diff --git a/kmaccount.h b/kmaccount.h
index e6e20d139..c99217baa 100644
--- a/kmaccount.h
+++ b/kmaccount.h
@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@ public:
 
 signals:
   virtual void finishedCheck(bool newMail);
+  virtual void newMailsProcessed(int numberOfNewMails);
 
 protected slots:
   virtual void mailCheck();
diff --git a/kmacctexppop.cpp b/kmacctexppop.cpp
index b240d17d0..e2b8edb6a 100644
--- a/kmacctexppop.cpp
+++ b/kmacctexppop.cpp
@@ -142,6 +142,7 @@ void KMAcctExpPop::processNewMail(bool _interactive)
         != QDialog::Accepted)
       {
 	emit finishedCheck(false);
+	emit newMailsProcessed(0);
 	return;
       } else {
         mPasswd = encryptStr(passwd);
@@ -162,6 +163,7 @@ void KMAcctExpPop::processNewMail(bool _interactive)
   }
   else {
     emit finishedCheck(false);
+    emit newMailsProcessed(-1);
     return;
   }
 }
@@ -418,6 +420,7 @@ void KMAcctExpPop::startJob() {
                          i18n("Couldn't execute precommand: %1").arg(precommand()),
                          i18n("Kmail Error Message"));
       emit finishedCheck(idsOfMsgs.count() > 0);
+      emit newMailsProcessed(-1);
       return;
     }
   // end precommand code
@@ -751,6 +754,7 @@ void KMAcctExpPop::slotJobFinished() {
     KMBroadcastStatus::instance()->reset();
 
     emit finishedCheck(numMessages > 0);
+    emit newMailsProcessed(numMessages);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/kmacctimap.cpp b/kmacctimap.cpp
index 17e0a0759..9c2bc798b 100644
--- a/kmacctimap.cpp
+++ b/kmacctimap.cpp
@@ -491,6 +491,7 @@ void KMAcctImap::slotSimpleResult(KIO::Job * job)
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void KMAcctImap::processNewMail(bool interactive)
 {
+  emit newMailsProcessed(-1);
   if (!mFolder || !mFolder->child())
   {
     emit finishedCheck(false);
diff --git a/kmacctlocal.cpp b/kmacctlocal.cpp
index d0421f388..cdd80827c 100644
--- a/kmacctlocal.cpp
+++ b/kmacctlocal.cpp
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ void KMAcctLocal::processNewMail(bool)
       QString statusMsg = i18n("Transmission completed, no new messages.");
       KMBroadcastStatus::instance()->setStatusMsg( statusMsg );
       emit finishedCheck(hasNewMail);
+      emit newMailsProcessed(0);
       return;
     }
   }
@@ -111,6 +112,7 @@ void KMAcctLocal::processNewMail(bool)
 
   if (!mFolder) {
     emit finishedCheck(hasNewMail);
+    emit newMailsProcessed(-1);
     KMBroadcastStatus::instance()->setStatusMsg( i18n( "Transmission failed." ));
     return;
   }
@@ -124,6 +126,7 @@ void KMAcctLocal::processNewMail(bool)
   {
     kdDebug(5006) << "cannot run precommand " << precommand() << endl;
     emit finishedCheck(hasNewMail);
+    emit newMailsProcessed(-1);
   }
 
   mailFolder.setAutoCreateIndex(FALSE);
@@ -138,6 +141,7 @@ void KMAcctLocal::processNewMail(bool)
     kdDebug(5006) << "cannot open file " << mailFolder.path() << "/"
       << mailFolder.name() << endl;
     emit finishedCheck(hasNewMail);
+    emit newMailsProcessed(-1);
     KMBroadcastStatus::instance()->setStatusMsg( i18n( "Transmission failed." ));
     return;
   }
@@ -146,6 +150,7 @@ void KMAcctLocal::processNewMail(bool)
     kdDebug(5006) << "mailFolder could not be locked" << endl;
     mailFolder.close();
     emit finishedCheck(hasNewMail);
+    emit newMailsProcessed(-1);
     QString errMsg = i18n( "Transmission failed: Could not lock %1." )
       .arg( mailFolder.location() );
     KMBroadcastStatus::instance()->setStatusMsg( errMsg );
@@ -218,6 +223,7 @@ void KMAcctLocal::processNewMail(bool)
   mFolder->quiet(FALSE);
 
   emit finishedCheck(hasNewMail);
+  emit newMailsProcessed(num);
 
   return;
 }
diff --git a/kmacctmaildir.cpp b/kmacctmaildir.cpp
index db1a4e1a4..1c44619b9 100644
--- a/kmacctmaildir.cpp
+++ b/kmacctmaildir.cpp
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ void KMAcctMaildir::processNewMail(bool)
     QFileInfo fi( location() );
     if ( !fi.exists() ) {
       emit finishedCheck(hasNewMail);
+      emit newMailsProcessed(0);
       QString statusMsg = i18n("Transmission completed, no new messages");
       KMBroadcastStatus::instance()->setStatusMsg( statusMsg );
       return;
@@ -98,6 +99,7 @@ void KMAcctMaildir::processNewMail(bool)
 
   if (!mFolder) {
     emit finishedCheck(hasNewMail);
+    emit newMailsProcessed(-1);
     KMBroadcastStatus::instance()->setStatusMsg( i18n( "Transmission failed." ));
     return;
   }
@@ -111,6 +113,7 @@ void KMAcctMaildir::processNewMail(bool)
   {
     kdDebug(5006) << "cannot run precommand " << precommand() << endl;
     emit finishedCheck(hasNewMail);
+    emit newMailsProcessed(-1);
   }
 
   mailFolder.setAutoCreateIndex(FALSE);
@@ -125,6 +128,7 @@ void KMAcctMaildir::processNewMail(bool)
     kdDebug(5006) << "cannot open file " << mailFolder.path() << "/"
       << mailFolder.name() << endl;
     emit finishedCheck(hasNewMail);
+    emit newMailsProcessed(-1);
     KMBroadcastStatus::instance()->setStatusMsg( i18n( "Transmission failed." ));
     return;
   }
@@ -132,6 +136,7 @@ void KMAcctMaildir::processNewMail(bool)
   if (mailFolder.isReadOnly()) { // mailFolder is locked
     mailFolder.close();
     emit finishedCheck(hasNewMail);
+    emit newMailsProcessed(-1);
     QString errMsg = i18n( "Transmission failed: Could not lock %1." )
       .arg( mailFolder.location() );
     KMBroadcastStatus::instance()->setStatusMsg( errMsg );
@@ -201,6 +206,7 @@ void KMAcctMaildir::processNewMail(bool)
   mFolder->quiet(FALSE);
 
   emit finishedCheck(hasNewMail);
+  emit newMailsProcessed(num);
 
   return;
 }
diff --git a/kmacctmgr.cpp b/kmacctmgr.cpp
index 2505a9e02..2f2a320fb 100644
--- a/kmacctmgr.cpp
+++ b/kmacctmgr.cpp
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #include "kmacctlocal.h"
 #include "kmacctexppop.h"
 #include "kmacctimap.h"
+#include "kmbroadcaststatus.h"
 
 
 #include <assert.h>
@@ -191,7 +192,11 @@ KMAccount* KMAcctMgr::create(const QString &aType, const QString &aName)
     act = new KMAcctImap(this, aName);
 
   if (act)
+  {
     act->setFolder(kernel->inboxFolder());
+    connect( act, SIGNAL(newMailsProcessed(int)),
+	this, SLOT(addToTotalNewMailCount(int)) );
+  }
 
   return act;
 }
@@ -261,6 +266,8 @@ void KMAcctMgr::checkMail(bool _interactive)
     return;
   }
 
+  mTotalNewMailsArrived=0;
+
   mAccountIt->toFirst();
   while (TRUE)
   {
@@ -269,6 +276,12 @@ void KMAcctMgr::checkMail(bool _interactive)
     if (mAccountIt->atLast()) break;
     ++(*mAccountIt);
   }
+
+  if (mTotalNewMailsArrived!=-1)
+    KMBroadcastStatus::instance()->setStatusMsg(
+	i18n("Transmission completed, %n new message.",
+	  "Transmission completed, %n new messages.", mTotalNewMailsArrived) );
+
 }
 
 
@@ -326,5 +339,12 @@ void KMAcctMgr::intCheckMail(int item, bool _interactive) {
 }
 
 
+//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+void KMAcctMgr::addToTotalNewMailCount(int newmails)
+{
+  if ( newmails==-1 ) mTotalNewMailsArrived=-1;
+  if ( mTotalNewMailsArrived==-1 ) return;
+  mTotalNewMailsArrived+=newmails;
+}
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 #include "kmacctmgr.moc"
diff --git a/kmacctmgr.h b/kmacctmgr.h
index 7e7f233d8..91582abde 100644
--- a/kmacctmgr.h
+++ b/kmacctmgr.h
@@ -64,6 +64,12 @@ public slots:
   virtual void intCheckMail(int, bool _interactive = true);
   virtual void processNextCheck(bool _newMail);
 
+  /** this slot increases the count of new mails to show a total number
+  after checking in multiple accounts. You can disable the display of
+  the total (for example, to show an error in the status bar) by
+  calling it with numNewMails = -1  */
+  virtual void addToTotalNewMailCount(int numNewMails);
+  
 signals:
   /** emitted if new mail has been collected */
   void checkedMail(bool, bool);
@@ -76,6 +82,7 @@ private:
   bool checking;
   bool newMailArrived;
   bool interactive;
+  int  mTotalNewMailsArrived;
 };
 
 #endif /*kmacctmgr_h*/