diff --git a/src/addon/notes/components/list/list.ts b/src/addon/notes/components/list/list.ts
index e9b6ffd7a..cf6f54afa 100644
--- a/src/addon/notes/components/list/list.ts
+++ b/src/addon/notes/components/list/list.ts
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ export class AddonNotesListComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
                     this.notesLoaded = false;
                 }
 
-                this.refreshNotes(true);
+                this.refreshNotes(false);
             } else if (data && data.type && data.type != this.type) {
                 this.type = data.type;
                 this.typeChanged();
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ export class AddonNotesListComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
             this.notesProvider.deleteNote(note, this.courseId).then(() => {
                 this.showDelete = false;
 
-                this.refreshNotes(true);
+                this.refreshNotes(false);
 
                 this.domUtils.showToast('addon.notes.eventnotedeleted', true, 3000);
             }).catch((error) => {
diff --git a/src/directives/external-content.ts b/src/directives/external-content.ts
index 68937d899..94ebfcbcb 100644
--- a/src/directives/external-content.ts
+++ b/src/directives/external-content.ts
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ export class CoreExternalContentDirective implements AfterViewInit, OnChanges {
     @Input() poster?: string;
     @Output() onLoad = new EventEmitter(); // Emitted when content is loaded. Only for images.
 
+    loaded = false;
     protected element: HTMLElement;
     protected logger;
     protected initialized = false;
@@ -192,6 +193,10 @@ export class CoreExternalContentDirective implements AfterViewInit, OnChanges {
                 this.addSource(url);
             }
 
+            if (tagName === 'IMG') {
+                this.waitForLoad();
+            }
+
             return Promise.reject(null);
         }
 
@@ -227,13 +232,8 @@ export class CoreExternalContentDirective implements AfterViewInit, OnChanges {
                     this.addSource(finalUrl);
                 } else {
                     if (tagName === 'IMG') {
-                        const listener = (): void => {
-                            this.element.removeEventListener('load', listener);
-                            this.element.removeEventListener('error', listener);
-                            this.onLoad.emit();
-                        };
-                        this.element.addEventListener('load', listener);
-                        this.element.addEventListener('error', listener);
+                        this.loaded = false;
+                        this.waitForLoad();
                     }
                     this.element.setAttribute(targetAttr, finalUrl);
                     this.element.setAttribute('data-original-' + targetAttr, url);
@@ -299,4 +299,19 @@ export class CoreExternalContentDirective implements AfterViewInit, OnChanges {
             this.element.setAttribute('style', inlineStyles);
         });
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Wait for the image to be loaded or error, and emit an event when it happens.
+     */
+    protected waitForLoad(): void {
+        const listener = (): void => {
+            this.element.removeEventListener('load', listener);
+            this.element.removeEventListener('error', listener);
+            this.onLoad.emit();
+            this.loaded = true;
+        };
+
+        this.element.addEventListener('load', listener);
+        this.element.addEventListener('error', listener);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/directives/format-text.ts b/src/directives/format-text.ts
index ea7b02b9a..552ca9203 100644
--- a/src/directives/format-text.ts
+++ b/src/directives/format-text.ts
@@ -464,6 +464,11 @@ export class CoreFormatTextDirective implements OnChanges {
             let promise: Promise<any> = null;
             if (externalImages.length) {
                 promise = Promise.all(externalImages.map((externalImage) => {
+                    if (externalImage.loaded) {
+                        // Image has already been loaded, no need to wait.
+                        return Promise.resolve();
+                    }
+
                     return new Promise((resolve): void => {
                         const subscription = externalImage.onLoad.subscribe(() => {
                             subscription.unsubscribe();