iOS7 Network Activity Indicator keeps spinning after an $.ajax request

iOS7 Network Activity Indicator keeps spinning after an $.ajax request

I'm developing a webapp with jQuery Mobile 1.4.2 and jQuery 1.11.1 and run into an issue with Safari in iOS7. 

Whenever I perform an $.ajax request (see general example below) the iPhone/iPad Network Activity Indicator starts spinning and does not stop until I close the webpage. The problem does not occur on my old iPad1 with iOS 5.1, and Chrome also runs the web app without any issues on an iPhone/iPad with iOS7. 

I would like to allow users to run the web app from the Home Page, and that is causing the same issue as running the web app in Safari. I also tried older jQuery releases (1.8 and up) but that does not solve the issue. 

          var request = $.ajax({
            url: webapiEndpoint() + '/authenticate/login?' + urlParameters,
            type: 'GET',
            contentType: "application/json",
            data: '',
            dataType: 'json',
            processData: false
         });

         request.done(function ( data ) {
            loadPage(activePage);
         });

         request.fail(function ( error ) {
            loadPage(loginPage);
         });

Is there something wrong with my $.ajax requests? They seem to work seamlessy, because they return the expected results.  Are you aware of any issue with iOS7 Safari that causes this strange behavior? Other $.ajax requests result in the same issue, so it is not this specific request that is causing the problem.

Regards, Remco