diff --git a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/fw/remote/websocket.js b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/fw/remote/websocket.js
index 3fef75f..e39a7f9 100644
--- a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/fw/remote/websocket.js
+++ b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/fw/remote/websocket.js
@@ -323,7 +323,8 @@
                 unbindHandlers: unbindHandlers,
                 addOpenListener: addOpenListener,
                 removeOpenListener: removeOpenListener,
-                sendEvent: sendEvent
+                sendEvent: sendEvent,
+                isConnected: function () { return wsUp; }
             };
         }
     ]);
diff --git a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/fw/svg/glyph.js b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/fw/svg/glyph.js
index d8dce36..b54ec78 100644
--- a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/fw/svg/glyph.js
+++ b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/fw/svg/glyph.js
@@ -175,44 +175,6 @@
             '83.5,37.7c0-2.1-1.2-3.8-2.7-3.8h-0.7c-1.5,0-2.7,1.7-2.7,3.8v55.9' +
             'c0,2.1,1.2,3.8,2.7,3.8h0.7c1.5,0,2.7-1.7,2.7-3.8V37.7z',
 
-            loading: 'M103.1,53.1c0,0,0,0.2,0,0.5c0,0.2,0,0.4,0,0.7c0,0.3,0,0' +
-            '.6,0,0.9c-0.1,1.3-0.2,3-0.5,4.8c-0.5,3.4-1.6,6.8-1.6,6.8l-9.2-2.' +
-            '7c0,0,0.8-2.7,1.1-5.5c0.2-1.4,0.3-2.8,0.3-3.8c0-0.3,0-0.5,0-0.7c' +
-            '0-0.2,0-0.4,0-0.6c0-0.3,0-0.5,0-0.5L103.1,53.1z M87.3,74.3c0,0-0' +
-            '.1,0.2-0.3,0.5c-0.2,0.3-0.4,0.6-0.7,1.1c-0.6,0.9-1.4,2-2.3,3.1c-' +
-            '1.8,2.2-3.9,4.1-3.9,4.1l5.7,6.5c0,0,0.7-0.5,1.6-1.4c1-0.9,2.2-2.' +
-            '1,3.3-3.4c1.1-1.3,2.2-2.6,3-3.7c0.4-0.5,0.7-1,0.9-1.3c0.2-0.3,0.' +
-            '3-0.4,0.3-0.4L87.3,74.3z M70.8,89.2c0,0-0.2,0.1-0.5,0.2c-0.3,0.2' +
-            '-0.6,0.3-1.2,0.5c-1,0.4-2.3,0.9-3.7,1.4c-2.7,0.9-5.5,1.3-5.5,1.3' +
-            'l1.1,7.6c0,0,0.8-0.1,2.1-0.3c1.3-0.2,2.9-0.6,4.6-1c1.6-0.5,3.3-1' +
-            ',4.5-1.5c0.6-0.2,1.2-0.5,1.5-0.6c0.3-0.1,0.5-0.2,0.5-0.2L70.8,89' +
-            '.2z M48.6,92.9c0,0-0.2,0-0.5-0.1c-0.4,0-0.7-0.1-1.3-0.2c-1.1-0.2' +
-            '-2.5-0.5-3.9-0.8c-2.8-0.7-5.4-1.9-5.4-1.9L34.6,96c0,0,3,1.5,6.3,' +
-            '2.5c1.6,0.5,3.3,0.9,4.5,1.2c0.6,0.1,1.2,0.2,1.5,0.3c0.3,0.1,0.5,' +
-            '0.1,0.5,0.1L48.6,92.9z M27.6,83.8c0,0-0.1-0.1-0.4-0.3c-0.3-0.2-0' +
-            '.6-0.5-1-0.9c-0.8-0.7-1.8-1.8-2.8-2.8c-2-2.2-3.6-4.6-3.6-4.6l-5,' +
-            '3.2c0,0,0.4,0.7,1.1,1.7c0.7,1,1.7,2.4,2.8,3.7c1.1,1.3,2.2,2.5,3.' +
-            '1,3.4c0.4,0.4,0.9,0.8,1.1,1.1c0.3,0.2,0.4,0.4,0.4,0.4L27.6,83.8z' +
-            'M14.8,64.7c0,0-0.1-0.2-0.2-0.5c-0.1-0.3-0.2-0.7-0.4-1.3c-0.3-1.1' +
-            '-0.6-2.5-0.8-4c-0.5-2.9-0.5-5.9-0.5-5.9l-5,0c0,0,0,0.8,0,2.1c0,1' +
-            '.2,0.1,2.9,0.3,4.5c0.2,1.6,0.5,3.3,0.8,4.5c0.1,0.6,0.3,1.2,0.4,1' +
-            '.5c0.1,0.3,0.1,0.5,0.1,0.5L14.8,64.7z M14.3,41.4c0,0,0.1-0.2,0.1' +
-            '-0.5c0.1-0.3,0.2-0.7,0.4-1.3c0.3-1.1,0.8-2.5,1.4-3.8c1.2-2.7,2.8' +
-            '-5.3,2.8-5.3l-3.4-2.2c0,0-1.8,2.7-3.2,5.7c-0.7,1.5-1.3,3-1.7,4.2' +
-            'c-0.2,0.6-0.4,1.1-0.5,1.4C10,39.9,10,40.1,10,40.1L14.3,41.4z M26' +
-            '.7,21.3c0,0,0.1-0.1,0.4-0.4c0.3-0.2,0.6-0.5,1-0.9c0.9-0.7,2.1-1.' +
-            '6,3.3-2.5c1.2-0.8,2.5-1.6,3.5-2.1c1-0.5,1.7-0.9,1.7-0.9l-1.3-2.9' +
-            'c0,0-0.7,0.3-1.8,0.9c-1.1,0.5-2.5,1.3-3.9,2.2c-1.4,0.9-2.7,1.8-3' +
-            '.7,2.5c-0.5,0.4-0.9,0.7-1.2,0.9c-0.3,0.2-0.4,0.3-0.4,0.3L26.7,21' +
-            '.3z M48.2,11c0,0,0.2,0,0.5-0.1c0.3,0,0.8-0.1,1.4-0.2c1.1-0.1,2.6' +
-            '-0.3,4.2-0.3c3-0.1,6.1,0.3,6.1,0.3l0.3-2.3c0,0-0.8-0.1-2-0.3C57.' +
-            '4,8.1,55.8,8,54.2,8c-1.6,0-3.2,0-4.4,0.1c-0.6,0-1.1,0.1-1.5,0.1c' +
-            '-0.3,0-0.5,0.1-0.5,0.1L48.2,11z M72,14c0,0,0.7,0.3,1.7,0.8c1,0.5' +
-            ',2.4,1.2,3.7,2c2.6,1.6,5,3.6,5,3.6l0.9-1c0,0-2.4-2.1-5-3.9c-1.3-' +
-            '0.9-2.7-1.7-3.8-2.3c-1.1-0.6-1.8-0.9-1.8-0.9L72,14zM90.7,29.6c0,' +
-            '0,0.4,0.6,1,1.6c0.6,1,1.4,2.3,2,3.7c0.7,1.4,1.3,2.8,1.7,3.9c0.4,' +
-            '1.1,0.6,1.8,0.6,1.8l0.4-0.1c0,0-0.2-0.8-0.6-1.9c-0.4-1.1-0.9-2.6' +
-            '-1.5-4c-0.6-1.4-1.3-2.9-1.9-3.9c-0.6-1-1-1.7-1-1.7L90.7,29.6z',
 
             // --- Navigation glyphs ------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/fw/svg/icon.js b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/fw/svg/icon.js
index d6a517f..e5b8bb4 100644
--- a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/fw/svg/icon.js
+++ b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/fw/svg/icon.js
@@ -45,8 +45,6 @@
         upArrow: 'triangleUp',
         downArrow: 'triangleDown',
 
-        loading: 'loading',
-
         appInactive: 'unknown',
 
         devIcon_SWITCH: 'switch',
diff --git a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/fw/widget/table.css b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/fw/widget/table.css
index 356ac0f..6a95a30 100644
--- a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/fw/widget/table.css
+++ b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/fw/widget/table.css
@@ -22,31 +22,6 @@
     border-spacing: 0;
 }
 
-div.loading-wheel {
-    display: inline-block;
-    position: absolute;
-    margin-top: 40px;
-    left: 47%;
-    animation: spin reverse 2s ease infinite;
-    z-index: 1000;
-}
-
-@keyframes spin {
-    to {
-        transform: rotate(360deg);
-    }
-}
-
-div.loading-wheel svg.embeddedIcon g.icon .glyph {
-    opacity: .8;
-}
-.light div.loading-wheel svg.embeddedIcon g.icon .glyph {
-    fill: #964949;
-}
-.dark div.loading-wheel svg.embeddedIcon g.icon .glyph {
-    fill: whitesmoke;
-}
-
 div.summary-list table {
     border-collapse: collapse;
     table-layout: fixed;
diff --git a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/fw/widget/tableBuilder.js b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/fw/widget/tableBuilder.js
index 6a5ffb1..59a8570 100644
--- a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/fw/widget/tableBuilder.js
+++ b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/fw/widget/tableBuilder.js
@@ -21,11 +21,11 @@
     'use strict';
 
     // injected refs
-    var $log, $interval, $timeout, fs, wss;
+    var $log, $interval, $timeout, fs, wss, ls;
 
     // constants
     var refreshInterval = 2000,
-        loadingWait = 500;
+        tardyWait = 500;
 
     // example params to buildTable:
     // {
@@ -49,21 +49,20 @@
             onResp = fs.isF(o.respCb),
             idKey = o.idKey || 'id',
             oldTableData = [],
-            loaded = false,
-            refreshPromise, loadingPromise;
+            refreshPromise,
+            tardyPromise;
 
         o.scope.tableData = [];
         o.scope.changedData = [];
         o.scope.sortParams = {};
-        o.scope.loading = true;
         o.scope.autoRefresh = true;
         o.scope.autoRefreshTip = 'Toggle auto refresh';
 
         // === websocket functions --------------------
         // response
         function respCb(data) {
-            loaded = true;
-            o.scope.loading = false;
+            cancelTardy();
+            ls.stop();
             o.scope.tableData = data[root];
             onResp && onResp();
 
@@ -85,23 +84,28 @@
         handlers[resp] = respCb;
         wss.bindHandlers(handlers);
 
+        // handle "loading..." animation
+        function scheduleTardy() {
+            tardyPromise = $timeout(ls.start, tardyWait);
+        }
+
+        function cancelTardy() {
+            if (tardyPromise) {
+                $timeout.cancel(tardyPromise);
+                tardyPromise = null;
+            }
+        }
+
         // request
         function sortCb(params) {
             var p = angular.extend({}, params, o.query);
-            wss.sendEvent(req, p);
-            stillLoading();
+            if (wss.isConnected()) {
+                wss.sendEvent(req, p);
+                scheduleTardy();
+            }
         }
         o.scope.sortCallback = sortCb;
 
-        // show loading wheel if it's taking a while for the server to respond
-        function stillLoading() {
-            loaded = false;
-            loadingPromise = $timeout(function () {
-                if (!loaded) {
-                    o.scope.loading = true;
-                }
-            }, loadingWait);
-        }
 
         // === selecting a row functions ----------------
         function selCb($event, selRow) {
@@ -112,19 +116,23 @@
         o.scope.selectCallback = selCb;
 
         // === autoRefresh functions ------------------
-        function startRefresh() {
-            refreshPromise = $interval(function () {
+        function fetchDataIfNotWaiting() {
+            if (!tardyPromise) {
                 if (fs.debugOn('widget')) {
                     $log.debug('Refreshing ' + root + ' page');
                 }
                 sortCb(o.scope.sortParams);
-            }, refreshInterval);
+            }
+        }
+
+        function startRefresh() {
+            refreshPromise = $interval(fetchDataIfNotWaiting, refreshInterval);
         }
 
         function stopRefresh() {
-            if (angular.isDefined(refreshPromise)) {
+            if (refreshPromise) {
                 $interval.cancel(refreshPromise);
-                refreshPromise = undefined;
+                refreshPromise = null;
             }
         }
 
@@ -138,10 +146,7 @@
         o.scope.$on('$destroy', function () {
             wss.unbindHandlers(handlers);
             stopRefresh();
-            if (angular.isDefined(loadingPromise)) {
-                $timeout.cancel(loadingPromise);
-                loadingPromise = undefined;
-            }
+            cancelTardy();
         });
 
         sortCb();
@@ -151,13 +156,15 @@
     angular.module('onosWidget')
         .factory('TableBuilderService',
         ['$log', '$interval', '$timeout', 'FnService', 'WebSocketService',
+            'LoadingService',
 
-            function (_$log_, _$interval_, _$timeout_, _fs_, _wss_) {
+            function (_$log_, _$interval_, _$timeout_, _fs_, _wss_, _ls_) {
                 $log = _$log_;
                 $interval = _$interval_;
                 $timeout = _$timeout_;
                 fs = _fs_;
                 wss = _wss_;
+                ls = _ls_;
 
                 return {
                     buildTable: buildTable
diff --git a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/app/app.html b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/app/app.html
index 85b044f..4ec1e01 100644
--- a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/app/app.html
+++ b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/app/app.html
@@ -37,9 +37,6 @@
     </div>
 
     <div class="summary-list" onos-table-resize>
-        <div ng-show="loading" class="loading-wheel"
-             icon icon-id="loading" icon-size="75"></div>
-
         <div class="table-header" onos-sortable-header>
             <table>
                 <tr>
diff --git a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/cluster/cluster.html b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/cluster/cluster.html
index c504888..50bb01b 100644
--- a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/cluster/cluster.html
+++ b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/cluster/cluster.html
@@ -27,9 +27,6 @@
     </div>
 
     <div class="summary-list" onos-table-resize>
-        <div ng-show="loading" class="loading-wheel"
-             icon icon-id="loading" icon-size="75"></div>
-
         <div class="table-header" onos-sortable-header>
             <table>
                 <tr>
diff --git a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/device/device.html b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/device/device.html
index 6f1813a..31e2eb2 100644
--- a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/device/device.html
+++ b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/device/device.html
@@ -30,9 +30,6 @@
     </div>
 
     <div class="summary-list" onos-table-resize>
-        <div ng-show="loading" class="loading-wheel"
-             icon icon-id="loading" icon-size="75"></div>
-
         <div class="table-header" onos-sortable-header>
             <table>
                 <tr>
diff --git a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/flow/flow.html b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/flow/flow.html
index 8fc1839..f7142d3 100644
--- a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/flow/flow.html
+++ b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/flow/flow.html
@@ -34,9 +34,6 @@
     </div>
 
     <div class="summary-list" onos-table-resize>
-        <div ng-show="loading" class="loading-wheel"
-             icon icon-id="loading" icon-size="75"></div>
-
         <div class="table-header" onos-sortable-header>
             <table>
                 <tr>
diff --git a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/group/group.html b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/group/group.html
index 93484dc..538b979 100644
--- a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/group/group.html
+++ b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/group/group.html
@@ -50,9 +50,6 @@
     </div>
 
     <div class="summary-list" onos-table-resize>
-        <div ng-show="loading" class="loading-wheel"
-             icon icon-id="loading" icon-size="75"></div>
-
         <div class="table-header" onos-sortable-header>
             <table>
                 <tr>
diff --git a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/host/host.html b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/host/host.html
index 19a7ee1..41e4bd8 100644
--- a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/host/host.html
+++ b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/host/host.html
@@ -11,9 +11,6 @@
     </div>
 
     <div class="summary-list" onos-table-resize>
-        <div ng-show="loading" class="loading-wheel"
-             icon icon-id="loading" icon-size="75"></div>
-
         <div class="table-header" onos-sortable-header>
             <table>
                 <tr>
diff --git a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/intent/intent.html b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/intent/intent.html
index 98aa565..b0238c3 100644
--- a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/intent/intent.html
+++ b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/intent/intent.html
@@ -16,9 +16,6 @@
     </div>
 
     <div class="summary-list" onos-table-resize>
-        <div ng-show="loading" class="loading-wheel"
-             icon icon-id="loading" icon-size="75"></div>
-
         <div class="table-header" onos-sortable-header>
             <table>
                 <tr>
diff --git a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/link/link.html b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/link/link.html
index 371d6b1..f62a628 100644
--- a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/link/link.html
+++ b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/link/link.html
@@ -27,9 +27,6 @@
     </div>
 
     <div class="summary-list" onos-table-resize>
-        <div ng-show="loading" class="loading-wheel"
-             icon icon-id="loading" icon-size="75"></div>
-
         <div class="table-header" onos-sortable-header>
             <table>
                 <tr>
diff --git a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/port/port.html b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/port/port.html
index fa79e5e..ef4f37e 100644
--- a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/port/port.html
+++ b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/port/port.html
@@ -50,9 +50,6 @@
     </div>
 
     <div class="summary-list" onos-table-resize>
-        <div ng-show="loading" class="loading-wheel"
-             icon icon-id="loading" icon-size="75"></div>
-
         <div class="table-header" onos-sortable-header>
             <table>
                 <tr>
diff --git a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/processor/processor.html b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/processor/processor.html
index 1c61504..11aa83f 100644
--- a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/processor/processor.html
+++ b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/processor/processor.html
@@ -24,9 +24,6 @@
     </div>
 
     <div class="summary-list" onos-table-resize>
-        <div ng-show="loading" class="loading-wheel"
-             icon icon-id="loading" icon-size="75"></div>
-
         <div class="table-header" onos-sortable-header>
             <table>
                 <tr>
diff --git a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/settings/settings.html b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/settings/settings.html
index 6108101..419ad2c 100644
--- a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/settings/settings.html
+++ b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/settings/settings.html
@@ -11,9 +11,6 @@
     </div>
 
     <div class="summary-list" onos-table-resize>
-        <div ng-show="loading" class="loading-wheel"
-             icon icon-id="loading" icon-size="75"></div>
-
         <div class="table-header" onos-sortable-header>
             <table>
                 <tr>
diff --git a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/tunnel/tunnel.html b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/tunnel/tunnel.html
index 4909cc0..abeb9f9 100644
--- a/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/tunnel/tunnel.html
+++ b/web/gui/src/main/webapp/app/view/tunnel/tunnel.html
@@ -27,9 +27,6 @@
     </div>
 
     <div class="summary-list" onos-table-resize>
-        <div ng-show="loading" class="loading-wheel"
-             icon icon-id="loading" icon-size="75"></div>
-
         <div class="table-header" onos-sortable-header>
             <table>
                 <tr>