diff --git a/src/lay/lay/layProgressWidget.cc b/src/lay/lay/layProgressWidget.cc
index 3c4cfe670..609f210e7 100644
--- a/src/lay/lay/layProgressWidget.cc
+++ b/src/lay/lay/layProgressWidget.cc
@@ -322,7 +322,11 @@ ProgressWidget::set_progress (tl::Progress *progress)
       double v = progress->value ();
       pb->set_value (v, value);
 
-      progress = progress->next ();
+      if (progress->final ()) {
+        progress = 0;
+      } else {
+        progress = progress->next ();
+      }
 
     } else {
       pb->hide ();
diff --git a/src/tl/tl/tlProgress.cc b/src/tl/tl/tlProgress.cc
index 88d7e4ee0..55fa86da6 100644
--- a/src/tl/tl/tlProgress.cc
+++ b/src/tl/tl/tlProgress.cc
@@ -131,7 +131,9 @@ ProgressGarbageCollector::~ProgressGarbageCollector ()
 static tl::ThreadStorage<ProgressAdaptor **> s_thread_data;
 
 Progress::Progress (const std::string &desc, size_t yield_interval)
-  : m_desc (desc), m_title (desc),
+  : m_desc (desc),
+    m_final (false),
+    m_title (desc),
     m_interval_count (0), 
     m_yield_interval (yield_interval), 
     m_last_value (-1.0),
diff --git a/src/tl/tl/tlProgress.h b/src/tl/tl/tlProgress.h
index e0001cd28..97badef33 100644
--- a/src/tl/tl/tlProgress.h
+++ b/src/tl/tl/tlProgress.h
@@ -260,6 +260,25 @@ public:
     return m_desc;
   }
 
+  /**
+   *  @brief Sets a value indicating whether the progress is a "final" one
+   *
+   *  A final progress will prevent child progress objects from showing. It basically summarizes child operations.
+   *  By default, a progress object is not final.
+   */
+  void set_final (bool f)
+  {
+    m_final = f;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   *  @brief Gets a value indicating whether the progress is a "final" one
+   */
+  bool final () const
+  {
+    return m_final;
+  }
+
   /**
    *  @brief Render the title string
    */
@@ -297,6 +316,7 @@ private:
   friend class ProgressGarbageCollector;
 
   std::string m_desc;
+  bool m_final;
   std::string m_title;
   size_t m_interval_count;
   size_t m_yield_interval;