diff --git a/Core/Core.cc b/Core/Core.cc
index 19a080d8b82fc163169c882490fd06237e8a0194..a95cba3682e2a0977a89e23776d42fc21d9a7332 100644
--- a/Core/Core.cc
+++ b/Core/Core.cc
@@ -921,6 +921,12 @@ void Core::updateView()
 
 }
 
+//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+void Core::updateUI() {
+  QApplication::processEvents();
+}
+
 
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/Core/Core.hh b/Core/Core.hh
index f03ab875ae3d20c401ea096ae13f9b957fd99c83..882c5be0af3b4c15b829f44dce344afc07990342 100644
--- a/Core/Core.hh
+++ b/Core/Core.hh
@@ -639,6 +639,9 @@ public slots:
     /// Called when a  plugin requests an update in the viewer
     void updateView();
 
+    /// process events during script execution to keep the ui alive
+    void updateUI();
+
     /// Clear all data objects
     void clearAll();