diff --git a/src/directives/external-content.ts b/src/directives/external-content.ts
index e70858ab0..4026e7e0a 100644
--- a/src/directives/external-content.ts
+++ b/src/directives/external-content.ts
@@ -152,12 +152,22 @@ export class CoreExternalContentDirective implements AfterViewInit, OnChanges {
         // Avoid handling data url's.
         if (url && url.indexOf('data:') === 0) {
             this.invalid = true;
+            this.onLoad.emit();
+            this.loaded = true;
 
             return;
         }
 
         this.handleExternalContent(targetAttr, url, siteId).catch(() => {
-            // Ignore errors.
+            // Error handling content. Make sure the loaded event is triggered for images.
+            if (tagName === 'IMG') {
+                if (url) {
+                    this.waitForLoad();
+                } else {
+                    this.onLoad.emit();
+                    this.loaded = true;
+                }
+            }
         });
     }
 
@@ -204,10 +214,6 @@ export class CoreExternalContentDirective implements AfterViewInit, OnChanges {
                 this.addSource(url);
             }
 
-            if (tagName === 'IMG') {
-                this.waitForLoad();
-            }
-
             return Promise.reject(null);
         }
 
diff --git a/src/directives/format-text.ts b/src/directives/format-text.ts
index e8bafbbab..ede668a6b 100644
--- a/src/directives/format-text.ts
+++ b/src/directives/format-text.ts
@@ -468,7 +468,8 @@ export class CoreFormatTextDirective implements OnChanges {
             // Wait for images to load.
             let promise: Promise<any> = null;
             if (externalImages.length) {
-                promise = Promise.all(externalImages.map((externalImage): any => {
+                // Automatically reject the promise after 5 seconds to prevent blocking the user forever.
+                promise = this.utils.timeoutPromise(this.utils.allPromises(externalImages.map((externalImage): any => {
                     if (externalImage.loaded) {
                         // Image has already been loaded, no need to wait.
                         return Promise.resolve();
@@ -480,7 +481,7 @@ export class CoreFormatTextDirective implements OnChanges {
                             resolve();
                         });
                     });
-                }));
+                })), 5000);
             } else {
                 promise = Promise.resolve();
             }