diff --git a/src/Metamaps/GlobalUI/Notifications.js b/src/Metamaps/GlobalUI/Notifications.js
index b907d00c..2ed7238d 100644
--- a/src/Metamaps/GlobalUI/Notifications.js
+++ b/src/Metamaps/GlobalUI/Notifications.js
@@ -4,16 +4,23 @@ import GlobalUI from './index'
 
 const Notifications = {
   notifications: [],
+  notificationsLoading: false,
   unreadNotificationsCount: 0,
   init: serverData => {
     Notifications.unreadNotificationsCount = serverData.unreadNotificationsCount
   },
   fetchNotifications: render => {
+    Notifications.notificationsLoading = true
+    render()
     $.ajax({
       url: '/notifications.json',
       success: function(data) {
         Notifications.notifications = data
+        Notifications.notificationsLoading = false
         render()
+      },
+      error: function() {
+        GlobalUI.notifyUser('There was an error fetching notifications')
       }
     })
   },
diff --git a/src/Metamaps/GlobalUI/ReactApp.js b/src/Metamaps/GlobalUI/ReactApp.js
index b3dc3697..cb5dc947 100644
--- a/src/Metamaps/GlobalUI/ReactApp.js
+++ b/src/Metamaps/GlobalUI/ReactApp.js
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ const ReactApp = {
     switch (pathname.split('/')[1]) {
       case '':
         if (Active.Mapper && Active.Mapper.id) {
-          $('#yield').hide()
           ExploreMaps.updateFromPath(pathname)
           self.mapId = null
           Active.Map = null
@@ -61,7 +60,6 @@ const ReactApp = {
         }
         break
       case 'explore':
-        $('#yield').hide()
         ExploreMaps.updateFromPath(pathname)
         self.mapId = null
         self.topicId = null
@@ -69,21 +67,18 @@ const ReactApp = {
         Active.Topic = null
         break
       case 'topics':
-        $('#yield').hide()
         Active.Map = null
         self.mapId = null
         self.topicId = pathname.split('/')[2]
         break
       case 'maps':
         if (!pathname.includes('request_access')) {
-          $('#yield').hide()
           Active.Topic = null
           self.topicId = null
           self.mapId = pathname.split('/')[2]
         }
         break
       default:
-        $('#yield').show()
         break
     }
     self.render()
@@ -108,6 +103,7 @@ const ReactApp = {
       openInviteLightbox: () => self.openLightbox('invite'),
       serverData: self.serverData,
       notifications: Notifications.notifications,
+      notificationsLoading: Notifications.notificationsLoading,
       fetchNotifications: apply(Notifications.fetchNotifications, ReactApp.render),
       fetchNotification: apply(Notifications.fetchNotification, ReactApp.render),
       markAsRead: apply(Notifications.markAsRead, ReactApp.render),
diff --git a/src/components/NotificationBox.js b/src/components/NotificationBox.js
index b2315cee..fdb836f6 100644
--- a/src/components/NotificationBox.js
+++ b/src/components/NotificationBox.js
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import Loading from './Loading'
 class NotificationBox extends Component {
   static propTypes = {
     notifications: PropTypes.array,
+    loading: PropTypes.bool.isRequired,
     fetchNotifications: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
     toggleNotificationsBox: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
     markAsRead: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
@@ -60,11 +61,11 @@ class NotificationBox extends Component {
   }
 
   render = () => {
-    const { notifications } = this.props
+    const { loading } = this.props
     return <div className='notificationsBox'>
       <div className='notificationsBoxTriangle' />
       <ul className='notifications'>
-        {notifications ? this.showNotifications() : this.showLoading()}
+        {loading ?  this.showLoading() : this.showNotifications()}
       </ul>
     </div>
   }
diff --git a/src/components/UpperRightUI.js b/src/components/UpperRightUI.js
index 08276c82..b2b68c5e 100644
--- a/src/components/UpperRightUI.js
+++ b/src/components/UpperRightUI.js
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ class UpperRightUI extends Component {
   render () {
     const { currentUser, signInPage, unreadNotificationsCount,
             notifications, fetchNotifications, openInviteLightbox,
-            markAsRead, markAsUnread } = this.props
+            markAsRead, markAsUnread, notificationsLoading } = this.props
     const { accountBoxOpen, notificationsBoxOpen } = this.state
     return <div className="upperRightUI">
       {currentUser && <a href="/maps/new" target="_blank" className="addMap upperRightEl upperRightIcon">
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ class UpperRightUI extends Component {
           unreadNotificationsCount={unreadNotificationsCount}
           toggleNotificationsBox={this.toggleNotificationsBox}/>
         {notificationsBoxOpen && <NotificationBox
+          loading={notificationsLoading}
           notifications={notifications}
           fetchNotifications={fetchNotifications}
           markAsRead={markAsRead}
diff --git a/src/constants.js b/src/constants.js
index ead8b055..f381640f 100644
--- a/src/constants.js
+++ b/src/constants.js
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+
+// these come from mailboxer.rb in the api repo
 export const MAP_ACCESS_REQUEST  = 'ACCESS_REQUEST'
 export const MAP_ACCESS_APPROVED = 'ACCESS_APPROVED'
 export const MAP_INVITE_TO_EDIT  = 'INVITE_TO_EDIT'
diff --git a/src/routes/App.js b/src/routes/App.js
index 9afbe4fc..ef583912 100644
--- a/src/routes/App.js
+++ b/src/routes/App.js
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ class App extends Component {
             mobile, mobileTitle, mobileTitleWidth, mobileTitleClick, location,
             map, userRequested, requestAnswered, requestApproved, serverData,
             onRequestAccess, notifications, fetchNotifications,
-            markAsRead, markAsUnread } = this.props
+            markAsRead, markAsUnread, notificationsLoading } = this.props
     const { pathname } = location || {}
     // this fixes a bug that happens otherwise when you logout
     const currentUser = this.props.currentUser && this.props.currentUser.id ? this.props.currentUser : null
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ class App extends Component {
       {!mobile && <UpperRightUI currentUser={currentUser}
                                 unreadNotificationsCount={unreadNotificationsCount}
                                 notifications={notifications}
+                                notificationsLoading={notificationsLoading}
                                 fetchNotifications={fetchNotifications}
                                 markAsRead={markAsRead}
                                 markAsUnread={markAsUnread}
diff --git a/src/routes/Maps/index.js b/src/routes/Maps/index.js
index c6835a5f..b1223b77 100644
--- a/src/routes/Maps/index.js
+++ b/src/routes/Maps/index.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { throttle } from 'lodash'
 import Header from './Header'
 import MapperCard from './MapperCard'
 import MapCard from './MapCard'
+import LoadingPage from '../helpers/LoadingPage'
 
 class Maps extends Component {
   static propTypes = {
@@ -45,7 +46,17 @@ class Maps extends Component {
     const { mobile, maps, mapsWidth, currentUser, juntoState, pending, section, user, onStar, onRequest, onMapFollow } = this.props
     const style = { width: mapsWidth + 'px' }
 
-    if (!maps) return null // do loading here instead
+    if (!maps) {
+      return (
+        <div>
+          <LoadingPage />
+          <Header signedIn={ !!currentUser }
+            section={ section }
+            user={ user }
+            />
+        </div>
+      )
+    }
 
     return (
       <div>
diff --git a/src/routes/Notifications/NotificationPage.js b/src/routes/Notifications/NotificationPage.js
index d35c6417..18debfe3 100644
--- a/src/routes/Notifications/NotificationPage.js
+++ b/src/routes/Notifications/NotificationPage.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { Link } from 'react-router'
 
 import { MAP_ACCESS_REQUEST } from '../../constants'
 import NotificationsHeader from './NotificationsHeader'
+import LoadingPage from '../helpers/LoadingPage'
 import Loading from '../../components/Loading'
 import NotificationBody from '../../components/NotificationBody'
 
@@ -25,11 +26,7 @@ class NotificationPage extends Component {
     if (!notification) {
       return (
         <div>
-          <div id="yield">
-            <div className="centerContent withPadding back">
-              <Loading />
-            </div>
-          </div>
+          <LoadingPage />
           <NotificationsHeader />
         </div>
       )
diff --git a/src/routes/Notifications/Notifications.js b/src/routes/Notifications/Notifications.js
index 4a8f71e0..a1f96cfd 100644
--- a/src/routes/Notifications/Notifications.js
+++ b/src/routes/Notifications/Notifications.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import React, { Component } from 'react'
 import { Link } from 'react-router'
 
+import LoadingPage from '../helpers/LoadingPage'
 import Notification from '../../components/Notification'
 
 import {
@@ -10,7 +11,6 @@ import {
 } from '../../constants'
 import NotificationsHeader from './NotificationsHeader'
 
-// these come from mailboxer.rb in the api repo
 const BLACKLIST = [MAP_ACCESS_REQUEST, MAP_ACCESS_APPROVED, MAP_INVITE_TO_EDIT]
 
 /* TODO!!
@@ -25,8 +25,16 @@ class Notifications extends Component {
   }
 
   render = () => {
-    const { markAsRead, markAsUnread } = this.props
+    const { notificationsLoading, markAsRead, markAsUnread } = this.props
     const notifications = (this.props.notifications || []).filter(n => !(BLACKLIST.indexOf(n.type) > -1 && (!n.data.object || !n.data.map)))
+    if (notificationsLoading) {
+      return (
+        <div>
+          <LoadingPage />
+          <NotificationsHeader />
+        </div>
+      )
+    }
     return (
       <div>
         <div id="yield">
diff --git a/src/routes/helpers/LoadingPage.js b/src/routes/helpers/LoadingPage.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..36c59804
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/routes/helpers/LoadingPage.js
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+import React, { Component } from 'react'
+
+import Loading from '../../components/Loading'
+
+class LoadingPage extends Component {
+  render = () => {
+    return (
+      <div id="yield">
+        <div className="centerContent withPadding back">
+          <Loading />
+        </div>
+      </div>
+    )
+  }
+}
+
+export default LoadingPage
\ No newline at end of file