diff --git a/kmmainwin.cpp b/kmmainwin.cpp
index 57c0e05d4..d27fd4b9d 100644
--- a/kmmainwin.cpp
+++ b/kmmainwin.cpp
@@ -304,15 +304,14 @@ void KMMainWin::activatePanners(void)
 
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-//void KMMainWin::statusMsg(const QString& aText)
-//{
-  //mStatusBar->message(aText);
-  //mStatusBar->changeItem(aText, mMessageStatusId);
+void KMMainWin::statusMsg(const QString& aText)
+{
+  mStatusBar->changeItem(" " + aText + " ", mMessageStatusId);
   /* Just causes to much trouble with event driven repainting.
   kapp->flushX();
   kapp->processEvents(100);
   */
-//}
+}
 
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1310,13 +1309,11 @@ void KMMainWin::setupStatusBar()
   mStatusBar = new KStatusBar(this);
 
   littleProgress = new KMLittleProgressDlg( mStatusBar );
-  littleProgress->setFixedWidth(littleProgress->width());
-  mStatusBar->addWidget( littleProgress,0, true );
-  
-  statusMsg(i18n("Initializing..."));
-  
+  mStatusBar->addWidget( littleProgress, 0 , true );
+  mMessageStatusId = 1;
+  mStatusBar->insertItem(i18n(" Initializing..."), 1, 1 );
+  mStatusBar->setItemAlignment( 1, AlignLeft | AlignVCenter );
   littleProgress->show();
-  
   connect( KMBroadcastStatus::instance(), SIGNAL(statusProgressEnable( bool )),
 	   littleProgress, SLOT(slotEnable( bool )));
   connect( KMBroadcastStatus::instance(),
@@ -1328,7 +1325,6 @@ void KMMainWin::setupStatusBar()
   connect( KMBroadcastStatus::instance(), SIGNAL(statusMsg( const QString& )),
 	   this, SLOT(statusMsg( const QString& )));
   setStatusBar(mStatusBar);
-  mStatusBar->message(i18n("Initializing..."));
 }
 
 void KMMainWin::quit()
diff --git a/kmmainwin.h b/kmmainwin.h
index b06c9a845..2ecc0d8f9 100644
--- a/kmmainwin.h
+++ b/kmmainwin.h
@@ -43,12 +43,6 @@ public:
   /** Write configuration options. */
   virtual void writeConfig(void);
 
-  /** Insert a text field to the status bar and return ID of this field. */
-  //virtual int statusBarAddItem(const char* text);
-
-  /** Change contents of a text field. */
-  //virtual void statusBarChangeItem(int id, const char* text);
-
   /** Easy access to main components of the window. */
   KMReaderWin* messageView(void) const { return mMsgView; }
   KToolBar* toolBar(void) const     { return mToolBar; }
@@ -74,7 +68,7 @@ public slots:
   void slotAtmMsg(KMMessage *msg); //sven: called from reader
 
   /** Output given message in the statusbar message field. */
-  inline void statusMsg(const QString& text) {mStatusBar->message(text);}
+  void statusMsg(const QString& text);
 
 protected:
   void setupMenuBar();
@@ -167,6 +161,7 @@ protected:
   bool          mSendOnCheck;
   bool          mBeepOnNew, mBoxOnNew, mExecOnNew;
   QString       mNewMailCmd;
+  int		mMessageStatusId;
   QValueList<int> *mHorizPannerSep, *mVertPannerSep;
   QString       mUrlCurrent;
   QPopupMenu	*actMenu;