diff --git a/source/blender/editors/space_file/file_draw.cc b/source/blender/editors/space_file/file_draw.cc
index ebe2b2ac173..f25306958f4 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/space_file/file_draw.cc
+++ b/source/blender/editors/space_file/file_draw.cc
@@ -359,6 +359,7 @@ static void file_draw_preview(const FileDirEntry *file,
   bool show_outline = !is_icon &&
                       (file->typeflag & (FILE_TYPE_IMAGE | FILE_TYPE_MOVIE | FILE_TYPE_BLENDER));
   const bool is_offline = (file->attributes & FILE_ATTR_OFFLINE);
+  const bool is_loading = file->flags & FILE_ENTRY_PREVIEW_LOADING;
 
   BLI_assert(imb != nullptr);
 
@@ -420,20 +421,23 @@ static void file_draw_preview(const FileDirEntry *file,
     GPU_blend(GPU_BLEND_ALPHA_PREMULT);
   }
 
-  IMMDrawPixelsTexState state = immDrawPixelsTexSetup(GPU_SHADER_3D_IMAGE_COLOR);
-  immDrawPixelsTexTiled_scaling(&state,
-                                float(xco),
-                                float(yco),
-                                imb->x,
-                                imb->y,
-                                GPU_RGBA8,
-                                true,
-                                imb->byte_buffer.data,
-                                scale,
-                                scale,
-                                1.0f,
-                                1.0f,
-                                document_img_col);
+  if (!is_loading) {
+    /* Don't show outer document image if loading - too flashy. */
+    IMMDrawPixelsTexState state = immDrawPixelsTexSetup(GPU_SHADER_3D_IMAGE_COLOR);
+    immDrawPixelsTexTiled_scaling(&state,
+                                  float(xco),
+                                  float(yco),
+                                  imb->x,
+                                  imb->y,
+                                  GPU_RGBA8,
+                                  true,
+                                  imb->byte_buffer.data,
+                                  scale,
+                                  scale,
+                                  1.0f,
+                                  1.0f,
+                                  document_img_col);
+  }
 
   GPU_blend(GPU_BLEND_ALPHA);
 
@@ -448,11 +452,17 @@ static void file_draw_preview(const FileDirEntry *file,
       icon_color[1] = 255;
       icon_color[2] = 255;
     }
+
+    if (is_loading) {
+      /* Contrast with background since we are not showing the large document image. */
+      UI_GetThemeColor4ubv(TH_TEXT, icon_color);
+    }
+
     icon_x = xco + (ex / 2.0f) - (icon_size / 2.0f);
     icon_y = yco + (ey / 2.0f) - (icon_size * ((file->typeflag & FILE_TYPE_DIR) ? 0.78f : 0.75f));
     UI_icon_draw_ex(icon_x,
                     icon_y,
-                    icon,
+                    is_loading ? ICON_TEMP : icon,
                     icon_aspect / UI_SCALE_FAC,
                     icon_opacity,
                     0.0f,
@@ -507,7 +517,7 @@ static void file_draw_preview(const FileDirEntry *file,
                       UI_NO_ICON_OVERLAY_TEXT);
     }
   }
-  else if (icon && !is_icon && !(file->typeflag & FILE_TYPE_FTFONT)) {
+  else if (icon && ((!is_icon && !(file->typeflag & FILE_TYPE_FTFONT)) || is_loading)) {
     /* Smaller, fainter icon at bottom-left for preview image thumbnail, but not for fonts. */
     float icon_x, icon_y;
     const uchar dark[4] = {0, 0, 0, 255};
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/space_file/filelist.cc b/source/blender/editors/space_file/filelist.cc
index e47da0f0187..6e08919bd69 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/space_file/filelist.cc
+++ b/source/blender/editors/space_file/filelist.cc
@@ -1628,7 +1628,15 @@ static void filelist_cache_previews_push(FileList *filelist, FileDirEntry *entry
    * some time in heavy files, because otherwise for each missing preview and for each preview
    * reload, we'd reopen the .blend to look for the preview. */
   if ((entry->typeflag & FILE_TYPE_BLENDERLIB) &&
-      (entry->flags & FILE_ENTRY_BLENDERLIB_NO_PREVIEW)) {
+      (entry->flags & FILE_ENTRY_BLENDERLIB_NO_PREVIEW))
+  {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  /* External ID that is also a directory is never previewed. */
+  if ((entry->typeflag & (FILE_TYPE_BLENDERLIB | FILE_TYPE_DIR)) ==
+      (FILE_TYPE_BLENDERLIB | FILE_TYPE_DIR))
+  {
     return;
   }
 
@@ -2604,7 +2612,6 @@ bool filelist_cache_previews_update(FileList *filelist)
         /* Move ownership over icon. */
         entry->preview_icon_id = preview->icon_id;
         preview->icon_id = 0;
-        changed = true;
       }
       else {
         /* We want to avoid re-processing this entry continuously!
@@ -2613,6 +2620,7 @@ bool filelist_cache_previews_update(FileList *filelist)
         entry->flags |= FILE_ENTRY_INVALID_PREVIEW;
       }
       entry->flags &= ~FILE_ENTRY_PREVIEW_LOADING;
+      changed = true;
     }
     else {
       BKE_icon_delete(preview->icon_id);