diff --git a/UI/auth-mixer.cpp b/UI/auth-mixer.cpp
index e9fc9a94e..1f0374ce0 100644
--- a/UI/auth-mixer.cpp
+++ b/UI/auth-mixer.cpp
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ try {
 					5);
 		};
 
-		ExecuteFuncSafeBlockMsgBox(
+		ExecThreadedWithoutBlocking(
 				func,
 				QTStr("Auth.LoadingChannel.Title"),
 				QTStr("Auth.LoadingChannel.Text").arg(service()));
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ try {
 				5);
 	};
 
-	ExecuteFuncSafeBlockMsgBox(
+	ExecThreadedWithoutBlocking(
 			func,
 			QTStr("Auth.LoadingChannel.Title"),
 			QTStr("Auth.LoadingChannel.Text").arg(service()));
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ void MixerAuth::LoadUI()
 	if (!GetChannelInfo())
 		return;
 
-	OBSBasic::InitBrowserPanelSafeBlock(true);
+	OBSBasic::InitBrowserPanelSafeBlock();
 	OBSBasic *main = OBSBasic::Get();
 
 	std::string url;
diff --git a/UI/auth-oauth.cpp b/UI/auth-oauth.cpp
index 96da460c4..0237f4784 100644
--- a/UI/auth-oauth.cpp
+++ b/UI/auth-oauth.cpp
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ OAuthLogin::OAuthLogin(QWidget *parent, const std::string &url, bool token)
 	Qt::WindowFlags helpFlag = Qt::WindowContextHelpButtonHint;
 	setWindowFlags(flags & (~helpFlag));
 
-	OBSBasic::InitBrowserPanelSafeBlock(true);
+	OBSBasic::InitBrowserPanelSafeBlock();
 
 	cefWidget = cef->create_widget(nullptr, url, panel_cookies);
 	if (!cefWidget) {
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ try {
 				5);
 	};
 
-	ExecuteFuncSafeBlockMsgBox(
+	ExecThreadedWithoutBlocking(
 			func,
 			QTStr("Auth.Authing.Title"),
 			QTStr("Auth.Authing.Text").arg(service()));
diff --git a/UI/auth-twitch.cpp b/UI/auth-twitch.cpp
index 4a52e7e40..c2b60043f 100644
--- a/UI/auth-twitch.cpp
+++ b/UI/auth-twitch.cpp
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ try {
 				5);
 	};
 
-	ExecuteFuncSafeBlockMsgBox(
+	ExecThreadedWithoutBlocking(
 			func,
 			QTStr("Auth.LoadingChannel.Title"),
 			QTStr("Auth.LoadingChannel.Text").arg(service()));
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ void TwitchAuth::LoadUI()
 	if (!GetChannelInfo())
 		return;
 
-	OBSBasic::InitBrowserPanelSafeBlock(true);
+	OBSBasic::InitBrowserPanelSafeBlock();
 	OBSBasic *main = OBSBasic::Get();
 
 	QCefWidget *browser;
diff --git a/UI/qt-wrappers.cpp b/UI/qt-wrappers.cpp
index fc4d7c209..0ce9ba0bc 100644
--- a/UI/qt-wrappers.cpp
+++ b/UI/qt-wrappers.cpp
@@ -263,3 +263,21 @@ void ExecuteFuncSafeBlockMsgBox(
 	dlg.exec();
 	thread->wait();
 }
+
+static bool enable_message_boxes = false;
+
+void EnableThreadedMessageBoxes(bool enable)
+{
+	enable_message_boxes = enable;
+}
+
+void ExecThreadedWithoutBlocking(
+		std::function<void()> func,
+		const QString &title,
+		const QString &text)
+{
+	if (!enable_message_boxes)
+		ExecuteFuncSafeBlock(func);
+	else
+		ExecuteFuncSafeBlockMsgBox(func, title, text);
+}
diff --git a/UI/qt-wrappers.hpp b/UI/qt-wrappers.hpp
index a75ea7f7e..ef8ed32ea 100644
--- a/UI/qt-wrappers.hpp
+++ b/UI/qt-wrappers.hpp
@@ -73,6 +73,14 @@ void ExecuteFuncSafeBlockMsgBox(
 		const QString &title,
 		const QString &text);
 
+/* allows executing without message boxes if starting up, otherwise with a
+ * message box */
+void EnableThreadedMessageBoxes(bool enable);
+void ExecThreadedWithoutBlocking(
+		std::function<void()> func,
+		const QString &title,
+		const QString &text);
+
 class SignalBlocker {
 	QWidget *widget;
 	bool blocked;
diff --git a/UI/window-basic-auto-config.cpp b/UI/window-basic-auto-config.cpp
index c367ebcb8..b3cc2b3b5 100644
--- a/UI/window-basic-auto-config.cpp
+++ b/UI/window-basic-auto-config.cpp
@@ -709,6 +709,8 @@ void AutoConfigStreamPage::UpdateCompleted()
 AutoConfig::AutoConfig(QWidget *parent)
 	: QWizard(parent)
 {
+	EnableThreadedMessageBoxes(true);
+
 	calldata_t cd = {0};
 	calldata_set_int(&cd, "seconds", 5);
 
@@ -839,6 +841,7 @@ AutoConfig::~AutoConfig()
 {
 	OBSBasic *main = reinterpret_cast<OBSBasic*>(App()->GetMainWindow());
 	main->EnableOutputs(true);
+	EnableThreadedMessageBoxes(false);
 }
 
 void AutoConfig::TestHardwareEncoding()
diff --git a/UI/window-basic-main-browser.cpp b/UI/window-basic-main-browser.cpp
index 36c87732d..3d4aa65a5 100644
--- a/UI/window-basic-main-browser.cpp
+++ b/UI/window-basic-main-browser.cpp
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ void DuplicateCurrentCookieProfile(ConfigFile &config)
 #endif
 }
 
-void OBSBasic::InitBrowserPanelSafeBlock(bool showDialog)
+void OBSBasic::InitBrowserPanelSafeBlock()
 {
 #ifdef BROWSER_AVAILABLE
 	if (!cef)
@@ -155,15 +155,10 @@ void OBSBasic::InitBrowserPanelSafeBlock(bool showDialog)
 		return;
 	}
 
-	if (showDialog)
-		ExecuteFuncSafeBlockMsgBox(
-				[] {cef->wait_for_browser_init();},
-				QTStr("BrowserPanelInit.Title"),
-				QTStr("BrowserPanelInit.Text"));
-	else
-		ExecuteFuncSafeBlock(
-				[] {cef->wait_for_browser_init();});
-
+	ExecThreadedWithoutBlocking(
+			[] {cef->wait_for_browser_init();},
+			QTStr("BrowserPanelInit.Title"),
+			QTStr("BrowserPanelInit.Text"));
 	InitPanelCookieManager();
 #else
 	UNUSED_PARAMETER(showDialog);
diff --git a/UI/window-basic-main.hpp b/UI/window-basic-main.hpp
index 9d6e53578..2ee43915f 100644
--- a/UI/window-basic-main.hpp
+++ b/UI/window-basic-main.hpp
@@ -804,7 +804,7 @@ public:
 	virtual int GetProfilePath(char *path, size_t size, const char *file)
 		const override;
 
-	static void InitBrowserPanelSafeBlock(bool showDialog);
+	static void InitBrowserPanelSafeBlock();
 
 private:
 	std::unique_ptr<Ui::OBSBasic> ui;
diff --git a/UI/window-basic-settings.cpp b/UI/window-basic-settings.cpp
index b8d02aa9c..f2de99e57 100644
--- a/UI/window-basic-settings.cpp
+++ b/UI/window-basic-settings.cpp
@@ -280,6 +280,8 @@ OBSBasicSettings::OBSBasicSettings(QWidget *parent)
 {
 	string path;
 
+	EnableThreadedMessageBoxes(true);
+
 	ui->setupUi(this);
 
 	setWindowFlags(windowFlags() & ~Qt::WindowContextHelpButtonHint);
@@ -735,6 +737,8 @@ OBSBasicSettings::~OBSBasicSettings()
 	delete ui->filenameFormatting->completer();
 	main->EnableOutputs(true);
 	App()->EnableInFocusHotkeys(!disableHotkeysInFocus);
+
+	EnableThreadedMessageBoxes(false);
 }
 
 void OBSBasicSettings::SaveCombo(QComboBox *widget, const char *section,