diff --git a/src/app/common/progress/progress.component.html b/src/app/common/progress/progress.component.html
index c240c710..9778c6d6 100644
--- a/src/app/common/progress/progress.component.html
+++ b/src/app/common/progress/progress.component.html
@@ -1,8 +1,20 @@
-<div class="overlay" *ngIf="visible">
-  <div class="loading-spinner">
+<div class="overlay" *ngIf="visible || error">
+  <div class="loading-spinner" *ngIf="visible && !error">
     <mat-spinner color="primary">
     </mat-spinner>
   </div>
+  <div class="error-state" *ngIf="error">
+    <div class="error-icon"><mat-icon>error_outline</mat-icon></div>
+    <div>Error occurred: {{ error.message }}</div>
+    <div>
+      <button mat-button (click)="refresh()" matTooltip="Refresh page" >
+        <mat-icon>refresh</mat-icon>
+      </button>
+      <button mat-button routerLink="/" matTooltip="Go to home" >
+        <mat-icon>home</mat-icon>
+      </button>
+    </div>
+  </div>
 </div>
 
 
diff --git a/src/app/common/progress/progress.component.scss b/src/app/common/progress/progress.component.scss
index 8bfff484..ec3a3ecf 100644
--- a/src/app/common/progress/progress.component.scss
+++ b/src/app/common/progress/progress.component.scss
@@ -10,9 +10,19 @@
     z-index: 1000;
 }
 
-.loading-spinner {
+.loading-spinner, .error-state {
   position: fixed;
   top: 50%;
   left: 50%;
   transform: translate(-50%, -50%);
 }
+
+.error-state div {
+  text-align: center;
+}
+
+.error-icon mat-icon {
+  font-size: 64px;
+  width: 64px;
+  height: 64px;
+}
diff --git a/src/app/common/progress/progress.component.spec.ts b/src/app/common/progress/progress.component.spec.ts
index 5780e205..f0cfc8b2 100644
--- a/src/app/common/progress/progress.component.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/common/progress/progress.component.spec.ts
@@ -1,25 +1,45 @@
 import { async, ComponentFixture, TestBed } from '@angular/core/testing';
 
 import { ProgressComponent } from './progress.component';
-import { MatProgressSpinnerModule } from "@angular/material";
+import { MatIconModule, MatProgressSpinnerModule } from "@angular/material";
 import { ProgressService } from "./progress.service";
+import { RouterTestingModule } from "@angular/router/testing";
+import { Router } from "@angular/router";
+import { BehaviorSubject } from "rxjs/BehaviorSubject";
+
+
+class MockedRouter {
+  events: BehaviorSubject<boolean>;
+
+  constructor() {
+    this.events = new BehaviorSubject(true);
+  }
+}
+
 
 describe('ProgressComponent', () => {
   let component: ProgressComponent;
   let fixture: ComponentFixture<ProgressComponent>;
   let progressService: ProgressService;
+  let router: MockedRouter;
 
   beforeEach(async(() => {
     TestBed.configureTestingModule({
       imports: [
+        RouterTestingModule,
         MatProgressSpinnerModule,
+        MatIconModule
+      ],
+      providers: [
+        ProgressService,
+        { provide: Router, useClass: MockedRouter}
       ],
-      providers: [ ProgressService ],
       declarations: [ ProgressComponent ]
     })
     .compileComponents();
 
     progressService = TestBed.get(ProgressService);
+    router = TestBed.get(Router);
   }));
 
   beforeEach(() => {
@@ -45,4 +65,21 @@ describe('ProgressComponent', () => {
     expect(component.visible).toEqual(false);
   });
 
+  it( 'should set error state when error defined', () => {
+    const error = new Error("test");
+    progressService.setError(error);
+    expect(component.error).toEqual(error);
+  });
+
+  it( 'should clear error when changes route', () => {
+    const error = new Error("test");
+    component.error = error;
+
+    spyOn(progressService, 'clear');
+
+    router.events.next(true);
+
+    expect(progressService.clear).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
 });
diff --git a/src/app/common/progress/progress.component.ts b/src/app/common/progress/progress.component.ts
index 3a823ad2..cd4f2607 100644
--- a/src/app/common/progress/progress.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/common/progress/progress.component.ts
@@ -1,22 +1,49 @@
-import { Component, OnInit } from '@angular/core';
+import { Component, OnDestroy, OnInit } from '@angular/core';
 import { ProgressService } from "./progress.service";
+import { Router } from "@angular/router";
+import { Subscription } from "rxjs/Subscription";
 
 @Component({
   selector: 'app-progress',
   templateUrl: './progress.component.html',
   styleUrls: ['./progress.component.scss']
 })
-export class ProgressComponent implements OnInit {
+export class ProgressComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
   visible = false;
+  error: Error;
+  routerSubscription: Subscription;
 
   constructor(
-    private progressService: ProgressService
+    private progressService: ProgressService,
+    private router: Router,
   ) { }
 
   ngOnInit() {
     this.progressService.state.subscribe((state) => {
       this.visible = state.visible;
+
+      // only set error state once; ignore next "correct" states
+      if (state.error && !this.error) {
+        this.error = state.error;
+      }
+
+      if (state.clear) {
+        this.error = null;
+      }
+    });
+
+    // when page changes clear error state
+    this.routerSubscription = this.router.events.subscribe(() => {
+      this.progressService.clear();
     });
   }
 
+  refresh() {
+    // unfortunately we need to use global var
+    location.reload();
+  }
+
+  ngOnDestroy() {
+    this.routerSubscription.unsubscribe();
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/app/common/progress/progress.service.spec.ts b/src/app/common/progress/progress.service.spec.ts
index dc375e57..530216ff 100644
--- a/src/app/common/progress/progress.service.spec.ts
+++ b/src/app/common/progress/progress.service.spec.ts
@@ -1,16 +1,43 @@
 import { TestBed, inject } from '@angular/core/testing';
 
-import { ProgressService } from './progress.service';
+import { ProgressService, State } from './progress.service';
 
 
 describe('ProgressService', () => {
+  let progressService: ProgressService;
+
   beforeEach(() => {
     TestBed.configureTestingModule({
       providers: [ProgressService]
     });
+
+    progressService = TestBed.get(ProgressService);
+
+    spyOn(progressService.state, 'next');
   });
 
-  it('should be created', inject([ProgressService], (service: ProgressService) => {
-    expect(service).toBeTruthy();
-  }));
+  it('should be created', () => {
+    expect(progressService).toBeTruthy();
+  });
+
+  it('should propagate event when activated', () => {
+    progressService.activate();
+    expect(progressService.state.next).toHaveBeenCalledWith(new State(true));
+  });
+
+  it('should propagate event when deactivated', () => {
+    progressService.deactivate();
+    expect(progressService.state.next).toHaveBeenCalledWith(new State(false));
+  });
+
+  it('should propagate event on error', () => {
+    const error = new Error();
+    progressService.setError(error);
+    expect(progressService.state.next).toHaveBeenCalledWith(new State(false, error));
+  });
+
+  it('should clear an error', () => {
+    progressService.clear();
+    expect(progressService.state.next).toHaveBeenCalledWith(new State(false, null, true));
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/app/common/progress/progress.service.ts b/src/app/common/progress/progress.service.ts
index 1ac037a0..4c68d3c0 100644
--- a/src/app/common/progress/progress.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/common/progress/progress.service.ts
@@ -5,9 +5,13 @@ import { BehaviorSubject } from "rxjs/BehaviorSubject";
 
 export class State {
   public visible: boolean;
+  public error: Error;
+  public clear: boolean;
 
-  constructor(visible: boolean) {
+  constructor(visible: boolean, error?: Error, clear: boolean = false) {
     this.visible = visible;
+    this.error = error;
+    this.clear = clear;
   }
 }
 
@@ -17,6 +21,14 @@ export class ProgressService {
 
   constructor() {}
 
+  public setError(error: Error) {
+    this.state.next(new State(false, error));
+  }
+
+  public clear() {
+    this.state.next(new State(false, null, true));
+  }
+
   public activate() {
     this.state.next(new State(true));
   }
diff --git a/src/app/components/project-map/project-map.component.html b/src/app/components/project-map/project-map.component.html
index 63962683..d679d016 100644
--- a/src/app/components/project-map/project-map.component.html
+++ b/src/app/components/project-map/project-map.component.html
@@ -62,9 +62,6 @@
   <app-node-select-interface (onChooseInterface)="onChooseInterface($event)"></app-node-select-interface>
 </div>
 
-<div class="loading-spinner" *ngIf="isLoading">
-  <mat-spinner color="primary">
-  </mat-spinner>
-</div>
+<app-progress></app-progress>
 
 <app-project-map-shortcuts *ngIf="project" [project]="project" [server]="server" [selectionManager]="selectionManager"></app-project-map-shortcuts>
diff --git a/src/app/components/project-map/project-map.component.ts b/src/app/components/project-map/project-map.component.ts
index f65b88f0..19d1537b 100644
--- a/src/app/components/project-map/project-map.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/components/project-map/project-map.component.ts
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ import { InRectangleHelper } from "../../cartography/components/map/helpers/in-r
 import { DrawingsDataSource } from "../../cartography/datasources/drawings-datasource";
 import { Subscription } from "rxjs/Subscription";
 import { SettingsService } from "../../services/settings.service";
+import { ProgressService } from "../../common/progress/progress.service";
 
 
 @Component({
@@ -65,8 +66,6 @@ export class ProjectMapComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
 
   protected selectionManager: SelectionManager;
 
-  public isLoading = true;
-
   @ViewChild(MapComponent) mapChild: MapComponent;
 
   @ViewChild(NodeContextMenuComponent) nodeContextMenu: NodeContextMenuComponent;
@@ -84,6 +83,7 @@ export class ProjectMapComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
               private linkService: LinkService,
               private dialog: MatDialog,
               private progressDialogService: ProgressDialogService,
+              private progressService: ProgressService,
               private toaster: ToasterService,
               private projectWebServiceHandler: ProjectWebServiceHandler,
               private settingsService: SettingsService,
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ export class ProjectMapComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
   }
 
   ngOnInit() {
+    this.progressService.activate();
 
     const routeSub = this.route.paramMap.subscribe((paramMap: ParamMap) => {
       const server_id = parseInt(paramMap.get('server_id'), 10);
@@ -123,6 +124,10 @@ export class ProjectMapComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
         })
         .subscribe((project: Project) => {
           this.onProjectLoad(project);
+        }, (error) => {
+          this.progressService.setError(error);
+        }, () => {
+            this.progressService.deactivate();
         });
     });
 
@@ -183,7 +188,8 @@ export class ProjectMapComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
 
         this.setUpMapCallbacks(project);
         this.setUpWS(project);
-        this.isLoading = false;
+
+        this.progressService.deactivate();
       });
     this.subscriptions.push(subscription);
   }
@@ -335,7 +341,9 @@ export class ProjectMapComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
     this.nodesDataSource.clear();
     this.linksDataSource.clear();
 
-    this.ws.unsubscribe();
+    if (this.ws) {
+      this.ws.unsubscribe();
+    }
     this.subscriptions.forEach((subscription: Subscription) => subscription.unsubscribe());
   }
 
diff --git a/src/app/components/projects/projects.component.ts b/src/app/components/projects/projects.component.ts
index 47c327c7..bb5d6a95 100644
--- a/src/app/components/projects/projects.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/components/projects/projects.component.ts
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ export class ProjectsComponent implements OnInit {
       .list(this.server)
       .subscribe((projects: Project[]) => {
         this.projectDatabase.addProjects(projects);
+      }, (error) => {
+        this.progressService.setError(error);
       });
   }