diff --git a/thunar/thunar-window.c b/thunar/thunar-window.c
index ce7a315f285219afa47022e8124430b62fc7b203..58a8ecd2a3db9d15fb4e9527948225bfcd7787b0 100644
--- a/thunar/thunar-window.c
+++ b/thunar/thunar-window.c
@@ -789,8 +789,8 @@ thunar_window_init (ThunarWindow *window)
   /* place the spinner into the menu item */
   window->spinner = gtk_spinner_new ();
   gtk_container_add (GTK_CONTAINER (item), window->spinner);
-  gtk_widget_set_size_request (window->spinner, 16, 16);
-  gtk_widget_show (window->spinner);
+  exo_binding_new (G_OBJECT (window->spinner), "active",
+                   G_OBJECT (window->spinner), "visible");
 
   /* check if we need to add the root warning */
   if (G_UNLIKELY (geteuid () == 0))