diff --git a/lang/main.json b/lang/main.json
index 17979e3a63..09a2f8c270 100644
--- a/lang/main.json
+++ b/lang/main.json
@@ -386,7 +386,8 @@
         "image7" : "Sunrise",
         "desktopShareError": "Could not create desktop share",
         "desktopShare":"Desktop share",
-        "webAssemblyWarning": "WebAssembly not supported"
+        "webAssemblyWarning": "WebAssembly not supported",
+        "backgroundEffectError": "Failed to apply background effect."
     },
     "feedback": {
         "average": "Average",
diff --git a/react/features/stream-effects/virtual-background/index.js b/react/features/stream-effects/virtual-background/index.js
index f59ffb75ea..634f8f6f55 100644
--- a/react/features/stream-effects/virtual-background/index.js
+++ b/react/features/stream-effects/virtual-background/index.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 // @flow
 
 import { showWarningNotification } from '../../notifications/actions';
+import { timeout } from '../../virtual-background/functions';
 import logger from '../../virtual-background/logger';
 
 import JitsiStreamBackgroundEffect from './JitsiStreamBackgroundEffect';
@@ -44,17 +45,26 @@ export async function createVirtualBackgroundEffect(virtualBackground: Object, d
 
     try {
         wasmCheck = require('wasm-check');
+        const tfliteTimeout = 10000;
+
         if (wasmCheck?.feature?.simd) {
-            tflite = await createTFLiteSIMDModule();
+            tflite = await timeout(tfliteTimeout, createTFLiteSIMDModule());
         } else {
-            tflite = await createTFLiteModule();
+            tflite = await timeout(tfliteTimeout, createTFLiteModule());
         }
     } catch (err) {
-        logger.error('Looks like WebAssembly is disabled or not supported on this browser');
-        dispatch(showWarningNotification({
-            titleKey: 'virtualBackground.webAssemblyWarning',
-            description: 'WebAssembly disabled or not supported by this browser'
-        }));
+        if (err?.message === '408') {
+            logger.error('Failed to download tflite model!');
+            dispatch(showWarningNotification({
+                titleKey: 'virtualBackground.backgroundEffectError'
+            }));
+        } else {
+            logger.error('Looks like WebAssembly is disabled or not supported on this browser');
+            dispatch(showWarningNotification({
+                titleKey: 'virtualBackground.webAssemblyWarning',
+                description: 'WebAssembly disabled or not supported by this browser'
+            }));
+        }
 
         return;
 
diff --git a/react/features/virtual-background/components/VirtualBackgroundDialog.js b/react/features/virtual-background/components/VirtualBackgroundDialog.js
index 8fecdce210..9b3968b5ad 100644
--- a/react/features/virtual-background/components/VirtualBackgroundDialog.js
+++ b/react/features/virtual-background/components/VirtualBackgroundDialog.js
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ function VirtualBackground({
     initialOptions,
     t
 }: Props) {
+    const [ previewIsLoaded, setPreviewIsLoaded ] = useState(false);
     const [ options, setOptions ] = useState({ ...initialOptions });
     const localImages = jitsiLocalStorage.getItem('virtualBackgrounds');
     const [ storedImages, setStoredImages ] = useState<Array<Image>>((localImages && Bourne.parse(localImages)) || []);
@@ -190,7 +191,6 @@ function VirtualBackground({
         }
     }, [ storedImages ]);
 
-
     const enableBlur = useCallback(async () => {
         setOptions({
             backgroundType: VIRTUAL_BACKGROUND_TYPE.BLUR,
@@ -425,15 +425,21 @@ function VirtualBackground({
         dispatch(hideDialog());
     });
 
+    const loadedPreviewState = useCallback(async loaded => {
+        await setPreviewIsLoaded(loaded);
+    });
+
     return (
         <Dialog
             hideCancelButton = { false }
             okKey = { 'virtualBackground.apply' }
             onCancel = { cancelVirtualBackground }
             onSubmit = { applyVirtualBackground }
-            submitDisabled = { !options || loading }
+            submitDisabled = { !options || loading || !previewIsLoaded }
             titleKey = { 'virtualBackground.title' } >
-            <VirtualBackgroundPreview options = { options } />
+            <VirtualBackgroundPreview
+                loadedPreview = { loadedPreviewState }
+                options = { options } />
             {loading ? (
                 <div className = 'virtual-background-loading'>
                     <Spinner
@@ -442,7 +448,7 @@ function VirtualBackground({
                 </div>
             ) : (
                 <div>
-                    <label
+                    {previewIsLoaded && <label
                         aria-label = { t('virtualBackground.uploadImage') }
                         className = 'file-upload-label'
                         htmlFor = 'file-upload'
@@ -453,7 +459,7 @@ function VirtualBackground({
                             size = { 20 }
                             src = { IconPlusCircle } />
                         {t('virtualBackground.addBackground')}
-                    </label>
+                    </label> }
                     <input
                         accept = 'image/*'
                         className = 'file-upload-btn'
diff --git a/react/features/virtual-background/components/VirtualBackgroundPreview.js b/react/features/virtual-background/components/VirtualBackgroundPreview.js
index cb46c6001d..38931aeb68 100644
--- a/react/features/virtual-background/components/VirtualBackgroundPreview.js
+++ b/react/features/virtual-background/components/VirtualBackgroundPreview.js
@@ -3,15 +3,18 @@
 import Spinner from '@atlaskit/spinner';
 import React, { PureComponent } from 'react';
 
+import { hideDialog } from '../../base/dialog';
 import { translate } from '../../base/i18n';
 import { VIDEO_TYPE } from '../../base/media';
 import Video from '../../base/media/components/Video';
 import { connect, equals } from '../../base/redux';
 import { getCurrentCameraDeviceId } from '../../base/settings';
 import { createLocalTracksF } from '../../base/tracks/functions';
+import { showWarningNotification } from '../../notifications/actions';
 import { toggleBackgroundEffect } from '../actions';
 import { VIRTUAL_BACKGROUND_TYPE } from '../constants';
 import { localTrackStopped } from '../functions';
+import logger from '../logger';
 
 const videoClassName = 'video-preview-video';
 
@@ -30,6 +33,11 @@ export type Props = {
      */
     dispatch: Function,
 
+    /**
+     * Dialog callback that indicates if the background preview was loaded.
+     */
+    loadedPreview: Function,
+
     /**
      * Represents the virtual background setted options.
      */
@@ -51,6 +59,11 @@ type State = {
      */
     loading: boolean,
 
+    /**
+     * Flag that indicates if the local track was loaded.
+     */
+    localTrackLoaded: boolean,
+
     /**
      * Activate the selected device camera only.
      */
@@ -77,6 +90,7 @@ class VirtualBackgroundPreview extends PureComponent<Props, State> {
 
         this.state = {
             loading: false,
+            localTrackLoaded: false,
             jitsiTrack: null
         };
     }
@@ -99,24 +113,42 @@ class VirtualBackgroundPreview extends PureComponent<Props, State> {
      * @returns {void}
      */
     async _setTracks() {
-        const [ jitsiTrack ] = await createLocalTracksF({
-            cameraDeviceId: this.props._currentCameraDeviceId,
-            devices: [ 'video' ]
-        });
+        try {
+            this.setState({ loading: true });
+            const [ jitsiTrack ] = await createLocalTracksF({
+                cameraDeviceId: this.props._currentCameraDeviceId,
+                devices: [ 'video' ]
+            });
 
+            this.setState({ localTrackLoaded: true });
 
-        // In case the component gets unmounted before the tracks are created
-        // avoid a leak by not setting the state
-        if (this._componentWasUnmounted) {
-            this._stopStream(jitsiTrack);
+            // In case the component gets unmounted before the tracks are created
+            // avoid a leak by not setting the state
+            if (this._componentWasUnmounted) {
+                this._stopStream(jitsiTrack);
+
+                return;
+            }
+            this.setState({
+                jitsiTrack,
+                loading: false
+            });
+            this.props.loadedPreview(true);
+        } catch (error) {
+            this.props.dispatch(hideDialog());
+            this.props.dispatch(
+                showWarningNotification({
+                    titleKey: 'virtualBackground.backgroundEffectError',
+                    description: 'Failed to access camera device.'
+                })
+            );
+            logger.error('Failed to access camera device. Error on apply background effect.');
 
             return;
         }
-        this.setState({
-            jitsiTrack
-        });
 
-        if (this.props.options.backgroundType === VIRTUAL_BACKGROUND_TYPE.DESKTOP_SHARE) {
+        if (this.props.options.backgroundType === VIRTUAL_BACKGROUND_TYPE.DESKTOP_SHARE
+                && this.state.localTrackLoaded) {
             this._applyBackgroundEffect();
         }
     }
@@ -128,7 +160,9 @@ class VirtualBackgroundPreview extends PureComponent<Props, State> {
      */
     async _applyBackgroundEffect() {
         this.setState({ loading: true });
+        this.props.loadedPreview(false);
         await this.props.dispatch(toggleBackgroundEffect(this.props.options, this.state.jitsiTrack));
+        this.props.loadedPreview(true);
         this.setState({ loading: false });
     }
 
@@ -212,7 +246,7 @@ class VirtualBackgroundPreview extends PureComponent<Props, State> {
         if (!equals(this.props._currentCameraDeviceId, prevProps._currentCameraDeviceId)) {
             this._setTracks();
         }
-        if (!equals(this.props.options, prevProps.options)) {
+        if (!equals(this.props.options, prevProps.options) && this.state.localTrackLoaded) {
             if (prevProps.options.backgroundType === VIRTUAL_BACKGROUND_TYPE.DESKTOP_SHARE) {
                 prevProps.options.url.dispose();
             }
diff --git a/react/features/virtual-background/functions.js b/react/features/virtual-background/functions.js
index dab0d88ee7..6554007984 100644
--- a/react/features/virtual-background/functions.js
+++ b/react/features/virtual-background/functions.js
@@ -118,3 +118,25 @@ export function localTrackStopped(dispatch: Function, desktopTrack: Object, curr
         }));
     });
 }
+
+/**
+ * Creating a wrapper for promises on a specific time interval.
+ *
+ * @param {number} milliseconds - The number of milliseconds to wait the specified
+ * {@code promise} to settle before automatically rejecting the returned
+ * {@code Promise}.
+ * @param {Promise} promise - The {@code Promise} for which automatic rejecting
+ * after the specified timeout is to be implemented.
+ * @returns {Promise}
+ */
+export function timeout(milliseconds: number, promise: Promise<*>): Promise<Object> {
+    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+        setTimeout(() => {
+            reject(new Error('408'));
+
+            return;
+        }, milliseconds);
+
+        promise.then(resolve, reject);
+    });
+}