diff --git a/platform/external-system-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/externalSystem/service/project/wizard/AbstractExternalProjectImportBuilder.java b/platform/external-system-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/externalSystem/service/project/wizard/AbstractExternalProjectImportBuilder.java
index bde43385411b..6071a2a8562e 100644
--- a/platform/external-system-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/externalSystem/service/project/wizard/AbstractExternalProjectImportBuilder.java
+++ b/platform/external-system-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/externalSystem/service/project/wizard/AbstractExternalProjectImportBuilder.java
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import com.intellij.openapi.application.ApplicationManager;
 import com.intellij.openapi.application.ModalityState;
 import com.intellij.openapi.application.PathManager;
 import com.intellij.openapi.components.PersistentStateComponent;
+import com.intellij.openapi.components.ServiceManager;
 import com.intellij.openapi.diagnostic.Logger;
 import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.model.DataNode;
 import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.model.ExternalSystemDataKeys;
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ import com.intellij.openapi.project.ProjectManager;
 import com.intellij.openapi.roots.ui.configuration.ModulesConfigurator;
 import com.intellij.openapi.roots.ui.configuration.ModulesProvider;
 import com.intellij.openapi.startup.StartupManager;
+import com.intellij.openapi.util.Disposer;
 import com.intellij.openapi.util.Ref;
 import com.intellij.openapi.util.io.FileUtil;
 import com.intellij.openapi.util.text.StringUtil;
@@ -169,7 +171,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractExternalProjectImportBuilder<C extends AbstractImp
         if (dialog.hasMultipleDataToSelect()) {
           dialog.showAndGet();
         } else {
-          dialog.dispose();
+          Disposer.dispose(dialog.getDisposable());
         }
       }
 
@@ -192,8 +194,8 @@ public abstract class AbstractExternalProjectImportBuilder<C extends AbstractImp
 
     // resolve dependencies
     final Runnable resolveDependenciesTask = () -> ExternalSystemUtil.refreshProject(
-      project, myExternalSystemId, projectSettings.getExternalProjectPath(), false,
-      ProgressExecutionMode.IN_BACKGROUND_ASYNC);
+      project, myExternalSystemId, projectSettings.getExternalProjectPath(),
+      createFinalImportCallback(project, projectSettings), false, ProgressExecutionMode.IN_BACKGROUND_ASYNC, true);
     if (!isFromUI) {
       resolveDependenciesTask.run();
     }
@@ -217,6 +219,23 @@ public abstract class AbstractExternalProjectImportBuilder<C extends AbstractImp
     }
   }
 
+  protected ExternalProjectRefreshCallback createFinalImportCallback(@NotNull Project project,
+                                                                     @NotNull ExternalProjectSettings projectSettings) {
+    return new ExternalProjectRefreshCallback() {
+      @Override
+      public void onSuccess(@Nullable final DataNode<ProjectData> externalProject) {
+        if (externalProject == null) {
+          return;
+        }
+        ServiceManager.getService(ProjectDataManager.class).importData(externalProject, project, false);
+      }
+
+      @Override
+      public void onFailure(@NotNull String errorMessage, @Nullable String errorDetails) {
+      }
+    };
+  }
+
   @NotNull
   private ExternalProjectSettings getCurrentExternalProjectSettings() {
     ExternalProjectSettings result = myControl.getProjectSettings().clone();
diff --git a/platform/external-system-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/externalSystem/service/ui/ExternalProjectDataSelectorDialog.java b/platform/external-system-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/externalSystem/service/ui/ExternalProjectDataSelectorDialog.java
index 4301c9ac5d79..69b152976bae 100644
--- a/platform/external-system-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/externalSystem/service/ui/ExternalProjectDataSelectorDialog.java
+++ b/platform/external-system-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/externalSystem/service/ui/ExternalProjectDataSelectorDialog.java
@@ -238,11 +238,6 @@ public class ExternalProjectDataSelectorDialog extends DialogWrapper {
     super.doCancelAction();
   }
 
-  @Override
-  public void dispose() {
-    super.dispose();
-  }
-
   private CheckboxTree createTree() {
     final Couple<CheckedTreeNode> rootAndPreselectedNode = createRoot();
     final CheckedTreeNode root = rootAndPreselectedNode.first;
diff --git a/plugins/gradle/src/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/service/project/GradleProjectResolver.java b/plugins/gradle/src/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/service/project/GradleProjectResolver.java
index 3496cda6269b..b6f871d2cfbf 100644
--- a/plugins/gradle/src/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/service/project/GradleProjectResolver.java
+++ b/plugins/gradle/src/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/service/project/GradleProjectResolver.java
@@ -103,12 +103,32 @@ public class GradleProjectResolver implements ExternalSystemProjectResolver<Grad
                                                   @Nullable final GradleExecutionSettings settings,
                                                   @NotNull final ExternalSystemTaskNotificationListener listener)
     throws ExternalSystemException, IllegalArgumentException, IllegalStateException {
+
+    if (isPreviewMode) {
+      // Create project preview model w/o request to gradle, there are two main reasons for the it:
+      // * Slow project open - even the simplest project info provided by gradle can be gathered too long (mostly because of new gradle distribution download and downloading buildscript dependencies)
+      // * Ability to open  an invalid projects (e.g. with errors in build scripts)
+      String projectName = new File(projectPath).getName();
+      ProjectData projectData = new ProjectData(GradleConstants.SYSTEM_ID, projectName, projectPath, projectPath);
+      DataNode<ProjectData> projectDataNode = new DataNode<>(ProjectKeys.PROJECT, projectData, null);
+
+      final String ideProjectPath = settings == null ? null : settings.getIdeProjectPath();
+      final String mainModuleFileDirectoryPath =
+        ideProjectPath == null ? projectPath : ideProjectPath + "/.idea/modules/";
+
+      projectDataNode
+        .createChild(ProjectKeys.MODULE, new ModuleData(projectName, GradleConstants.SYSTEM_ID, StdModuleTypes.JAVA.getId(),
+                                                                     projectName, mainModuleFileDirectoryPath, projectPath))
+        .createChild(ProjectKeys.CONTENT_ROOT, new ContentRootData(GradleConstants.SYSTEM_ID, projectPath));
+      return projectDataNode;
+    }
+
     if (settings != null) {
       myHelper.ensureInstalledWrapper(id, projectPath, settings, listener);
     }
 
     final GradleProjectResolverExtension projectResolverChain = createProjectResolverChain(settings);
-    DefaultProjectResolverContext resolverContext = new DefaultProjectResolverContext(id, projectPath, settings, listener, isPreviewMode);
+    DefaultProjectResolverContext resolverContext = new DefaultProjectResolverContext(id, projectPath, settings, listener, false);
     final DataNode<ProjectData> resultProjectDataNode = myHelper.execute(
       projectPath, settings, new ProjectConnectionDataNodeFunction(resolverContext, projectResolverChain, false)
     );
@@ -116,7 +136,7 @@ public class GradleProjectResolver implements ExternalSystemProjectResolver<Grad
     // auto-discover buildSrc project if needed
     final String buildSrcProjectPath = projectPath + "/buildSrc";
     DefaultProjectResolverContext buildSrcResolverCtx =
-      new DefaultProjectResolverContext(id, buildSrcProjectPath, settings, listener, isPreviewMode);
+      new DefaultProjectResolverContext(id, buildSrcProjectPath, settings, listener, false);
     resolverContext.copyUserDataTo(buildSrcResolverCtx);
     handleBuildSrcProject(resultProjectDataNode, new ProjectConnectionDataNodeFunction(buildSrcResolverCtx, projectResolverChain, true));
     return resultProjectDataNode;
diff --git a/plugins/gradle/src/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/service/project/wizard/GradleProjectImportBuilder.java b/plugins/gradle/src/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/service/project/wizard/GradleProjectImportBuilder.java
index 225369bae32c..edf1e7313ea5 100644
--- a/plugins/gradle/src/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/service/project/wizard/GradleProjectImportBuilder.java
+++ b/plugins/gradle/src/org/jetbrains/plugins/gradle/service/project/wizard/GradleProjectImportBuilder.java
@@ -17,15 +17,22 @@ package org.jetbrains.plugins.gradle.service.project.wizard;
 
 import com.intellij.externalSystem.JavaProjectData;
 import com.intellij.ide.util.projectWizard.WizardContext;
+import com.intellij.openapi.application.ApplicationManager;
+import com.intellij.openapi.components.ServiceManager;
 import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.model.DataNode;
+import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.model.internal.InternalExternalProjectInfo;
 import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.model.project.ProjectData;
 import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.service.execution.ExternalSystemJdkUtil;
+import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.service.project.ExternalProjectRefreshCallback;
 import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.service.project.manage.ProjectDataManager;
 import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.service.project.wizard.AbstractExternalProjectImportBuilder;
+import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.service.ui.ExternalProjectDataSelectorDialog;
+import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.settings.ExternalProjectSettings;
 import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.util.ExternalSystemApiUtil;
 import com.intellij.openapi.project.Project;
 import com.intellij.openapi.projectRoots.*;
 import com.intellij.openapi.roots.LanguageLevelProjectExtension;
+import com.intellij.openapi.util.Disposer;
 import com.intellij.openapi.util.Pair;
 import com.intellij.openapi.vfs.LocalFileSystem;
 import com.intellij.openapi.vfs.VirtualFile;
@@ -78,6 +85,44 @@ public class GradleProjectImportBuilder extends AbstractExternalProjectImportBui
     }
   }
 
+  @Override
+  protected ExternalProjectRefreshCallback createFinalImportCallback(@NotNull final Project project,
+                                                                     @NotNull ExternalProjectSettings projectSettings) {
+    return new ExternalProjectRefreshCallback() {
+      @Override
+      public void onSuccess(@Nullable final DataNode<ProjectData> externalProject) {
+        if (externalProject == null) return;
+        Runnable selectDataTask = () -> {
+          ExternalProjectDataSelectorDialog dialog = new ExternalProjectDataSelectorDialog(
+            project, new InternalExternalProjectInfo(
+            GradleConstants.SYSTEM_ID, projectSettings.getExternalProjectPath(), externalProject));
+          if (dialog.hasMultipleDataToSelect()) {
+            dialog.showAndGet();
+          }
+          else {
+            Disposer.dispose(dialog.getDisposable());
+          }
+        };
+
+        Runnable importTask = () -> ServiceManager.getService(ProjectDataManager.class).importData(externalProject, project, false);
+
+        if (!ApplicationManager.getApplication().isHeadlessEnvironment()) {
+          ApplicationManager.getApplication().invokeLater(() -> {
+            selectDataTask.run();
+            ApplicationManager.getApplication().executeOnPooledThread(importTask);
+          });
+        }
+        else {
+          importTask.run();
+        }
+      }
+
+      @Override
+      public void onFailure(@NotNull String errorMessage, @Nullable String errorDetails) {
+      }
+    };
+  }
+
   @Override
   protected void beforeCommit(@NotNull DataNode<ProjectData> dataNode, @NotNull Project project) {
     DataNode<JavaProjectData> javaProjectNode = ExternalSystemApiUtil.find(dataNode, JavaProjectData.KEY);