diff --git a/apps/openmw/crashcatcher.cpp b/apps/openmw/crashcatcher.cpp
index 8d812efd3..0b4ff6304 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/crashcatcher.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/crashcatcher.cpp
@@ -382,7 +382,15 @@ static void crash_handler(const char *logfile)
     fflush(stdout);
 
     if(crash_info.pid > 0)
+    {
         gdb_info(crash_info.pid);
+        kill(crash_info.pid, SIGKILL);
+    }
+
+    // delay between killing of the crashed process and showing the message box to
+    // work around occasional X server lock-up. this can only be a bug in X11 since
+    // even faulty applications shouldn't be able to freeze the X server.
+    usleep(100000);
 
     if(logfile)
     {
@@ -390,9 +398,6 @@ static void crash_handler(const char *logfile)
         SDL_ShowSimpleMessageBox(0, "Fatal Error", message.c_str(), NULL);
     }
 
-    if (crash_info.pid > 0)
-        kill(crash_info.pid, SIGKILL);
-
     exit(0);
 }