diff --git a/mu4e/mu4e-headers.el b/mu4e/mu4e-headers.el
index e2d52625..fea7acff 100644
--- a/mu4e/mu4e-headers.el
+++ b/mu4e/mu4e-headers.el
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ;;; mu4e-headers.el -- part of mu4e, the mu mail user agent -*- lexical-binding: t -*-
 
-;; Copyright (C) 2011-2021 Dirk-Jan C. Binnema
+;; Copyright (C) 2011-2022 Dirk-Jan C. Binnema
 
 ;; Author: Dirk-Jan C. Binnema <djcb@djcbsoftware.nl>
 ;; Maintainer: Dirk-Jan C. Binnema <djcb@djcbsoftware.nl>
@@ -1779,19 +1779,13 @@ other windows."
 
 ;;; Loading messages
 ;;
-(defvar mu4e-loading-mode-map nil  "Keymap for *mu4e-loading* buffers.")
-(unless mu4e-loading-mode-map
-  (setq mu4e-loading-mode-map
-        (let ((map (make-sparse-keymap)))
-          (define-key map "n" 'ignore)
-          (define-key map "p" 'ignore)
-          (define-key map "q"
-            (lambda()(interactive)
-              (if (eq mu4e-split-view 'single-window)
-                  'kill-buffer
-                'kill-buffer-and-window)))
-          map)))
-(fset 'mu4e-loading-mode-map mu4e-loading-mode-map)
+(defvar mu4e-loading-mode-map
+  (let ((map (make-sparse-keymap)))
+          (define-key map "n" #'ignore)
+          (define-key map "p" #'ignore)
+          (define-key map "q" #'bury-buffer)
+          map)
+  "Keymap for *mu4e-loading* buffers.")
 
 (define-derived-mode mu4e-loading-mode special-mode
   "mu4e:loading"
@@ -1801,7 +1795,12 @@ other windows."
     (insert (propertize "Loading message..."
                         'face 'mu4e-system-face 'intangible t))))
 
+(defun mu4e~loading-close ()
+  "Bury the mu4e Loading... buffer, if any."
+  (let* ((buf mu4e~headers-loading-buf)
+	 (win (and (buffer-live-p buf) (get-buffer-window buf t))))
+    (when (window-live-p win)
+      (delete-window win))))
 
-;;; _
 (provide 'mu4e-headers)
 ;;; mu4e-headers.el ends here
diff --git a/mu4e/mu4e-helpers.el b/mu4e/mu4e-helpers.el
index e6ef34b3..9763c6f3 100644
--- a/mu4e/mu4e-helpers.el
+++ b/mu4e/mu4e-helpers.el
@@ -188,6 +188,8 @@ echo area, don't show anything."
   (unless (or (active-minibuffer-window))
     (message "%s" (apply 'mu4e-format frm args))))
 
+(declare-function mu4e~loading-close "mu4e-headers")
+
 (defun mu4e-error (frm &rest args)
   "Display an error with FRM and ARGS like `mu4e-message'.
 
@@ -195,6 +197,8 @@ Create [mu4e]-prefixed error based on format FRM and ARGS. Does a
 local-exit and does not return, and raises a
 debuggable (backtrace) error."
   (mu4e-log 'error (apply 'mu4e-format frm args))
+  ;; opportunistically close the "loading" window.
+  (mu4e~loading-close)
   (error "%s" (apply 'mu4e-format frm args)))
 
 (defun mu4e-warn (frm &rest args)