diff --git a/osu.Desktop/OsuGameDesktop.cs b/osu.Desktop/OsuGameDesktop.cs
index 33de58be3c..d9b9c31617 100644
--- a/osu.Desktop/OsuGameDesktop.cs
+++ b/osu.Desktop/OsuGameDesktop.cs
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ namespace osu.Desktop
             // this method will only be executed if e.Effect in dragEnter gets set to something other that None.
             var dropData = e.Data.GetData(DataFormats.FileDrop) as object[];
             var filePaths = dropData.Select(f => f.ToString()).ToArray();
-            ImportBeatmaps(filePaths);
+            ImportBeatmapsAsync(filePaths);
         }
 
         private void dragEnter(DragEventArgs e)
diff --git a/osu.Game/OsuGame.cs b/osu.Game/OsuGame.cs
index 55eb3f861e..49f1353ab7 100644
--- a/osu.Game/OsuGame.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/OsuGame.cs
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ using OpenTK;
 using System.Linq;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics.Primitives;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
+using System.Threading.Tasks;
 using osu.Game.Overlays.Notifications;
 
 namespace osu.Game
@@ -81,7 +82,7 @@ namespace osu.Game
             if (args?.Length > 0)
             {
                 var paths = args.Where(a => !a.StartsWith(@"-"));
-                ImportBeatmaps(paths);
+                ImportBeatmapsAsync(paths);
             }
 
             Dependencies.Cache(this);
@@ -89,9 +90,9 @@ namespace osu.Game
             PlayMode = LocalConfig.GetBindable<PlayMode>(OsuConfig.PlayMode);
         }
 
-        public void ImportBeatmaps(IEnumerable<string> paths)
+        protected async void ImportBeatmapsAsync(IEnumerable<string> paths)
         {
-            Schedule(delegate { Dependencies.Get<BeatmapDatabase>().Import(paths); });
+            await Task.Run(() => BeatmapDatabase.Import(paths));
         }
 
         protected override void LoadComplete()
diff --git a/osu.Game/OsuGameBase.cs b/osu.Game/OsuGameBase.cs
index 331c3adeca..1c34743567 100644
--- a/osu.Game/OsuGameBase.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/OsuGameBase.cs
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ namespace osu.Game
     {
         protected OsuConfigManager LocalConfig;
 
+        protected BeatmapDatabase BeatmapDatabase;
+
         protected override string MainResourceFile => @"osu.Game.Resources.dll";
 
         public APIAccess API;
@@ -40,7 +42,7 @@ namespace osu.Game
         {
             Dependencies.Cache(this);
             Dependencies.Cache(LocalConfig);
-            Dependencies.Cache(new BeatmapDatabase(Host.Storage, Host));
+            Dependencies.Cache(BeatmapDatabase = new BeatmapDatabase(Host.Storage, Host));
             Dependencies.Cache(new OsuColour());
 
             //this completely overrides the framework default. will need to change once we make a proper FontStore.