diff --git a/pkg/gocui/gui.go b/pkg/gocui/gui.go
index ee1995911..ff113a2dd 100644
--- a/pkg/gocui/gui.go
+++ b/pkg/gocui/gui.go
@@ -193,6 +193,12 @@ type Gui struct {
 
 	taskManager *TaskManager
 
+	// The task of the event currently being processed on the main goroutine, if
+	// any. Only touched from the main goroutine (in processEvent). It's excluded
+	// from the Busy() check so that an event handler asking "is anything else
+	// busy?" doesn't count itself.
+	currentTask Task
+
 	lastHoverView *View
 }
 
@@ -273,7 +279,15 @@ func NewGui(opts NewGuiOpts) (*Gui, error) {
 }
 
 func (g *Gui) NewTask() *TaskImpl {
-	return g.taskManager.NewTask()
+	return g.taskManager.NewTask(false)
+}
+
+// Busy reports whether any foreground work is in flight, ignoring the event
+// currently being processed on the main goroutine (see currentTask). Background
+// routines (auto-fetch etc.) don't count. It's used to decide whether it's safe
+// to switch repos. Must be called on the main goroutine.
+func (g *Gui) Busy() bool {
+	return g.taskManager.hasBusyForegroundTaskExcept(g.currentTask)
 }
 
 // An idle listener listens for when the program is idle. This is useful for
@@ -628,7 +642,18 @@ type userEvent struct {
 // never fire in practice; if it does, that's a signal to investigate, not
 // to grow the buffer reflexively.
 func (g *Gui) Update(f func(*Gui) error) {
-	task := g.NewTask()
+	g.update(f, false)
+}
+
+// Like Update, but the enqueued work is a background routine (or triggered by
+// one), so it doesn't count towards the program being busy for repo-switch
+// safety. See TaskImpl.background.
+func (g *Gui) UpdateBackground(f func(*Gui) error) {
+	g.update(f, true)
+}
+
+func (g *Gui) update(f func(*Gui) error, background bool) {
+	task := g.taskManager.NewTask(background)
 
 	select {
 	case g.userEvents <- userEvent{f: f, task: task}:
@@ -639,7 +664,16 @@ func (g *Gui) Update(f func(*Gui) error) {
 
 // Like Update, but signals that the callback only modifies content.
 func (g *Gui) UpdateContentOnly(f func(*Gui) error) {
-	task := g.NewTask()
+	g.updateContentOnly(f, false)
+}
+
+// Like UpdateContentOnly, but for background work (see UpdateBackground).
+func (g *Gui) UpdateContentOnlyBackground(f func(*Gui) error) {
+	g.updateContentOnly(f, true)
+}
+
+func (g *Gui) updateContentOnly(f func(*Gui) error, background bool) {
+	task := g.taskManager.NewTask(background)
 	g.userEvents <- userEvent{f: f, task: task, contentOnly: true}
 }
 
@@ -650,7 +684,18 @@ func (g *Gui) UpdateContentOnly(f func(*Gui) error) {
 // background goroutines where you wouldn't want lazygit to be considered busy
 // (i.e. when you wouldn't want a loader to be shown to the user)
 func (g *Gui) OnWorker(f func(Task) error) {
-	task := g.NewTask()
+	g.onWorker(f, false)
+}
+
+// Like OnWorker, but for a background routine (or work triggered by one), so it
+// doesn't count towards the program being busy for repo-switch safety. See
+// TaskImpl.background.
+func (g *Gui) OnWorkerBackground(f func(Task) error) {
+	g.onWorker(f, true)
+}
+
+func (g *Gui) onWorker(f func(Task) error, background bool) {
+	task := g.taskManager.NewTask(background)
 	go func() {
 		g.onWorkerAux(f, task)
 		task.Done()
@@ -758,17 +803,25 @@ func (g *Gui) handleError(err error) error {
 func (g *Gui) processEvent() error {
 	contentOnly := false
 
+	// currentTask is the task of the event we're about to handle; recording it
+	// lets Busy() ignore it, so a handler asking "is anything else busy?" (the
+	// repo-switch guard does) doesn't count itself. Handlers of the remaining
+	// events drained below run with currentTask still set to this primary event;
+	// that's fine because the only Busy() callers are keybinding handlers, which
+	// are always the primary event here.
 	select {
 	case ev := <-g.gEvents:
 		task := g.NewTask()
-		defer func() { task.Done() }()
+		g.currentTask = task
+		defer func() { g.currentTask = nil; task.Done() }()
 
 		if err := g.handleError(g.handleEvent(&ev)); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 	case ev := <-g.userEvents:
 		contentOnly = ev.contentOnly
-		defer func() { ev.task.Done() }()
+		g.currentTask = ev.task
+		defer func() { g.currentTask = nil; ev.task.Done() }()
 
 		if err := g.handleError(ev.f(g)); err != nil {
 			return err
diff --git a/pkg/gocui/task.go b/pkg/gocui/task.go
index ace72f4a8..377781a4f 100644
--- a/pkg/gocui/task.go
+++ b/pkg/gocui/task.go
@@ -8,8 +8,9 @@ type Task interface {
 	Done()
 	Pause()
 	Continue()
-	// not exporting because we don't need to
+	// not exporting these because we don't need to
 	isBusy() bool
+	isBackground() bool
 }
 
 type TaskImpl struct {
@@ -17,6 +18,13 @@ type TaskImpl struct {
 	busy      bool
 	onDone    func()
 	withMutex func(func())
+	// Background tasks don't count towards the program being "busy" for the
+	// purpose of deciding whether a repo switch is safe (see
+	// TaskManager.hasBusyForegroundTaskExcept). They're the ongoing background
+	// routines (auto-fetch, files refresh, external-change detection) and the
+	// refreshes they trigger, whose model writes are already guarded against a
+	// concurrent repo switch by the repo generation.
+	background bool
 }
 
 func (self *TaskImpl) Done() {
@@ -39,6 +47,10 @@ func (self *TaskImpl) isBusy() bool {
 	return self.busy
 }
 
+func (self *TaskImpl) isBackground() bool {
+	return self.background
+}
+
 type TaskStatus int
 
 const (
@@ -73,6 +85,10 @@ func (self *FakeTask) isBusy() bool {
 	return self.status == TaskStatusBusy
 }
 
+func (self *FakeTask) isBackground() bool {
+	return false
+}
+
 func (self *FakeTask) Status() TaskStatus {
 	return self.status
 }
diff --git a/pkg/gocui/task_manager.go b/pkg/gocui/task_manager.go
index e3c82b4d4..23ef0f77e 100644
--- a/pkg/gocui/task_manager.go
+++ b/pkg/gocui/task_manager.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ func newTaskManager() *TaskManager {
 	}
 }
 
-func (self *TaskManager) NewTask() *TaskImpl {
+func (self *TaskManager) NewTask(background bool) *TaskImpl {
 	self.mutex.Lock()
 	defer self.mutex.Unlock()
 
@@ -30,12 +30,34 @@ func (self *TaskManager) NewTask() *TaskImpl {
 	taskId := self.nextId
 
 	onDone := func() { self.delete(taskId) }
-	task := &TaskImpl{id: taskId, busy: true, onDone: onDone, withMutex: self.withMutex}
+	task := &TaskImpl{id: taskId, busy: true, background: background, onDone: onDone, withMutex: self.withMutex}
 	self.tasks[taskId] = task
 
 	return task
 }
 
+// hasBusyForegroundTaskExcept reports whether any task other than `ignore` is
+// currently busy and not a background task. It's used to decide whether a repo
+// switch is safe: a foreground operation (or the refresh it triggers, or that
+// refresh's follow-up callbacks) still in flight means the switch must wait, so
+// it doesn't run against a repo that's about to be swapped out.
+//
+// `ignore` is the event currently being processed on the UI thread — the switch
+// attempt itself — which is always busy and so must not count as a reason to
+// refuse itself.
+func (self *TaskManager) hasBusyForegroundTaskExcept(ignore Task) bool {
+	self.mutex.Lock()
+	defer self.mutex.Unlock()
+
+	for _, task := range self.tasks {
+		if task != ignore && task.isBusy() && !task.isBackground() {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+
+	return false
+}
+
 func (self *TaskManager) addIdleListener(c chan struct{}) {
 	self.idleListeners = append(self.idleListeners, c)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/gocui/task_manager_test.go b/pkg/gocui/task_manager_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7fe706d7a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/gocui/task_manager_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+package gocui
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func TestTaskManagerHasBusyForegroundTaskExcept(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("no tasks", func(t *testing.T) {
+		tm := newTaskManager()
+		assert.False(t, tm.hasBusyForegroundTaskExcept(nil))
+	})
+
+	t.Run("a busy foreground task counts", func(t *testing.T) {
+		tm := newTaskManager()
+		tm.NewTask(false)
+		assert.True(t, tm.hasBusyForegroundTaskExcept(nil))
+	})
+
+	t.Run("a busy background task does not count", func(t *testing.T) {
+		tm := newTaskManager()
+		tm.NewTask(true)
+		assert.False(t, tm.hasBusyForegroundTaskExcept(nil))
+	})
+
+	t.Run("a done foreground task does not count", func(t *testing.T) {
+		tm := newTaskManager()
+		task := tm.NewTask(false)
+		task.Done()
+		assert.False(t, tm.hasBusyForegroundTaskExcept(nil))
+	})
+
+	t.Run("a paused foreground task does not count", func(t *testing.T) {
+		tm := newTaskManager()
+		task := tm.NewTask(false)
+		task.Pause()
+		assert.False(t, tm.hasBusyForegroundTaskExcept(nil))
+	})
+
+	t.Run("the ignored task does not count", func(t *testing.T) {
+		tm := newTaskManager()
+		task := tm.NewTask(false)
+		assert.False(t, tm.hasBusyForegroundTaskExcept(task))
+	})
+
+	t.Run("another foreground task counts even when one is ignored", func(t *testing.T) {
+		tm := newTaskManager()
+		ignored := tm.NewTask(false)
+		tm.NewTask(false)
+		assert.True(t, tm.hasBusyForegroundTaskExcept(ignored))
+	})
+
+	t.Run("only a background task alongside the ignored current event", func(t *testing.T) {
+		// This is the repo-switch case: the switch is handled as the current
+		// event (ignored) while a background refresh is in flight; it must not
+		// be considered busy.
+		tm := newTaskManager()
+		current := tm.NewTask(false)
+		tm.NewTask(true)
+		assert.False(t, tm.hasBusyForegroundTaskExcept(current))
+	})
+}
diff --git a/pkg/gui/gui.go b/pkg/gui/gui.go
index 834cf1e2d..5aa8beaec 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/gui.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/gui.go
@@ -1194,16 +1194,32 @@ func (gui *Gui) onUIThread(f func() error) {
 	})
 }
 
+func (gui *Gui) onUIThreadBackground(f func() error) {
+	gui.g.UpdateBackground(func(*gocui.Gui) error {
+		return f()
+	})
+}
+
 func (gui *Gui) onUIThreadContentOnly(f func() error) {
 	gui.g.UpdateContentOnly(func(*gocui.Gui) error {
 		return f()
 	})
 }
 
+func (gui *Gui) onUIThreadContentOnlyBackground(f func() error) {
+	gui.g.UpdateContentOnlyBackground(func(*gocui.Gui) error {
+		return f()
+	})
+}
+
 func (gui *Gui) onWorker(f func(gocui.Task) error) {
 	gui.g.OnWorker(f)
 }
 
+func (gui *Gui) onWorkerBackground(f func(gocui.Task) error) {
+	gui.g.OnWorkerBackground(f)
+}
+
 func (gui *Gui) getWindowDimensions(informationStr string, appStatus string) map[string]boxlayout.Dimensions {
 	return gui.helpers.WindowArrangement.GetWindowDimensions(informationStr, appStatus)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/gui/gui_common.go b/pkg/gui/gui_common.go
index c74a99a05..d13120508 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/gui_common.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/gui_common.go
@@ -124,14 +124,26 @@ func (self *guiCommon) OnUIThread(f func() error) {
 	self.gui.onUIThread(f)
 }
 
+func (self *guiCommon) OnUIThreadBackground(f func() error) {
+	self.gui.onUIThreadBackground(f)
+}
+
 func (self *guiCommon) OnUIThreadContentOnly(f func() error) {
 	self.gui.onUIThreadContentOnly(f)
 }
 
+func (self *guiCommon) OnUIThreadContentOnlyBackground(f func() error) {
+	self.gui.onUIThreadContentOnlyBackground(f)
+}
+
 func (self *guiCommon) OnWorker(f func(gocui.Task) error) {
 	self.gui.onWorker(f)
 }
 
+func (self *guiCommon) OnWorkerBackground(f func(gocui.Task) error) {
+	self.gui.onWorkerBackground(f)
+}
+
 func (self *guiCommon) RenderToMainViews(opts types.RefreshMainOpts) {
 	self.gui.refreshMainViews(opts)
 }
diff --git a/pkg/gui/types/common.go b/pkg/gui/types/common.go
index 2ce07f9c7..766a5a757 100644
--- a/pkg/gui/types/common.go
+++ b/pkg/gui/types/common.go
@@ -75,13 +75,22 @@ type IGuiCommon interface {
 	// Only necessary to call if you're not already on the UI thread i.e. you're inside a goroutine.
 	// All controller handlers are executed on the UI thread.
 	OnUIThread(f func() error)
+	// Like OnUIThread, but for work triggered by a background routine, so it
+	// doesn't count towards lazygit being busy (see the *Background methods on
+	// gocui.Gui and repo-switch safety).
+	OnUIThreadBackground(f func() error)
 	// Like OnUIThread, but signals that the callback only modifies view
 	// content (e.g. spinner), allows the event loop to skip
 	// the expensive layout recalculation when only content changed.
 	OnUIThreadContentOnly(f func() error)
+	// Like OnUIThreadContentOnly, but for background work (see OnUIThreadBackground).
+	OnUIThreadContentOnlyBackground(f func() error)
 	// Runs a function in a goroutine. Use this whenever you want to run a goroutine and keep track of the fact
 	// that lazygit is still busy. See docs/dev/Busy.md
 	OnWorker(f func(gocui.Task) error)
+	// Like OnWorker, but for a background routine (or work it triggers), so it
+	// doesn't count towards lazygit being busy (see OnUIThreadBackground).
+	OnWorkerBackground(f func(gocui.Task) error)
 	// Function to call at the end of our 'layout' function which renders views
 	// For example, you may want a view's line to be focused only after that view is
 	// resized, if in accordion mode.