diff --git a/src/debug.cpp b/src/debug.cpp
index 1bac950541100..9c80fa12b7ff7 100644
--- a/src/debug.cpp
+++ b/src/debug.cpp
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 #include "filesystem.h"
 #include "get_version.h"
 #include "input.h"
+#include "loading_ui.h"
 #include "mod_manager.h"
 #include "options.h"
 #include "output.h"
@@ -311,6 +312,8 @@ static void debug_error_prompt(
     if( !force && ignored_messages.count( msg_key ) > 0 ) {
         return;
     }
+    // gui loading screen might be drawing an image, we need to clean it up
+    loading_ui::done();
 
     std::string formatted_report =
         string_format( // developer-facing error report. INTENTIONALLY UNTRANSLATED!