diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/app/frame.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/app/frame.rs
index 6e92091c7..d4a153e2a 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/app/frame.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/app/frame.rs
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ impl LightcraftApp {
         if import_tick_allowed(ctx) {
             import::tick(self, ctx);
         }
+        panels::library_problem::import_waiting(self, ctx);
         lightroom_import::tick(self, ctx);
         recheck::tick(self);
         tasks::poll(self, ctx);
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/dialogs/settings/libraries.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/dialogs/settings/libraries.rs
index 8e41e8dd4..40e0d6385 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/dialogs/settings/libraries.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/dialogs/settings/libraries.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ pub(crate) fn can_switch_library(app: &LightcraftApp) -> Result<(), String> {
     if app.import.is_some() || app.scan.is_some() {
         return Err("wait for the import to finish before switching libraries".into());
     }
+    // they were meant for the library open now (issue #2779)
+    if !app.waiting_import.files.is_empty() {
+        return Err("wait for the photos waiting to be imported before switching libraries".into());
+    }
     Ok(())
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/library_problem.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/library_problem.rs
index 7f69775e3..b470e1420 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/library_problem.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/panels/library_problem.rs
@@ -823,8 +823,9 @@ fn open(app: &mut LightcraftApp, path: Option<String>) {
 
 /// Import the files that waited for a library, in the background like files dropped on the window
 /// (issue #374). While another import or a Synchronize Folder runs they keep waiting, and a toast
-/// says why once (issue #2779).
-fn import_waiting(app: &mut LightcraftApp, ctx: &egui::Context) {
+/// says why once (issue #2779). Called from the background logic, so they go in as soon as that
+/// ends even while the window is hidden.
+pub(crate) fn import_waiting(app: &mut LightcraftApp, ctx: &egui::Context) {
     if app.waiting_import.files.is_empty() {
         return;
     }
@@ -854,7 +855,6 @@ pub fn logic(app: &mut LightcraftApp, ctx: &egui::Context) {
         let files = app.library_problem.take().map(|p| p.pending_import).unwrap_or_default();
         app.waiting_import.files.extend(files);
     }
-    import_waiting(app, ctx);
     let batch_in_flight = app.synthetic_in_flight;
     alt_at_launch(app, ctx);
     // Alt/Option can create the launch list here, after the frame's input was accepted. Drop
diff --git a/crates/ui-egui/src/tests/library_problem.rs b/crates/ui-egui/src/tests/library_problem.rs
index 29a0aca66..d3f8eb78a 100644
--- a/crates/ui-egui/src/tests/library_problem.rs
+++ b/crates/ui-egui/src/tests/library_problem.rs
@@ -817,8 +817,13 @@ fn waiting_files_wait_for_a_running_import_instead_of_being_dropped() {
         let img = lightcraft_raster::Rgba8 { width: 8, height: 8, data: vec![[v, 3, 9, 255]; 64] };
         lightcraft_codecs::encode_png(&lightcraft_codecs::EncodeImage::rgba8(&img), &lightcraft_codecs::EncodeMeta::default()).unwrap()
     };
-    let (busy, waiting) = (dir.join("busy.png"), dir.join("waiting.png"));
-    std::fs::write(&busy, png(10)).unwrap();
+    // enough photos that the first import is still running two frames later
+    let busy = dir.join("busy");
+    std::fs::create_dir_all(&busy).unwrap();
+    for i in 0..100u8 {
+        std::fs::write(busy.join(format!("{i}.png")), png(i)).unwrap();
+    }
+    let waiting = dir.join("waiting.png");
     std::fs::write(&waiting, png(200)).unwrap();
 
     let app = LightcraftApp::new(lightcraft_engine::Session::new().with_fs(), Services { png: None, ..Default::default() });
@@ -832,13 +837,30 @@ fn waiting_files_wait_for_a_running_import_instead_of_being_dropped() {
     // a library opens another way (File ▸ Open Library…) while an import is running
     h.app.session.open_library(&lib, false).unwrap();
     crate::import::start_paths(&mut h.app, vec![busy.to_string_lossy().to_string()]).unwrap();
+    // the UI pass takes the files; the next background tick tries to import them
+    h.step();
     h.step();
     assert!(h.app.library_problem.is_none(), "the problem is over");
     assert_eq!(h.app.waiting_import.files, vec![waiting.to_string_lossy().to_string()], "the waiting file is kept");
     let toast = h.app.ui.toast.as_ref().map(|t| t.0.clone()).unwrap_or_default();
     assert!(toast.contains("An import is running") && toast.contains("once it ends"), "{toast}");
+    // the files belong to this library: no switch while they wait, also when what they wait for
+    // is a Synchronize Folder, which doesn't hold switching back by itself (the import set aside)
+    let running = h.app.import.take();
+    let r = h.app.run("app.openLibrary", json!({"path": dir.join("other").to_string_lossy()}));
+    h.app.import = running;
+    assert!(r.as_ref().is_err_and(|e| e.contains("waiting")), "{r:?}");
+    assert_eq!(h.app.session.library.as_ref().map(|l| l.dir.clone()), Some(lib.clone()));
 
-    assert!(h.step_until(T, |h| h.app.import.is_none() && h.app.session.catalog.len() == 2), "{} photos", h.app.session.catalog.len());
+    // the window is hidden from here on: only the background logic runs, and the waiting file
+    // still goes in once the first import ends
+    let t0 = std::time::Instant::now();
+    while !(h.app.import.is_none() && h.app.session.catalog.len() == 101) && t0.elapsed() < T {
+        let ctx = h.view.ctx.clone();
+        h.app.logic(&ctx);
+        std::thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(2));
+    }
+    assert_eq!(h.app.session.catalog.len(), 101, "both imports went in while hidden");
     assert!(h.app.waiting_import.files.is_empty());
     let _ = h.app.session.close_library();
     let _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all(&dir);