diff --git a/include/openspace/engine/openspaceengine.h b/include/openspace/engine/openspaceengine.h
index ae92241bf0..ab451bfbbc 100644
--- a/include/openspace/engine/openspaceengine.h
+++ b/include/openspace/engine/openspaceengine.h
@@ -87,6 +87,9 @@ public:
     void encode();
     void decode();
 
+    void enableBarrier();
+    void disableBarrier();
+
     void runSettingsScripts();
 
 private:
diff --git a/src/engine/openspaceengine.cpp b/src/engine/openspaceengine.cpp
index 49d9be6a09..0657429fcb 100644
--- a/src/engine/openspaceengine.cpp
+++ b/src/engine/openspaceengine.cpp
@@ -714,4 +714,12 @@ void OpenSpaceEngine::externalControlCallback(const char* receivedChars,
 	}
 }
 
+void OpenSpaceEngine::enableBarrier() {
+    sgct::SGCTWindow::setBarrier(true);
+}
+
+void OpenSpaceEngine::disableBarrier() {
+    sgct::SGCTWindow::setBarrier(false);
+}
+
 }  // namespace openspace
diff --git a/src/scenegraph/scenegraph.cpp b/src/scenegraph/scenegraph.cpp
index d0b82fb6d8..12ec56f69b 100644
--- a/src/scenegraph/scenegraph.cpp
+++ b/src/scenegraph/scenegraph.cpp
@@ -329,6 +329,8 @@ bool SceneGraph::loadSceneInternal(const std::string& sceneDescriptionFilePath)
         return false;
     }
 
+    OsEng.disableBarrier();
+
     // initialize the root node
     _root = new SceneGraphNode();
     _root->setName(SceneGraphNode::RootNodeName);
@@ -358,6 +360,7 @@ bool SceneGraph::loadSceneInternal(const std::string& sceneDescriptionFilePath)
 	else {
 		LFATAL("The '" << constants::scenegraph::keyPathScene << "' pointed to a "
 			"path '" << moduleDirectory << "' that did not exist");
+        OsEng.enableBarrier();
 		return false;
 	}
 
@@ -501,6 +504,8 @@ bool SceneGraph::loadSceneInternal(const std::string& sceneDescriptionFilePath)
 
     OsEng.runSettingsScripts();
 
+    OsEng.enableBarrier();
+
     return true;
 }