diff --git a/src/platform/qt/Display.cpp b/src/platform/qt/Display.cpp
index 6a11a5c64..014162562 100644
--- a/src/platform/qt/Display.cpp
+++ b/src/platform/qt/Display.cpp
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ void Display::filter(bool filter) {
 
 void Display::showMessage(const QString& message) {
 	m_messagePainter.showMessage(message);
+	if (!isDrawing()) {
+		forceDraw();
+	}
 }
 
 void Display::mouseMoveEvent(QMouseEvent*) {
diff --git a/src/platform/qt/Display.h b/src/platform/qt/Display.h
index cd3f1fd2a..3e6d738f2 100644
--- a/src/platform/qt/Display.h
+++ b/src/platform/qt/Display.h
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ public:
 	bool isAspectRatioLocked() const { return m_lockAspectRatio; }
 	bool isFiltered() const { return m_filter; }
 
+	virtual bool isDrawing() const = 0;
+
 signals:
 	void showCursor();
 	void hideCursor();
diff --git a/src/platform/qt/DisplayGL.cpp b/src/platform/qt/DisplayGL.cpp
index bcbf89ccc..9446da083 100644
--- a/src/platform/qt/DisplayGL.cpp
+++ b/src/platform/qt/DisplayGL.cpp
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ using namespace QGBA;
 
 DisplayGL::DisplayGL(const QGLFormat& format, QWidget* parent)
 	: Display(parent)
+	, m_isDrawing(false)
 	, m_gl(new EmptyGLWidget(format, this))
 	, m_painter(new PainterGL(m_gl))
 	, m_drawThread(nullptr)
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ void DisplayGL::startDrawing(GBAThread* thread) {
 	if (m_drawThread) {
 		return;
 	}
+	m_isDrawing = true;
 	m_painter->setContext(thread);
 	m_painter->setMessagePainter(messagePainter());
 	m_context = thread;
@@ -55,6 +57,7 @@ void DisplayGL::startDrawing(GBAThread* thread) {
 
 void DisplayGL::stopDrawing() {
 	if (m_drawThread) {
+		m_isDrawing = false;
 		if (GBAThreadIsActive(m_context)) {
 			GBAThreadInterrupt(m_context);
 		}
@@ -69,6 +72,7 @@ void DisplayGL::stopDrawing() {
 
 void DisplayGL::pauseDrawing() {
 	if (m_drawThread) {
+		m_isDrawing = false;
 		if (GBAThreadIsActive(m_context)) {
 			GBAThreadInterrupt(m_context);
 		}
@@ -81,6 +85,7 @@ void DisplayGL::pauseDrawing() {
 
 void DisplayGL::unpauseDrawing() {
 	if (m_drawThread) {
+		m_isDrawing = true;
 		if (GBAThreadIsActive(m_context)) {
 			GBAThreadInterrupt(m_context);
 		}
diff --git a/src/platform/qt/DisplayGL.h b/src/platform/qt/DisplayGL.h
index bc10217a7..ebca3d635 100644
--- a/src/platform/qt/DisplayGL.h
+++ b/src/platform/qt/DisplayGL.h
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ public:
 	DisplayGL(const QGLFormat& format, QWidget* parent = nullptr);
 	~DisplayGL();
 
+	bool isDrawing() const override { return m_isDrawing; }
+
 public slots:
 	void startDrawing(GBAThread* context) override;
 	void stopDrawing() override;
@@ -60,6 +62,7 @@ protected:
 private:
 	void resizePainter();
 
+	bool m_isDrawing;
 	QGLWidget* m_gl;
 	PainterGL* m_painter;
 	QThread* m_drawThread;
diff --git a/src/platform/qt/DisplayQt.cpp b/src/platform/qt/DisplayQt.cpp
index 182ecd2bc..71e684055 100644
--- a/src/platform/qt/DisplayQt.cpp
+++ b/src/platform/qt/DisplayQt.cpp
@@ -15,11 +15,13 @@ using namespace QGBA;
 
 DisplayQt::DisplayQt(QWidget* parent)
 	: Display(parent)
+	, m_isDrawing(false)
 	, m_backing(nullptr)
 {
 }
 
 void DisplayQt::startDrawing(GBAThread*) {
+	m_isDrawing = true;
 }
 
 void DisplayQt::lockAspectRatio(bool lock) {
diff --git a/src/platform/qt/DisplayQt.h b/src/platform/qt/DisplayQt.h
index f7fefb0ee..1d5acc5b4 100644
--- a/src/platform/qt/DisplayQt.h
+++ b/src/platform/qt/DisplayQt.h
@@ -21,11 +21,13 @@ Q_OBJECT
 public:
 	DisplayQt(QWidget* parent = nullptr);
 
+	bool isDrawing() const override { return m_isDrawing; }
+
 public slots:
 	void startDrawing(GBAThread* context) override;
-	void stopDrawing() override {}
-	void pauseDrawing() override {}
-	void unpauseDrawing() override {}
+	void stopDrawing() override { m_isDrawing = false; }
+	void pauseDrawing() override { m_isDrawing = false; }
+	void unpauseDrawing() override { m_isDrawing = true; }
 	void forceDraw() override { update(); }
 	void lockAspectRatio(bool lock) override;
 	void filter(bool filter) override;
@@ -35,6 +37,7 @@ protected:
 	virtual void paintEvent(QPaintEvent*) override;
 
 private:
+	bool m_isDrawing;
 	QImage m_backing;
 };