diff --git a/language/backgroundparser/backgroundparser.h b/language/backgroundparser/backgroundparser.h
--- a/language/backgroundparser/backgroundparser.h
+++ b/language/backgroundparser/backgroundparser.h
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@
      */
     void parseDocuments();
 
-    void updateProgressBar();
+    void updateProgressData();
 
     ///Disables processing for all jobs that have a worse priority than @param priority
     ///This can be used to temporarily limit the processing to only the most important jobs.
@@ -229,6 +229,7 @@
     void parseProgress(KDevelop::ParseJob*, float value, QString text);
     void startTimer(int delay);
     void aboutToQuit();
+    void updateProgressBar();
 
 private:
     friend class BackgroundParserPrivate;
diff --git a/language/backgroundparser/backgroundparser.cpp b/language/backgroundparser/backgroundparser.cpp
--- a/language/backgroundparser/backgroundparser.cpp
+++ b/language/backgroundparser/backgroundparser.cpp
@@ -197,10 +197,15 @@
         m_doneParseJobs = 0;
         m_maxParseJobs = 0;
         m_neededPriority = BackgroundParser::WorstPriority;
+        m_progressMax = 0;
+        m_progressDone = 0;
+        m_progressTimer.setSingleShot(true);
+        m_progressTimer.setInterval(500);
 
         ThreadWeaver::setDebugLevel(true, 1);
 
         QObject::connect(&m_timer, &QTimer::timeout, m_parser, &BackgroundParser::parseDocuments);
+        QObject::connect(&m_progressTimer, &QTimer::timeout, m_parser, &BackgroundParser::updateProgressBar);
     }
 
     void startTimerThreadSafe(int delay) {
@@ -347,7 +352,7 @@
             }
         }
 
-        m_parser->updateProgressBar();
+        m_parser->updateProgressData();
 
         //We don't hide the progress-bar in updateProgressBar, so it doesn't permanently flash when a document is reparsed again and again.
         if(m_doneParseJobs == m_maxParseJobs
@@ -511,6 +516,9 @@
     int m_doneParseJobs;
     QHash<KDevelop::ParseJob*, float> m_jobProgress;
     int m_neededPriority; //The minimum priority needed for processed jobs
+    int m_progressMax;
+    int m_progressDone;
+    QTimer m_progressTimer;
 };
 
 BackgroundParser::BackgroundParser(ILanguageController *languageController)
@@ -561,7 +569,7 @@
 {
     Q_UNUSED(text)
     d->m_jobProgress[job] = value;
-    updateProgressBar();
+    updateProgressData();
 }
 
 void BackgroundParser::revertAllRequests(QObject* notifyWhenReady)
@@ -677,7 +685,7 @@
         d->m_jobProgress.remove(parseJob);
 
         ++d->m_doneParseJobs;
-        updateProgressBar();
+        updateProgressData();
     }
 
     //Continue creating more parse-jobs
@@ -744,10 +752,10 @@
 void BackgroundParser::resume()
 {
     d->resume();
-    updateProgressBar();
+    updateProgressData();
 }
 
-void BackgroundParser::updateProgressBar()
+void BackgroundParser::updateProgressData()
 {
     if (d->m_doneParseJobs >= d->m_maxParseJobs) {
         if(d->m_doneParseJobs > d->m_maxParseJobs) {
@@ -761,7 +769,12 @@
             additionalProgress += *it;
         }
 
-        emit showProgress(this, 0, d->m_maxParseJobs*1000, (additionalProgress + d->m_doneParseJobs)*1000);
+        d->m_progressMax = d->m_maxParseJobs*1000;
+        d->m_progressDone = (additionalProgress + d->m_doneParseJobs)*1000;
+
+        if (!d->m_progressTimer.isActive()) {
+            d->m_progressTimer.start();
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -899,3 +912,8 @@
 {
     d->m_loadingProjects.remove(project);
 }
+
+void BackgroundParser::updateProgressBar()
+{
+    emit showProgress(this, 0, d->m_progressMax, d->m_progressDone);
+}