+		/>
+
+	<FrameLayout
+		android:layout_width="match_parent"
+		android:layout_height="match_parent">
+
+		<FrameLayout
+			android:id="@+id/content_fragment"
+			android:layout_width="match_parent"
+			android:layout_height="match_parent"
+			android:background="@color/window_background"/>
+
+	</FrameLayout>
+
+</LinearLayout>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/briar-android/res/layout/fragment_keyagreement_qr.xml b/briar-android/res/layout/fragment_keyagreement_qr.xml
index 993045ef9b3b78d10dc2193a86e9c18cad8a8024..ec308624b2710b09b5b2f67e7cbb56acdbd8e703 100644
--- a/briar-android/res/layout/fragment_keyagreement_qr.xml
+++ b/briar-android/res/layout/fragment_keyagreement_qr.xml
@@ -11,9 +11,11 @@
 		android:layout_height="match_parent"/>
 
 	<LinearLayout
+		android:id="@+id/camera_overlay"
 		android:layout_width="match_parent"
 		android:layout_height="match_parent"
-		android:orientation="vertical">
+		android:orientation="vertical"
+		android:weightSum="2">
 
 		<FrameLayout
 			android:layout_width="match_parent"
@@ -64,4 +66,30 @@
 				android:scaleType="fitCenter"/>
 		</RelativeLayout>
 	</LinearLayout>
+
+	<RelativeLayout
+		android:id="@+id/container_progress"
+		android:layout_width="match_parent"
+		android:layout_height="match_parent"
+		android:background="@android:color/white"
+		android:visibility="invisible">
+
+		<ProgressBar
+			android:id="@+id/progress_bar"
+			style="?android:attr/progressBarStyleLarge"
+			android:layout_width="wrap_content"
+			android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+			android:layout_centerInParent="true"/>
+
+		<TextView
+			android:id="@+id/title_progress_bar"
+			android:layout_width="match_parent"
+			android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+			android:layout_below="@id/progress_bar"
+			android:gravity="center"
+			android:paddingTop="@dimen/margin_large"
+			tools:text="progress bar title"
+			/>
+	</RelativeLayout>
+
 </FrameLayout>
diff --git a/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/NavDrawerActivity.java b/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/NavDrawerActivity.java
index 3aa248716fd10976f549aa827e8fe2475c2f37af..a7af5d0d062edb19ce994264f51f33208504bf54 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/NavDrawerActivity.java
+++ b/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/NavDrawerActivity.java
@@ -235,7 +235,6 @@ public class NavDrawerActivity extends BriarFragmentActivity implements
 		super.signOut();
 	}
 
-	@Override
 	public void showLoadingScreen(boolean isBlocking, int stringId) {
 		if (isBlocking) {
 			// Disable navigation drawer slide to open
@@ -245,7 +244,6 @@ public class NavDrawerActivity extends BriarFragmentActivity implements
 		progressViewGroup.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
 	}
 
-	@Override
 	public void hideLoadingScreen() {
 		drawerLayout.setDrawerLockMode(LOCK_MODE_UNLOCKED);
 		progressViewGroup.setVisibility(INVISIBLE);
diff --git a/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/blogs/BlogActivity.java b/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/blogs/BlogActivity.java
index bb7a5cc8d3ec4f6f3f86ba492e8606591aaa0fe0..1b35bc5ced54153325ef84a420fdd238e410f53e 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/blogs/BlogActivity.java
+++ b/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/blogs/BlogActivity.java
@@ -13,9 +13,6 @@ import org.briarproject.api.sync.GroupId;
 
 import javax.inject.Inject;
 
-import static android.view.View.INVISIBLE;
-import static android.view.View.VISIBLE;
-
 public class BlogActivity extends BriarActivity implements
 		OnBlogPostClickListener, BaseFragmentListener {
 
@@ -72,16 +69,6 @@ public class BlogActivity extends BriarActivity implements
 				.commit();
 	}
 
-	@Override
-	public void showLoadingScreen(boolean isBlocking, int stringId) {
-		progressBar.setVisibility(VISIBLE);
-	}
-
-	@Override
-	public void hideLoadingScreen() {
-		progressBar.setVisibility(INVISIBLE);
-	}
-
 	@Override
 	public void onFragmentCreated(String tag) {
 	}
diff --git a/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/blogs/ReblogActivity.java b/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/blogs/ReblogActivity.java
index 6b4afb89bac8121f8dfac031bc6c60b783cf2512..4489f5c730f20e4302e31f22fa692a4d1c734865 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/blogs/ReblogActivity.java
+++ b/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/blogs/ReblogActivity.java
@@ -64,16 +64,6 @@ public class ReblogActivity extends BriarActivity implements
 		component.inject(this);
 	}
 
-	@Override
-	public void showLoadingScreen(boolean isBlocking, int stringId) {
-		// this is handled by the fragment
-	}
-
-	@Override
-	public void hideLoadingScreen() {
-		// this is handled by the fragment
-	}
-
 	@Override
 	public void onFragmentCreated(String tag) {
 
diff --git a/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/fragment/BaseFragment.java b/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/fragment/BaseFragment.java
index 82d8f8ebc635df03feaaa59b4227e0c830bee8ab..7c1e072acc7effc6e94dbec16de11950c480fffb 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/fragment/BaseFragment.java
+++ b/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/fragment/BaseFragment.java
@@ -48,12 +48,6 @@ public abstract class BaseFragment extends Fragment {
 
 	public interface BaseFragmentListener extends DestroyableActivity {
 
-		@UiThread
-		void showLoadingScreen(boolean isBlocking, int stringId);
-
-		@UiThread
-		void hideLoadingScreen();
-
 		void runOnDbThread(Runnable runnable);
 
 		@UiThread
diff --git a/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/introduction/IntroductionActivity.java b/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/introduction/IntroductionActivity.java
index 3c14628ebf55a535190f26736029abf327573676..8c4e6465243c87fabdb56a27fab183485025dfdd 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/introduction/IntroductionActivity.java
+++ b/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/introduction/IntroductionActivity.java
@@ -48,16 +48,6 @@ public class IntroductionActivity extends BriarActivity implements
 		component.inject(this);
 	}
 
-	@Override
-	public void showLoadingScreen(boolean isBlocking, int stringId) {
-		// this is handled by the recycler view in ContactChooserFragment
-	}
-
-	@Override
-	public void hideLoadingScreen() {
-		// this is handled by the recycler view in ContactChooserFragment
-	}
-
 	@Override
 	public void onFragmentCreated(String tag) {
 
diff --git a/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/keyagreement/KeyAgreementActivity.java b/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/keyagreement/KeyAgreementActivity.java
index 431f0f59169e2a01d959c23f25de35d068df2ed1..a9c7fb4b6b69251b6b1ebe61b5afd76b32915e7c 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/keyagreement/KeyAgreementActivity.java
+++ b/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/keyagreement/KeyAgreementActivity.java
@@ -3,8 +3,6 @@ package org.briarproject.android.keyagreement;
 import android.os.Bundle;
 import android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar;
 import android.view.MenuItem;
-import android.view.View;
-import android.widget.TextView;
 import android.widget.Toast;
 
 import org.briarproject.R;
@@ -45,8 +43,6 @@ public class KeyAgreementActivity extends BriarFragmentActivity implements
 	protected EventBus eventBus;
 
 	private Toolbar toolbar;
-	private View progressContainer;
-	private TextView progressTitle;
 
 	// Fields that are accessed from background threads must be volatile
 	@Inject
@@ -63,11 +59,9 @@ public class KeyAgreementActivity extends BriarFragmentActivity implements
 	@Override
 	public void onCreate(Bundle state) {
 		super.onCreate(state);
-		setContentView(R.layout.activity_with_loading);
+		setContentView(R.layout.activity_plain);
 
 		toolbar = (Toolbar) findViewById(R.id.toolbar);
-		progressContainer = findViewById(R.id.container_progress);
-		progressTitle = (TextView) findViewById(R.id.title_progress_bar);
 
 		setSupportActionBar(toolbar);
 		getSupportActionBar().setDisplayHomeAsUpEnabled(true);
@@ -120,17 +114,6 @@ public class KeyAgreementActivity extends BriarFragmentActivity implements
 		}
 	}
 
-	@Override
-	public void showLoadingScreen(boolean isBlocking, int stringId) {
-		progressTitle.setText(stringId);
-		progressContainer.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
-	}
-
-	@Override
-	public void hideLoadingScreen() {
-		progressContainer.setVisibility(View.INVISIBLE);
-	}
-
 	@Override
 	public void showNextScreen() {
 		showStep(STEP_QR);
@@ -148,7 +131,6 @@ public class KeyAgreementActivity extends BriarFragmentActivity implements
 		runOnUiThread(new Runnable() {
 			@Override
 			public void run() {
-				showLoadingScreen(false, R.string.exchanging_contact_details);
 				startContactExchange(result);
 			}
 		});
diff --git a/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/keyagreement/ShowQrCodeFragment.java b/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/keyagreement/ShowQrCodeFragment.java
index e3426388bc1961cceaf4808ff10f243387c14c01..c53200bec967051e20fb95dc28d99bb1acdbcdda 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/keyagreement/ShowQrCodeFragment.java
+++ b/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/keyagreement/ShowQrCodeFragment.java
@@ -7,14 +7,18 @@ import android.content.Intent;
 import android.content.IntentFilter;
 import android.graphics.Bitmap;
 import android.hardware.Camera;
+import android.os.AsyncTask;
 import android.os.Bundle;
 import android.support.annotation.Nullable;
+import android.support.annotation.UiThread;
 import android.util.Base64;
+import android.util.DisplayMetrics;
 import android.view.LayoutInflater;
 import android.view.View;
 import android.view.ViewGroup;
 import android.view.animation.AlphaAnimation;
 import android.widget.ImageView;
+import android.widget.ProgressBar;
 import android.widget.TextView;
 import android.widget.Toast;
 
@@ -30,6 +34,7 @@ import org.briarproject.android.view.CameraView;
 import org.briarproject.api.event.Event;
 import org.briarproject.api.event.KeyAgreementAbortedEvent;
 import org.briarproject.api.event.KeyAgreementFailedEvent;
+import org.briarproject.api.event.KeyAgreementFinishedEvent;
 import org.briarproject.api.event.KeyAgreementListeningEvent;
 import org.briarproject.api.event.KeyAgreementStartedEvent;
 import org.briarproject.api.event.KeyAgreementWaitingEvent;
@@ -74,9 +79,13 @@ public class ShowQrCodeFragment extends BaseEventFragment
 	protected Executor ioExecutor;
 
 	private CameraView cameraView;
+	private ViewGroup cameraOverlay;
 	private View statusView;
 	private TextView status;
 	private ImageView qrCode;
+	private ProgressBar mainProgressBar;
+	private TextView mainProgressTitle;
+	private ViewGroup mainProgressContainer;
 
 	private BluetoothStateReceiver receiver;
 	private QrCodeDecoder decoder;
@@ -117,9 +126,15 @@ public class ShowQrCodeFragment extends BaseEventFragment
 		super.onViewCreated(view, savedInstanceState);
 
 		cameraView = (CameraView) view.findViewById(R.id.camera_view);
+		cameraOverlay = (ViewGroup) view.findViewById(R.id.camera_overlay);
 		statusView = view.findViewById(R.id.status_container);
 		status = (TextView) view.findViewById(R.id.connect_status);
 		qrCode = (ImageView) view.findViewById(R.id.qr_code);
+		mainProgressBar = (ProgressBar) view.findViewById(R.id.progress_bar);
+		mainProgressTitle =
+				(TextView) view.findViewById(R.id.title_progress_bar);
+		mainProgressContainer =
+				(ViewGroup) view.findViewById(R.id.container_progress);
 	}
 
 	@Override
@@ -262,23 +277,54 @@ public class ShowQrCodeFragment extends BaseEventFragment
 		} else if (e instanceof KeyAgreementAbortedEvent) {
 			KeyAgreementAbortedEvent event = (KeyAgreementAbortedEvent) e;
 			keyAgreementAborted(event.didRemoteAbort());
+		} else if (e instanceof KeyAgreementFinishedEvent) {
+			listener.runOnUiThread(new Runnable() {
+				@Override
+				public void run() {
+					mainProgressContainer.setVisibility(VISIBLE);
+					mainProgressTitle.setText(R.string.exchanging_contact_details);
+				}
+			});
 		}
 	}
 
+	@UiThread
+	private void generateBitmapQR(final Payload payload) {
+		// Get narrowest screen dimension
+		Context context = getContext();
+		if (context == null) return;
+		final DisplayMetrics dm = context.getResources().getDisplayMetrics();
+		new AsyncTask<Void, Void, Bitmap>() {
+
+			@Override
+			protected Bitmap doInBackground(Void... params) {
+				String input =
+						Base64.encodeToString(payloadEncoder.encode(payload),
+								0);
+				Bitmap bitmap =
+						QrCodeUtils.createQrCode(dm, input);
+				return bitmap;
+			}
+
+			@Override
+			protected void onPostExecute(Bitmap bitmap) {
+				if (bitmap != null && !isDetached()) {
+					qrCode.setImageBitmap(bitmap);
+					// Simple fade-in animation
+					AlphaAnimation anim = new AlphaAnimation(0.0f, 1.0f);
+					anim.setDuration(200);
+					qrCode.startAnimation(anim);
+				}
+			}
+		}.execute();
+	}
+
 	private void setQrCode(final Payload localPayload) {
+
 		listener.runOnUiThread(new Runnable() {
 			@Override
 			public void run() {
-				String input = Base64.encodeToString(
-						payloadEncoder.encode(localPayload), 0);
-				Bitmap bitmap =
-						QrCodeUtils.createQrCode((Context) listener, input);
-				if (bitmap == null) return;
-				qrCode.setImageBitmap(bitmap);
-				// Simple fade-in animation
-				AlphaAnimation anim = new AlphaAnimation(0.0f, 1.0f);
-				anim.setDuration(200);
-				qrCode.startAnimation(anim);
+				generateBitmapQR(localPayload);
 			}
 		});
 	}
@@ -308,8 +354,8 @@ public class ShowQrCodeFragment extends BaseEventFragment
 		listener.runOnUiThread(new Runnable() {
 			@Override
 			public void run() {
-				listener.showLoadingScreen(false,
-						R.string.authenticating_with_device);
+				mainProgressContainer.setVisibility(VISIBLE);
+				mainProgressTitle.setText(R.string.authenticating_with_device);
 			}
 		});
 	}
@@ -319,7 +365,8 @@ public class ShowQrCodeFragment extends BaseEventFragment
 			@Override
 			public void run() {
 				reset();
-				listener.hideLoadingScreen();
+				mainProgressContainer.setVisibility(INVISIBLE);
+				mainProgressTitle.setText("");
 				// TODO show abort somewhere persistent?
 				Toast.makeText(getActivity(),
 						remoteAborted ? R.string.connection_aborted_remote :
diff --git a/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/sharing/ShareActivity.java b/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/sharing/ShareActivity.java
index a5e59ce8953759e54ede4dff2a15f7fbc2f6d11c..d79a7ed2eee4ae5141a8020c45f211e6a1eee627 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/sharing/ShareActivity.java
+++ b/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/sharing/ShareActivity.java
@@ -89,16 +89,6 @@ public abstract class ShareActivity extends BriarActivity implements
 		return contacts;
 	}
 
-	@Override
-	public void showLoadingScreen(boolean isBlocking, int stringId) {
-		// this is handled by the recycler view in ContactSelectorFragment
-	}
-
-	@Override
-	public void hideLoadingScreen() {
-		// this is handled by the recycler view in ContactSelectorFragment
-	}
-
 	@Override
 	public void onFragmentCreated(String tag) {
 
diff --git a/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/util/QrCodeUtils.java b/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/util/QrCodeUtils.java
index 16d0172a23693f0559f65173b26def39376ac290..57a092eeb242f67f3f8f219fa892732512c43f3f 100644
--- a/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/util/QrCodeUtils.java
+++ b/briar-android/src/org/briarproject/android/util/QrCodeUtils.java
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 package org.briarproject.android.util;
 
-import android.content.Context;
 import android.graphics.Bitmap;
 import android.util.DisplayMetrics;
 
@@ -24,9 +23,7 @@ public class QrCodeUtils {
 			Logger.getLogger(QrCodeUtils.class.getName());
 
 	@Nullable
-	public static Bitmap createQrCode(Context context, String input) {
-		// Get narrowest screen dimension
-		DisplayMetrics dm = context.getResources().getDisplayMetrics();
+	public static Bitmap createQrCode(DisplayMetrics dm, String input) {
 		int smallestDimen = Math.min(dm.widthPixels, dm.heightPixels);
 		try {
 			// Generate QR code