diff --git a/code/studio/src/CMakeLists.txt b/code/studio/src/CMakeLists.txt
index e41bd4778..216acdac2 100644
--- a/code/studio/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/code/studio/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ FILE(GLOB STUDIO_SRC extension_system/*.h
 
 SET(STUDIO_HDR   extension_system/iplugin_manager.h 
 						extension_system/plugin_manager.h
-						settings_dialog.h )
+						settings_dialog.h
+						splash_screen.h )
 
 SET(STUDIO_RCS studio.qrc ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/translations.qrc)
 
diff --git a/code/studio/src/main.cpp b/code/studio/src/main.cpp
index 1f316f677..8cb056037 100644
--- a/code/studio/src/main.cpp
+++ b/code/studio/src/main.cpp
@@ -37,11 +37,12 @@
 #include <QtCore/QSettings>
 #include <QtGui/QMessageBox>
 #include <QtGui/QApplication>
-#include <QtGui/QSplashScreen>
+//#include <QtGui/QSplashScreen>
 #include <QtGui/QFileDialog>
 #include <QtGui/QInputDialog>
 
 #include "settings_dialog.h"
+#include "splash_screen.h"
 
 #ifdef HAVE_OVQT_CONFIG_H
 #include "ovqt_config.h"
@@ -141,8 +142,11 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	QApplication app(argc, argv);
 #endif // NL_OS_WINDOWS
 
-	QSplashScreen *splash = new QSplashScreen();
+	SplashScreen *splash = new SplashScreen();
 	splash->setPixmap(QPixmap(":/images/studio_splash.png"));
+	splash->setProgressBarEnabled( true );
+	splash->setText( "Starting up..." );
+	splash->setProgress( 0 );
 	splash->show();
 
 	QSettings::setDefaultFormat(QSettings::IniFormat);
@@ -184,6 +188,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 #endif
 
 	pluginManager.setPluginPaths(pluginPaths);
+	splash->setText( "Loading plugins..." );
+	splash->setProgress( 20 );
 	pluginManager.loadPlugins();
 
 	splash->hide();
diff --git a/code/studio/src/splash_screen.cpp b/code/studio/src/splash_screen.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bddfd1dc2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/code/studio/src/splash_screen.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+#include "splash_screen.h"
+#include <QPainter>
+#include <QStyleOptionProgressBarV2>
+#include <QCoreApplication>
+#include <QPixmap>
+
+SplashScreen::SplashScreen() :
+QSplashScreen()
+{
+	progress = 0;
+	textX = 5;
+	textY = 20;
+	pbLeft = 0;
+	pbTop = 0;
+	pbWidth = 100;
+	pbHeight = 20;
+}
+
+SplashScreen::~SplashScreen()
+{
+}
+
+void SplashScreen::setPixmap( const QPixmap &pixmap )
+{
+	QSplashScreen::setPixmap( pixmap );
+
+	if( this->pixmap().width() > 0 )
+		pbWidth = this->pixmap().width();
+	
+	if( this->pixmap().height() > 0 )
+		pbTop = this->pixmap().height() - pbHeight;
+
+	textY = pbTop - pbHeight;
+}
+
+void SplashScreen::setText( const QString &text )
+{
+	this->text = text;
+	repaint();
+	QCoreApplication::instance()->processEvents();
+}
+
+void SplashScreen::clearText()
+{
+	setText( "" );
+}
+
+void SplashScreen::setProgress( int percent )
+{
+	progress = percent;
+	repaint();
+	QCoreApplication::instance()->processEvents();
+}
+
+void SplashScreen::drawContents( QPainter *painter )
+{
+	QSplashScreen::drawContents( painter );
+
+	if( progressBarEnabled )
+	{
+		QStyleOptionProgressBarV2 pbStyle;
+		pbStyle.initFrom( this );
+		pbStyle.state = QStyle::State_Enabled;
+		pbStyle.textVisible = false;
+		pbStyle.minimum = 0;
+		pbStyle.maximum = 100;
+		pbStyle.progress = progress;
+		pbStyle.invertedAppearance = false;
+		pbStyle.rect = QRect( 0, pbTop, pbWidth, pbHeight );
+		
+		style()->drawControl( QStyle::CE_ProgressBar, &pbStyle, painter, this );
+	}
+
+	if( !text.isEmpty() )
+	{
+		QPen oldPen = painter->pen();
+		QPen pen;
+		pen.setColor( Qt::white );
+		painter->setPen( pen );
+		painter->drawText( textX, textY, text );
+		painter->setPen( oldPen );
+	}
+}
+
+
diff --git a/code/studio/src/splash_screen.h b/code/studio/src/splash_screen.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5d1889da5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/code/studio/src/splash_screen.h
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+#ifndef SPLASH_SCREEN_H
+#define SPLASH_SCREEN_H
+
+
+#include <QSplashScreen>
+
+class SplashScreen : public QSplashScreen
+{
+	Q_OBJECT
+public:
+	SplashScreen();
+	~SplashScreen();
+
+	void setPixmap( const QPixmap &pixmap );
+
+	void setText( const QString &text );
+	void clearText();
+	void setTextXY( int x, int y ){ textX = x; textY = y; }
+	void setProgress( int percent );
+
+	void setProgressBarEnabled( bool b ){ progressBarEnabled = b; }
+	void setProgressBarRect( int left, int top, int width, int height ){}
+
+protected:
+	void drawContents( QPainter *painter );
+
+private:
+	int progress;
+	int pbLeft;
+	int pbTop;
+	int pbWidth;
+	int pbHeight;
+	
+	QString text;
+	int textX;
+	int textY;
+
+	bool progressBarEnabled;
+};
+
+#endif
+