diff --git a/backup/restore.php b/backup/restore.php
index a31501c75f7..6040d4b7639 100644
--- a/backup/restore.php
+++ b/backup/restore.php
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ if ($stage & restore_ui::STAGE_CONFIRM + restore_ui::STAGE_DESTINATION) {
     }
 }
 
-$outcome = $restore->process();
 $heading = $course->fullname;
 
 $PAGE->set_title($heading.': '.$restore->get_stage_name());
@@ -52,6 +51,15 @@ $PAGE->navbar->add($restore->get_stage_name());
 
 $renderer = $PAGE->get_renderer('core','backup');
 echo $OUTPUT->header();
+
+// Prepare a progress bar which can display optionally during long-running
+// operations while setting up the UI.
+$slowprogress = new core_backup_display_progress_if_slow();
+// Depending on the code branch above, $restore may be a restore_ui or it may
+// be a restore_ui_independent_stage. Either way, this function exists.
+$restore->set_progress_reporter($slowprogress);
+$outcome = $restore->process();
+
 if (!$restore->is_independent() && $restore->enforce_changed_dependencies()) {
     debugging('Your settings have been altered due to unmet dependencies', DEBUG_DEVELOPER);
 }
diff --git a/backup/util/includes/restore_includes.php b/backup/util/includes/restore_includes.php
index 78cd24be54f..c22faef4d5a 100644
--- a/backup/util/includes/restore_includes.php
+++ b/backup/util/includes/restore_includes.php
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ require_once($CFG->dirroot . '/backup/util/loggers/output_indented_logger.class.
 require_once($CFG->dirroot . '/backup/util/progress/core_backup_progress.class.php');
 require_once($CFG->dirroot . '/backup/util/progress/core_backup_null_progress.class.php');
 require_once($CFG->dirroot . '/backup/util/progress/core_backup_display_progress.class.php');
+require_once($CFG->dirroot . '/backup/util/progress/core_backup_display_progress_if_slow.class.php');
 require_once($CFG->dirroot . '/backup/util/factories/backup_factory.class.php');
 require_once($CFG->dirroot . '/backup/util/factories/restore_factory.class.php');
 require_once($CFG->dirroot . '/backup/util/helper/backup_helper.class.php');
diff --git a/backup/util/progress/core_backup_display_progress.class.php b/backup/util/progress/core_backup_display_progress.class.php
index 62696cb6bc9..f893b431053 100644
--- a/backup/util/progress/core_backup_display_progress.class.php
+++ b/backup/util/progress/core_backup_display_progress.class.php
@@ -95,6 +95,11 @@ class core_backup_display_progress extends core_backup_progress {
         echo html_writer::end_div();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * When progress is updated, updates the bar.
+     *
+     * @see core_backup_progress::update_progress()
+     */
     public function update_progress() {
         // If finished...
         if (!$this->is_in_progress_section()) {
diff --git a/backup/util/progress/core_backup_display_progress_if_slow.class.php b/backup/util/progress/core_backup_display_progress_if_slow.class.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ee9511e75ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backup/util/progress/core_backup_display_progress_if_slow.class.php
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+<?php
+// This file is part of Moodle - http://moodle.org/
+//
+// Moodle is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// Moodle is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+// GNU General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+// along with Moodle.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+/**
+ * Progress handler that uses a standard Moodle progress bar to display
+ * progress. Same as core_backup_display_progress, but the bar does not
+ * appear until a certain time has elapsed, and disappears automatically
+ * after it finishes.
+ *
+ * The bar can be re-used, i.e. if you end all sections it will disappear,
+ * but if you start all sections, a new bar will be output.
+ *
+ * @package core_backup
+ * @copyright 2013 The Open University
+ * @license http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU GPL v3 or later
+ */
+class core_backup_display_progress_if_slow extends core_backup_display_progress {
+    /**
+     * @var int Waits this many seconds before displaying progress bar
+     */
+    const DEFAULT_DISPLAY_DELAY = 5;
+
+    /**
+     * @var int Number in the next id to use
+     */
+    private static $nextid = 1;
+
+    /**
+     * @var string HTML id for containing div
+     */
+    protected $id;
+
+    /**
+     * @var int Time at which the progress bar should display (if it isn't yet)
+     */
+    protected $starttime;
+
+    /**
+     * Constructs the progress reporter. This will not output HTML just yet,
+     * until the required delay time expires.
+     *
+     * @param int $delay Delay time (default 5 seconds)
+     */
+    public function __construct($delay = self::DEFAULT_DISPLAY_DELAY) {
+        // Set start time based on delay.
+        $this->starttime = time() + $delay;
+        parent::__construct(false);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Adds a div around the parent display so it can be hidden.
+     *
+     * @see core_backup_display_progress::start_html()
+     */
+    public function start_html() {
+        $this->id = 'core_backup_display_progress_if_slow' . self::$nextid;
+        self::$nextid++;
+        echo html_writer::start_div('', array('id' => $this->id));
+        parent::start_html();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * When progress is updated, after a certain time, starts actually displaying
+     * the progress bar.
+     *
+     * @see core_backup_progress::update_progress()
+     */
+    public function update_progress() {
+        // If we haven't started yet, consider starting.
+        if ($this->starttime) {
+            if (time() > $this->starttime) {
+                $this->starttime = 0;
+            } else {
+                // Do nothing until start time.
+                return;
+            }
+        }
+
+        // We have started, so handle as default.
+        parent::update_progress();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Finishes parent display then closes div and hides it.
+     *
+     * @see core_backup_display_progress::end_html()
+     */
+    public function end_html() {
+        parent::end_html();
+        echo html_writer::end_div();
+        echo html_writer::script('document.getElementById("' . $this->id .
+                '").style.display = "none"');
+    }
+}
diff --git a/backup/util/ui/restore_ui.class.php b/backup/util/ui/restore_ui.class.php
index bf80a96f91b..251cbc17e07 100644
--- a/backup/util/ui/restore_ui.class.php
+++ b/backup/util/ui/restore_ui.class.php
@@ -50,6 +50,11 @@ class restore_ui extends base_ui {
      */
     protected $stage = null;
 
+    /**
+     * @var core_backup_progress Progress indicator (where there is no controller)
+     */
+    protected $progressreporter = null;
+
     /**
      * String mappings to the above stages
      * @var array
@@ -127,6 +132,38 @@ class restore_ui extends base_ui {
     public function get_restoreid() {
         return $this->controller->get_restoreid();
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Gets the progress reporter object in use for this restore UI.
+     *
+     * IMPORTANT: This progress reporter is used only for UI progress that is
+     * outside the restore controller. The restore controller has its own
+     * progress reporter which is used for progress during the main restore.
+     * Use the restore controller's progress reporter to report progress during
+     * a restore operation, not this one.
+     *
+     * This extra reporter is necessary because on some restore UI screens,
+     * there are long-running tasks even though there is no restore controller
+     * in use.
+     *
+     * @return core_backup_null_progress
+     */
+    public function get_progress_reporter() {
+        if (!$this->progressreporter) {
+            $this->progressreporter = new core_backup_null_progress();
+        }
+        return $this->progressreporter;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Sets the progress reporter that will be returned by get_progress_reporter.
+     *
+     * @param core_backup_progress $progressreporter Progress reporter
+     */
+    public function set_progress_reporter(core_backup_progress $progressreporter) {
+        $this->progressreporter = $progressreporter;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Executes the restore plan
      * @return bool
diff --git a/backup/util/ui/restore_ui_stage.class.php b/backup/util/ui/restore_ui_stage.class.php
index a7464bf49ae..142b763494c 100644
--- a/backup/util/ui/restore_ui_stage.class.php
+++ b/backup/util/ui/restore_ui_stage.class.php
@@ -93,10 +93,48 @@ abstract class restore_ui_stage extends base_ui_stage {
  * no use for the restore controller.
  */
 abstract class restore_ui_independent_stage {
+    /**
+     * @var core_backup_progress Optional progress reporter
+     */
+    private $progressreporter;
+
     abstract public function __construct($contextid);
     abstract public function process();
     abstract public function display(core_backup_renderer $renderer);
     abstract public function get_stage();
+
+    /**
+     * Gets the progress reporter object in use for this restore UI stage.
+     *
+     * IMPORTANT: This progress reporter is used only for UI progress that is
+     * outside the restore controller. The restore controller has its own
+     * progress reporter which is used for progress during the main restore.
+     * Use the restore controller's progress reporter to report progress during
+     * a restore operation, not this one.
+     *
+     * This extra reporter is necessary because on some restore UI screens,
+     * there are long-running tasks even though there is no restore controller
+     * in use. There is a similar function in restore_ui. but that class is not
+     * used on some stages.
+     *
+     * @return core_backup_null_progress
+     */
+    public function get_progress_reporter() {
+        if (!$this->progressreporter) {
+            $this->progressreporter = new core_backup_null_progress();
+        }
+        return $this->progressreporter;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Sets the progress reporter that will be returned by get_progress_reporter.
+     *
+     * @param core_backup_progress $progressreporter Progress reporter
+     */
+    public function set_progress_reporter(core_backup_progress $progressreporter) {
+        $this->progressreporter = $progressreporter;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Gets an array of progress bar items that can be displayed through the restore renderer.
      * @return array Array of items for the progress bar