diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/pdom/Messages.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/pdom/Messages.java
index fbd7f1ea3dc..8c01ee5369f 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/pdom/Messages.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/pdom/Messages.java
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import org.eclipse.osgi.util.NLS;
 
 public class Messages extends NLS {
 	public static String Checksums_taskComputeChecksums;
+	public static String PDOM_waitingForWriteLock;
 	public static String PDOMImportTask_errorInvalidArchive;
 	public static String PDOMImportTask_errorInvalidPDOMVersion;
 	public static String PDOMManager_ClosePDOMJob;
diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/pdom/Messages.properties b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/pdom/Messages.properties
index 6977d7751b9..19ac87bf8f5 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/pdom/Messages.properties
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/pdom/Messages.properties
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #     Markus Schorn (Wind River Systems)
 ###############################################################################
 Checksums_taskComputeChecksums=Computing checksums
+PDOM_waitingForWriteLock=Waiting for exclusive index access
 PDOMImportTask_errorInvalidArchive=Invalid Archive: {0}
 PDOMImportTask_errorInvalidPDOMVersion=The version of the {0} to import for project {1} does not match
 PDOMManager_notifyJob_label=Notify Index Change Listeners
diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/pdom/PDOM.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/pdom/PDOM.java
index e0ac90c7895..c8a8b9547e1 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/pdom/PDOM.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/pdom/PDOM.java
@@ -1043,11 +1043,16 @@ public class PDOM extends PlatformObject implements IPDOM {
 
 			// Let the readers go first
 			long start= sDEBUG_LOCKS ? System.currentTimeMillis() : 0;
+			int count = 0;
 			while (lockCount > giveupReadLocks || waitingReaders > 0) {
 				mutex.wait(CANCELLATION_CHECK_INTERVAL);
 				if (monitor != null && monitor.isCanceled()) {
 					throw new OperationCanceledException();
 				}
+				count++;
+				if (monitor != null && count == LONG_WRITE_LOCK_REPORT_THRESHOLD / CANCELLATION_CHECK_INTERVAL) {
+					monitor.subTask(Messages.PDOM_waitingForWriteLock);
+				}
 				if (sDEBUG_LOCKS) {
 					start = reportBlockedWriteLock(start, giveupReadLocks);
 				}
@@ -1057,6 +1062,8 @@ public class PDOM extends PlatformObject implements IPDOM {
 				timeWriteLockAcquired = System.currentTimeMillis();
 			db.setExclusiveLock();
 		}
+		if (monitor != null)
+			monitor.subTask(""); //$NON-NLS-1$
 	}
 
 	final public void releaseWriteLock() {