diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/elements/contextPane.js b/chrome/content/zotero/elements/contextPane.js
index 75df9412d3..6b8ee474d8 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/elements/contextPane.js
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/elements/contextPane.js
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@
 				ZoteroContextPane.showLoadingMessage(false);
 				this._sidenav.hidden = true;
 			}
-			else if (Zotero_Tabs.selectedType == 'reader') {
+			else if (Zotero_Tabs.selectedType.includes('reader')) {
 				let reader = Zotero.Reader.getByTabID(Zotero_Tabs.selectedID);
 				this._handleReaderReady(reader);
 			
@@ -195,9 +195,6 @@
 			if (!reader) {
 				return;
 			}
-			ZoteroContextPane.showLoadingMessage(true);
-			await reader._initPromise;
-			ZoteroContextPane.showLoadingMessage(false);
 			// Focus reader pages view if context pane note editor is not selected
 			if (Zotero_Tabs.selectedID == reader.tabID
 				&& !Zotero_Tabs.isTabsMenuVisible()
@@ -305,9 +302,8 @@
 			itemDetails.sidenav = this._sidenav;
 			if (previousPinnedPane) itemDetails.pinnedPane = previousPinnedPane;
 	
-			// `unloaded` tabs are never selected and shouldn't be rendered on creation.
-			// Use `includes` here for forward compatibility.
-			if (!tabType.includes("unloaded")) {
+			// Make sure that the context pane of the selected tab is rendered
+			if (tabID == Zotero_Tabs.selectedID) {
 				this._selectItemContext(tabID);
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/tabs.js b/chrome/content/zotero/tabs.js
index c15465ee75..8d6b2b1a73 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/tabs.js
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/tabs.js
@@ -108,7 +108,9 @@ var Zotero_Tabs = new function () {
 					icon = <CSSItemTypeIcon itemType={item.getItemTypeIconName(true)} className="tab-icon" />;
 				}
 				catch (e) {
-					// item might not yet be loaded, we will get the icon on the next update
+					// item might not yet be loaded, we will get the right icon on the next update
+					// but until then use a default placeholder
+					icon = <CSSItemTypeIcon className="tab-icon" />;
 				}
 			}
 
@@ -199,25 +201,13 @@ var Zotero_Tabs = new function () {
 			}
 			else if (tab.type === 'reader') {
 				if (Zotero.Items.exists(tab.data.itemID)) {
-					if (tab.selected) {
-						Zotero.Reader.open(tab.data.itemID,
-							null,
-							{
-								title: tab.title,
-								tabIndex: i,
-								openInBackground: !tab.selected,
-								secondViewState: tab.data.secondViewState
-							}
-						);
-					}
-					else {
-						this.add({
-							type: 'reader-unloaded',
-							title: tab.title,
-							index: i,
-							data: tab.data
-						});
-					}
+					this.add({
+						type: 'reader-unloaded',
+						title: tab.title,
+						index: i,
+						data: tab.data,
+						select: tab.selected
+					});
 				}
 			}
 		}
@@ -462,16 +452,22 @@ var Zotero_Tabs = new function () {
 			selectedTab.lastFocusedElement = document.activeElement;
 		}
 		if (tab.type === 'reader-unloaded') {
-			this.close(tab.id);
-			Zotero.Reader.open(tab.data.itemID, options && options.location, {
-				tabID: tab.id,
-				title: tab.title,
-				tabIndex,
-				allowDuplicate: true,
-				secondViewState: tab.data.secondViewState,
-				preventJumpback: true
-			});
-			return;
+			// Make sure the loading message is displayed first.
+			// Then, open reader and hide the loading message once it has loaded.
+			ZoteroContextPane.showLoadingMessage(true);
+			let hideMessageWhenReaderLoaded = async () => {
+				let reader = await Zotero.Reader.open(tab.data.itemID, options && options.location, {
+					tabID: tab.id,
+					title: tab.title,
+					tabIndex,
+					allowDuplicate: true,
+					secondViewState: tab.data.secondViewState,
+					preventJumpback: true
+				});
+				await reader._initPromise;
+				ZoteroContextPane.showLoadingMessage(false);
+			};
+			hideMessageWhenReaderLoaded();
 		}
 		this._prevSelectedID = reopening ? this._selectedID : null;
 		this._selectedID = id;
@@ -532,6 +528,13 @@ var Zotero_Tabs = new function () {
 			data: tab.data
 		});
 	};
+	
+	// Mark a tab as loaded
+	this.markAsLoaded = function (id) {
+		let { tab } = this._getTab(id);
+		if (!tab) return;
+		tab.type = "reader";
+	};
 
 	this.unloadUnusedTabs = function () {
 		for (let tab of this._tabs) {
diff --git a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/reader.js b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/reader.js
index 9156502bd7..2581396ffb 100644
--- a/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/reader.js
+++ b/chrome/content/zotero/xpcom/reader.js
@@ -520,7 +520,6 @@ class ReaderInstance {
 		}, this._iframeWindow, { cloneFunctions: true }));
 
 		this._resolveInitPromise();
-
 		// Set title once again, because `ReaderWindow` isn't loaded the first time
 		this.updateTitle();
 
@@ -1017,19 +1016,28 @@ class ReaderTab extends ReaderInstance {
 		this._onToggleSidebarCallback = options.onToggleSidebar;
 		this._onChangeSidebarWidthCallback = options.onChangeSidebarWidth;
 		this._window = Services.wm.getMostRecentWindow('navigator:browser');
-		let { id, container } = this._window.Zotero_Tabs.add({
-			id: options.tabID,
-			type: 'reader',
-			title: options.title || '',
-			index: options.index,
-			data: {
-				itemID: this._item.id
-			},
-			select: !options.background,
-			preventJumpback: options.preventJumpback
-		});
-		this.tabID = id;
-		this._tabContainer = container;
+		let existingTabID = this._window.Zotero_Tabs.getTabIDByItemID(this._item.id);
+		// If an unloaded tab for this item already exists, load the reader in it.
+		// Otherwise, create a new tab
+		if (existingTabID) {
+			this.tabID = existingTabID;
+			this._tabContainer = this._window.document.getElementById(existingTabID);
+		}
+		else {
+			let { id, container } = this._window.Zotero_Tabs.add({
+				id: options.tabID,
+				type: 'reader',
+				title: options.title || '',
+				index: options.index,
+				data: {
+					itemID: this._item.id
+				},
+				select: !options.background,
+				preventJumpback: options.preventJumpback
+			});
+			this.tabID = id;
+			this._tabContainer = container;
+		}
 		
 		this._iframe = this._window.document.createXULElement('browser');
 		this._iframe.setAttribute('class', 'reader');
@@ -1737,6 +1745,9 @@ class Reader {
 	async open(itemID, location, { title, tabIndex, tabID, openInBackground, openInWindow, allowDuplicate, secondViewState, preventJumpback } = {}) {
 		let { libraryID } = Zotero.Items.getLibraryAndKeyFromID(itemID);
 		let library = Zotero.Libraries.get(libraryID);
+		let win = Zotero.getMainWindow();
+		// Change tab's type from "unloaded-reader" to "reader"
+		win.Zotero_Tabs.markAsLoaded(tabID);
 		await library.waitForDataLoad('item');
 
 		let item = Zotero.Items.get(itemID);
@@ -1747,7 +1758,6 @@ class Reader {
 		this._loadSidebarState();
 		this.triggerAnnotationsImportCheck(itemID);
 		let reader;
-		let win = Zotero.getMainWindow();
 		// If duplicating is not allowed, and no reader instance is loaded for itemID,
 		// try to find an unloaded tab and select it. Zotero.Reader.open will then be called again
 		if (!allowDuplicate && !this._readers.find(r => r.itemID === itemID)) {