diff --git a/rtgui/batchqueuepanel.cc b/rtgui/batchqueuepanel.cc
index f572a6772..b61f60ee7 100644
--- a/rtgui/batchqueuepanel.cc
+++ b/rtgui/batchqueuepanel.cc
@@ -286,6 +286,7 @@ void BatchQueuePanel::startBatchProc ()
     // Update switch when queue started programmatically
     qStartStopConn.block (true);
     qStartStop->set_active(true);
+    qStartStopState = true;
     qStartStopConn.block (false);
 
     if (batchQueue->hasJobs()) {
@@ -308,6 +309,7 @@ void BatchQueuePanel::stopBatchProc ()
     // Update switch when queue started programmatically
     qStartStopConn.block (true);
     qStartStop->set_active(false);
+    qStartStopState = false;
     qStartStopConn.block (false);
 
     updateTab (batchQueue->getEntries().size());
@@ -324,14 +326,9 @@ void BatchQueuePanel::addBatchQueueJobs(const std::vector<BatchQueueEntry*>& ent
 
 bool BatchQueuePanel::canStartNext ()
 {
-//    GThreadLock lock;
-    if (qStartStop->get_active()) {
-        return true;
-    } else {
-        fdir->set_sensitive (true);
-        fformat->set_sensitive (true);
-        return false;
-    }
+    // This function is called from the background BatchQueue thread.
+    // It cannot call UI functions, so grab the stored state of qStartStop.
+    return qStartStopState;
 }
 
 void BatchQueuePanel::saveOptions ()
diff --git a/rtgui/batchqueuepanel.h b/rtgui/batchqueuepanel.h
index 73cb3ba6e..89b8d8910 100644
--- a/rtgui/batchqueuepanel.h
+++ b/rtgui/batchqueuepanel.h
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
 #ifndef _BATCHQUEUEPANEL_
 #define _BATCHQUEUEPANEL_
 
+#include <atomic>
+
 #include <gtkmm.h>
 #include "batchqueue.h"
 #include "saveformatpanel.h"
@@ -53,6 +55,8 @@ class BatchQueuePanel : public Gtk::VBox,
 
     IdleRegister idle_register;
 
+    std::atomic<bool> qStartStopState;
+
 public:
     explicit BatchQueuePanel (FileCatalog* aFileCatalog);
     ~BatchQueuePanel();