diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/progress_indicator/__init__.py b/src/calibre/gui2/progress_indicator/__init__.py
index 8c5ade8579..91e7389dda 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/progress_indicator/__init__.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/progress_indicator/__init__.py
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
 from __future__ import (unicode_literals, division, absolute_import,
                         print_function)
 
-import math
 from PyQt5.Qt import (
     Qt, QWidget, QSizePolicy, QSize, QRect, QConicalGradient, QPen, QBrush,
     QPainter, QTimer, QVBoxLayout, QLabel, QStackedWidget, QDialog
@@ -24,21 +23,16 @@ def draw_snake_spinner(painter, rect, angle, light, dark):
     disc_width = max(4, rect.width() // 10)
 
     drawing_rect = QRect(rect.x() + disc_width, rect.y() + disc_width, rect.width() - 2 * disc_width, rect.height() - 2 *disc_width)
-    try:
-        angle_for_width = math.degrees(math.atan2(1.3 * disc_width, drawing_rect.width()))
-    except ZeroDivisionError:
-        angle_for_width = 5
 
-    gradient = QConicalGradient(drawing_rect.center(), angle - angle_for_width)
+    gap = 20  # degrees
+    gradient = QConicalGradient(drawing_rect.center(), angle - gap // 2)
     gradient.setColorAt(1, light)
     gradient.setColorAt(0, dark)
 
-    painter.setPen(QPen(light, disc_width))
-    painter.drawArc(drawing_rect, 0, 360 * 16)
     pen = QPen(QBrush(gradient), disc_width)
     pen.setCapStyle(Qt.RoundCap)
     painter.setPen(pen)
-    painter.drawArc(drawing_rect, angle * 16, (360 - 2 * angle_for_width) * 16)
+    painter.drawArc(drawing_rect, angle * 16, (360 - gap) * 16)
 
 
 class ProgressSpinner(QWidget):
@@ -163,6 +157,14 @@ class WaitStack(QStackedWidget):
         self.wp.stop()
         self.setCurrentWidget(self.after)
 
+    @property
+    def msg(self):
+        return self.wp.msg
+
+    @msg.setter
+    def msg(self, val):
+        self.wp.msg = val
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     from calibre.gui2 import Application
     app = Application([])