diff --git a/src/components/media_modal/media_modal.js b/src/components/media_modal/media_modal.js
index 2e6aa1e3..b8bce730 100644
--- a/src/components/media_modal/media_modal.js
+++ b/src/components/media_modal/media_modal.js
@@ -7,12 +7,14 @@ import Flash from 'src/components/flash/flash.vue'
 import { library } from '@fortawesome/fontawesome-svg-core'
 import {
   faChevronLeft,
-  faChevronRight
+  faChevronRight,
+  faCircleNotch
 } from '@fortawesome/free-solid-svg-icons'
 
 library.add(
   faChevronLeft,
-  faChevronRight
+  faChevronRight,
+  faCircleNotch
 )
 
 const MediaModal = {
@@ -22,6 +24,11 @@ const MediaModal = {
     Modal,
     Flash
   },
+  data () {
+    return {
+      loading: false
+    }
+  },
   computed: {
     showing () {
       return this.$store.state.mediaViewer.activated
@@ -42,7 +49,7 @@ const MediaModal = {
       return this.media.length > 1
     },
     type () {
-      return this.currentMedia ? fileTypeService.fileType(this.currentMedia.mimetype) : null
+      return this.currentMedia ? this.getType(this.currentMedia) : null
     }
   },
   created () {
@@ -58,6 +65,9 @@ const MediaModal = {
     )
   },
   methods: {
+    getType (media) {
+      return fileTypeService.fileType(media.mimetype)
+    },
     mediaTouchStart (e) {
       GestureService.beginSwipe(e, this.mediaSwipeGestureRight)
       GestureService.beginSwipe(e, this.mediaSwipeGestureLeft)
@@ -72,15 +82,26 @@ const MediaModal = {
     goPrev () {
       if (this.canNavigate) {
         const prevIndex = this.currentIndex === 0 ? this.media.length - 1 : (this.currentIndex - 1)
-        this.$store.dispatch('setCurrentMedia', this.media[prevIndex])
+        const newMedia = this.media[prevIndex]
+        if (this.getType(newMedia) === 'image') {
+          this.loading = true
+        }
+        this.$store.dispatch('setCurrentMedia', newMedia)
       }
     },
     goNext () {
       if (this.canNavigate) {
         const nextIndex = this.currentIndex === this.media.length - 1 ? 0 : (this.currentIndex + 1)
-        this.$store.dispatch('setCurrentMedia', this.media[nextIndex])
+        const newMedia = this.media[nextIndex]
+        if (this.getType(newMedia) === 'image') {
+          this.loading = true
+        }
+        this.$store.dispatch('setCurrentMedia', newMedia)
       }
     },
+    onImageLoaded () {
+      this.loading = false
+    },
     handleKeyupEvent (e) {
       if (this.showing && e.keyCode === 27) { // escape
         this.hide()
diff --git a/src/components/media_modal/media_modal.vue b/src/components/media_modal/media_modal.vue
index 2a571056..e8bc8591 100644
--- a/src/components/media_modal/media_modal.vue
+++ b/src/components/media_modal/media_modal.vue
@@ -6,27 +6,26 @@
   >
     <img
       v-if="type === 'image'"
+      :class="{ loading }"
       class="modal-image"
       :src="currentMedia.url"
-      :key="currentMedia.url"
       :alt="currentMedia.description"
       :title="currentMedia.description"
       @touchstart.stop="mediaTouchStart"
       @touchmove.stop="mediaTouchMove"
       @click="hide"
+      @load="onImageLoaded"
     >
     <VideoAttachment
       v-if="type === 'video'"
       class="modal-image"
       :attachment="currentMedia"
       :controls="true"
-      :key="currentMedia.url"
     />
     <audio
       v-if="type === 'audio'"
       class="modal-image"
       :src="currentMedia.url"
-      :key="currentMedia.url"
       :alt="currentMedia.description"
       :title="currentMedia.description"
       controls
@@ -34,7 +33,6 @@
     <Flash
       v-if="type === 'flash'"
       class="modal-image"
-      :key="currentMedia.url"
       :src="currentMedia.url"
       :alt="currentMedia.description"
       :title="currentMedia.description"
@@ -67,6 +65,16 @@
     >
       {{ description }}
     </span>
+    <span
+      v-if="loading"
+      class="loading-spinner"
+    >
+      <FAIcon
+        spin
+        icon="circle-notch"
+        size="5x"
+      />
+    </span>
   </Modal>
 </template>
 
@@ -85,6 +93,7 @@
       outline: none;
       box-shadow: none;
     }
+
     &:hover {
       opacity: 1;
     }
@@ -118,6 +127,23 @@
     box-shadow: 0px 5px 15px 0 rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5);
     image-orientation: from-image; // NOTE: only FF supports this
     animation: 0.1s cubic-bezier(0.7, 0, 1, 0.6) media-fadein;
+
+    &.loading {
+      opacity: 0.5;
+    }
+  }
+
+  .loading-spinner {
+    width: 100%;
+    height: 100%;
+    position: absolute;
+    pointer-events: none;
+    display: flex;
+    justify-content: center;
+    align-items: center;
+    svg {
+      color: white;
+    }
   }
 
   .modal-view-button-arrow {