diff --git a/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/ide/impl/ProjectUtil.java b/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/ide/impl/ProjectUtil.java
index ac0f7f9fb229..1edc42683aaa 100644
--- a/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/ide/impl/ProjectUtil.java
+++ b/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/ide/impl/ProjectUtil.java
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import com.intellij.ide.util.PropertiesComponent;
 import com.intellij.openapi.application.ApplicationManager;
 import com.intellij.openapi.application.ApplicationNamesInfo;
 import com.intellij.openapi.application.ModalityState;
+import com.intellij.openapi.application.TransactionGuard;
 import com.intellij.openapi.components.StorageScheme;
 import com.intellij.openapi.components.impl.stores.IProjectStore;
 import com.intellij.openapi.diagnostic.Logger;
@@ -18,6 +19,7 @@ import com.intellij.openapi.project.Project;
 import com.intellij.openapi.project.ProjectManager;
 import com.intellij.openapi.project.ex.ProjectManagerEx;
 import com.intellij.openapi.ui.Messages;
+import com.intellij.openapi.util.Ref;
 import com.intellij.openapi.util.io.FileUtil;
 import com.intellij.openapi.util.io.FileUtilRt;
 import com.intellij.openapi.util.text.StringUtil;
@@ -181,14 +183,17 @@ public class ProjectUtil {
       }
     }
 
-    try {
-      return ProjectManager.getInstance().loadAndOpenProject(path);
-    }
-    catch (Exception e) {
-      Messages.showMessageDialog(IdeBundle.message("error.cannot.load.project", e.getMessage()),
-                                 IdeBundle.message("title.cannot.load.project"), Messages.getErrorIcon());
-    }
-    return null;
+    Ref<Project> result = new Ref<>();
+    TransactionGuard.getInstance().submitTransactionAndWait(() -> {
+      try {
+        result.set(ProjectManager.getInstance().loadAndOpenProject(path));
+      }
+      catch (Exception e) {
+        Messages.showMessageDialog(IdeBundle.message("error.cannot.load.project", e.getMessage()),
+                                   IdeBundle.message("title.cannot.load.project"), Messages.getErrorIcon());
+      }
+    });
+    return result.get();
   }
 
   public static boolean confirmLoadingFromRemotePath(@NotNull String path,