diff --git a/gtk/gui.c b/gtk/gui.c
index 90991dae9..1df7bfc56 100644
--- a/gtk/gui.c
+++ b/gtk/gui.c
@@ -84,8 +84,6 @@ GdkPixbuf *win_default_icon_pixbuf; /** default window icon pixbuf */
 
 GtkBuilder *warning_builder;
 
-#define THROBBER_FRAMES 9
-
 char **respaths; /** resource search path vector */
 
 /**
@@ -125,36 +123,6 @@ nsgtk_init_resource(const char *resource_path)
 	return respath;
 }
 
-/* This is an ugly hack to just get the new-style throbber going.
- * It, along with the PNG throbber loader, need making more generic.
- */
-static bool nsgtk_throbber_init(char **respath, int framec)
-{
-	char **filenames;
-	char targetname[PATH_MAX];
-	int frame_num;
-	bool ret;
-
-	filenames = calloc(framec, sizeof(char *));
-	if (filenames == NULL)
-		return false;
-
-	for (frame_num = 0; frame_num < framec; frame_num++) {
-		snprintf(targetname, PATH_MAX, "throbber/throbber%d.png", frame_num);
-		filenames[frame_num] = filepath_find(respath, targetname);
-	}
-
-	ret = nsgtk_throbber_initialise_from_png(frame_num, filenames);
-
-	for (frame_num = 0; frame_num < framec; frame_num++) {
-		free(filenames[frame_num]);
-	}
-	free(filenames);
-
-	return ret;
-
-}
-
 
 /**
  * Set option defaults for gtk frontend.
@@ -307,9 +275,12 @@ static nserror nsgtk_init(int argc, char** argv, char **respath)
 	toolbar_indices_file_location = filepath_find(respath, "toolbarIndices");
 	LOG("Using '%s' as custom toolbar settings file", toolbar_indices_file_location);
 
-	/* load throbber images */
-	if (nsgtk_throbber_init(respath, THROBBER_FRAMES) == false)
-		die("Unable to load throbber image.\n");
+	/* initialise throbber */
+	error = nsgtk_throbber_init();
+	if (error != NSERROR_OK) {
+		LOG("Unable to initialise throbber.");
+		return error;
+	}
 
 	/* Initialise completions - cannot fail */
 	nsgtk_completion_init();
diff --git a/gtk/res/netsurf.gresource.xml b/gtk/res/netsurf.gresource.xml
index 09683faa9..55f3a3dc8 100644
--- a/gtk/res/netsurf.gresource.xml
+++ b/gtk/res/netsurf.gresource.xml
@@ -30,5 +30,14 @@
     <file preprocess="to-pixdata">favicon.png</file>
     <file preprocess="to-pixdata">netsurf.xpm</file>
     <file preprocess="to-pixdata">menu_cursor.png</file>
+    <file preprocess="to-pixdata">throbber/throbber0.png</file>
+    <file preprocess="to-pixdata">throbber/throbber1.png</file>
+    <file preprocess="to-pixdata">throbber/throbber2.png</file>
+    <file preprocess="to-pixdata">throbber/throbber3.png</file>
+    <file preprocess="to-pixdata">throbber/throbber4.png</file>
+    <file preprocess="to-pixdata">throbber/throbber5.png</file>
+    <file preprocess="to-pixdata">throbber/throbber6.png</file>
+    <file preprocess="to-pixdata">throbber/throbber7.png</file>
+    <file preprocess="to-pixdata">throbber/throbber8.png</file>
   </gresource>
 </gresources>
diff --git a/gtk/resources.c b/gtk/resources.c
index d28414d60..d1c3c86fc 100644
--- a/gtk/resources.c
+++ b/gtk/resources.c
@@ -78,6 +78,15 @@ static struct nsgtk_resource_s gen_resource[] = {
 	{ "favicon.png", 11, NSGTK_RESOURCE_FILE, NULL },
 	{ "netsurf.xpm", 11, NSGTK_RESOURCE_FILE, NULL },
 	{ "menu_cursor.png", 15, NSGTK_RESOURCE_FILE, NULL },
+	{ "throbber/throbber0.png", 22, NSGTK_RESOURCE_FILE, NULL },
+	{ "throbber/throbber1.png", 22, NSGTK_RESOURCE_FILE, NULL },
+	{ "throbber/throbber2.png", 22, NSGTK_RESOURCE_FILE, NULL },
+	{ "throbber/throbber3.png", 22, NSGTK_RESOURCE_FILE, NULL },
+	{ "throbber/throbber4.png", 22, NSGTK_RESOURCE_FILE, NULL },
+	{ "throbber/throbber5.png", 22, NSGTK_RESOURCE_FILE, NULL },
+	{ "throbber/throbber6.png", 22, NSGTK_RESOURCE_FILE, NULL },
+	{ "throbber/throbber7.png", 22, NSGTK_RESOURCE_FILE, NULL },
+	{ "throbber/throbber8.png", 22, NSGTK_RESOURCE_FILE, NULL },
 	{ NULL, 0, NSGTK_RESOURCE_FILE, NULL },
 };
 
diff --git a/gtk/throbber.c b/gtk/throbber.c
index 8726763ed..725df4626 100644
--- a/gtk/throbber.c
+++ b/gtk/throbber.c
@@ -20,76 +20,61 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <stdarg.h>
-#ifdef WITH_GIF
-#include <libnsgif.h>
-#endif
+#include <gtk/gtk.h>
+
 #include "utils/log.h"
+
+#include "gtk/resources.h"
 #include "gtk/throbber.h"
-#include "gtk/bitmap.h"
 
 struct nsgtk_throbber *nsgtk_throbber = NULL;
 
-/**
- * Creates the throbber using a PNG for each frame.
- *
- * The number of frames must be at least two.  The first frame is the
- * inactive frame, others are the active frames.
- *
- * \param  frames  The number of frames.  Must be at least two.
- * \param  frame_files Filenames of PNGs containing frames.
- * \return true on success.
- */
-bool nsgtk_throbber_initialise_from_png(const int frames, char** frame_files)
-{
-	GError *err = NULL;
-	struct nsgtk_throbber *throb;		/**< structure we generate */
-	bool errors_when_loading = false;	/**< true if a frame failed */
-	int frame_loop;
-	
-	if (frames < 2) {
-		/* we need at least two frames - one for idle, one for active */
-		LOG("Insufficent number of frames in throbber animation!");
-		LOG("(called with %d frames, where 2 is a minimum.)", frames);
-		return false;
-	}
-	
-	throb = malloc(sizeof(*throb));
-	if (throb == NULL)
-		return false;
+#define THROBBER_FRAMES 9
+#define THROBBER_FMT "throbber/throbber%d.png"
 
-	throb->nframes = frames;
-	throb->framedata = malloc(sizeof(GdkPixbuf *) * throb->nframes);
+/* exported interface documented in gtk/throbber.h */
+nserror nsgtk_throbber_init(void)
+{
+	struct nsgtk_throbber *throb;		/**< structure we generate */
+	int frame;
+	char resname[] = THROBBER_FMT;
+	nserror res = NSERROR_OK;
+
+	throb = malloc(sizeof(*throb));
+	if (throb == NULL) {
+		return NSERROR_NOMEM;
+	}
+
+	throb->framedata = malloc(sizeof(GdkPixbuf *) * THROBBER_FRAMES);
 	if (throb->framedata == NULL) {
 		free(throb);
 		return false;
 	}
-	
-	for (frame_loop = 0; frame_loop < frames; frame_loop++) {
-		throb->framedata[frame_loop] = gdk_pixbuf_new_from_file(frame_files[frame_loop], &err);
-		if (err != NULL) {
-			LOG("Error when loading %s: %s (%d)", frame_files[frame_loop], err->message, err->code);
-			throb->framedata[frame_loop] = NULL;
-			errors_when_loading = true;
-		}
-	}
-	
-	if (errors_when_loading == true) {
-		for (frame_loop = 0; frame_loop < frames; frame_loop++) {
-			if (throb->framedata[frame_loop] != NULL)
-				g_object_unref(throb->framedata[frame_loop]);
-		}
 
-		free(throb->framedata);
-		free(throb);
-		
-		return false;		
+	for (frame = 0; frame < THROBBER_FRAMES; frame++) {
+		snprintf(resname, sizeof(resname), THROBBER_FMT, frame);
+		res = nsgdk_pixbuf_new_from_resname(resname,
+						    throb->framedata + frame);
+		if (res != NSERROR_OK) {
+			break;
+		}
+		LOG("%s",resname);
 	}
-	
+
+	if (frame < 1) {
+		/* we need at least two frames - one for idle, one for active */
+		LOG("Insufficent number of frames (%d) in throbber animation.", frame);
+		res = NSERROR_INIT_FAILED;
+	}
+
+	throb->nframes = frame;
 	nsgtk_throbber = throb;
-	
-	return true;
+	return res;
+
+
 }
 
+
 void nsgtk_throbber_finalise(void)
 {
 	int i;
diff --git a/gtk/throbber.h b/gtk/throbber.h
index 1463c9b26..e0b47e15c 100644
--- a/gtk/throbber.h
+++ b/gtk/throbber.h
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ struct nsgtk_throbber
 
 extern struct nsgtk_throbber *nsgtk_throbber;
 
-bool nsgtk_throbber_initialise_from_png(const int frames, char** frame_files);
+nserror nsgtk_throbber_init(void);
 void nsgtk_throbber_finalise(void);
 
 #endif /* __GTK_THROBBER_H__ */