diff --git a/gui.cpp b/gui.cpp
index 0d885d1..e916ac7 100644
--- a/gui.cpp
+++ b/gui.cpp
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ Gui::Gui()
 	this->main_menu_bg = NULL;
 	this->infobox = NULL;
 	this->textbox = NULL;
+	this->status_bar_bg = NULL;
 	this->default_font = NULL;
 	this->dialogue_bg = NULL;
 	this->small_font = NULL;
@@ -104,6 +105,7 @@ bool Gui::setTheme(const char *path)
 
 	this->background = this->loadThemeImage(path, "background.png");
 	this->main_menu_bg = this->loadThemeImage(path, "main_menu_bg.png");
+	this->status_bar_bg = this->loadThemeImage(path, "status_bar.png");
 	this->infobox = this->loadThemeImage(path, "infobox.png");
 	this->textbox = this->loadThemeImage(path, "textbox.png");
 	this->dialogue_bg = this->loadThemeImage(path, "dialogue_box.png");
@@ -122,6 +124,7 @@ bool Gui::setTheme(const char *path)
 			!this->disc_info ||
 			!this->selected_key ||
 			!this->highlighted_key ||
+			!this->status_bar_bg ||
 			!this->default_font ||
 			!this->small_font)
 	{
@@ -151,6 +154,8 @@ bool Gui::setTheme(const char *path)
 	/* Create the views */
 	if (!this->mv)
 	{
+		this->status_bar = new StatusBar();
+
 		this->mv = new MainView();
 		this->dv = new DiscView();
 		this->ov = new OptionsView();
@@ -178,6 +183,9 @@ void Gui::runLogic(void)
 {
 	GuiView *cur_view = this->peekView();
 
+	this->status_bar->runLogic();
+	this->timerController->tick();
+
 	if (!this->is_active || !cur_view)
 		return;
 	if (this->dlg)
@@ -186,7 +194,6 @@ void Gui::runLogic(void)
 		this->kbd->runLogic();
 	else
 		cur_view->runLogic();
-	this->timerController->tick();
 }
 
 void Gui::pushView(GuiView *view)
@@ -266,7 +273,10 @@ void Gui::draw(SDL_Surface *where)
 	GuiView *cur_view = this->peekView();
 
 	if (!this->is_active || !cur_view)
+	{
+		this->status_bar->draw(where);
 		return;
+	}
 
 	 SDL_BlitSurface(this->background, NULL, screen, NULL);
 	 cur_view->draw(where);
@@ -274,6 +284,7 @@ void Gui::draw(SDL_Surface *where)
 		 this->kbd->draw(where);
 	 if (this->dlg)
 		 this->dlg->draw(where);
+	 this->status_bar->draw(where);
 }
 
 void Gui::activate()
diff --git a/gui.hh b/gui.hh
index 933dd01..052cd23 100644
--- a/gui.hh
+++ b/gui.hh
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include <Prefs.h>
 
 class DialogueBox;
+class StatusBar;
 
 class MainView;
 class BindKeysView;
@@ -73,6 +74,7 @@ public:
 
 	SDL_Surface *background;
 	SDL_Surface *main_menu_bg;
+	SDL_Surface *status_bar_bg;
 	SDL_Surface *infobox;
 	SDL_Surface *textbox;
 	SDL_Surface *dialogue_bg;
@@ -89,6 +91,7 @@ public:
 	/* Handled specially */
 	VirtualKeyboard *kbd;
 	DialogueBox *dlg;
+	StatusBar *status_bar;
 
 	MainView *mv;
 	DiscView *dv;
diff --git a/status_bar.cpp b/status_bar.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..38b5bb1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/status_bar.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+#include "status_bar.hh"
+#include "gui.hh"
+
+StatusBar::StatusBar() : Menu(Gui::gui->small_font), TimeoutHandler()
+{
+	memset(this->messages, 0, sizeof(this->messages));
+	this->head = this->tail = 0;
+	this->cur_message = NULL;
+	this->setSelectedBackground(NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+}
+
+
+void StatusBar::queueMessage(const char *message)
+{
+	this->messages[this->head] = message;
+
+	/* If this is the first message, display it as soon as possible */
+	if (this->head == this->tail)
+		Gui::gui->timerController->arm(this, 1);
+
+	this->head = (this->head + 1) % N_STATUS_MESSAGES;
+	if (this->head == this->tail)
+		this->tail = (this->tail + 1) % N_STATUS_MESSAGES;
+}
+
+const char *StatusBar::dequeueMessage()
+{
+	const char *out = this->messages[this->tail];
+
+	if (this->head == this->tail)
+		return NULL;
+	this->tail = (this->tail + 1) % N_STATUS_MESSAGES;
+
+	return out;
+}
+
+void StatusBar::timeoutCallback()
+{
+	static const char *text[2];
+
+	this->cur_message = this->dequeueMessage();
+	if (this->cur_message)
+		Gui::gui->timerController->arm(this, 500);
+	text[0] = this->cur_message;
+	text[1] = NULL;
+	this->setText(text);
+}
+
+void StatusBar::draw(SDL_Surface *where)
+{
+	SDL_Rect dst;
+	int x = 130;
+	int y = 12;
+	int w = 496;
+	int h = 56;
+
+	if (!this->cur_message)
+		return;
+
+	/* Blit the backgrounds */
+	dst = (SDL_Rect){x,y,0,0};
+	SDL_BlitSurface(Gui::gui->status_bar_bg, NULL, where, &dst);
+
+	Menu::draw(where, x+4, y+4, w, h);
+}
diff --git a/status_bar.hh b/status_bar.hh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0f11bbb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/status_bar.hh
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+#ifndef __STATUS_BAR_HH__
+#define __STATUS_BAR_HH__
+
+#include "menu.hh"
+#include "gui.hh"
+#include "timer.hh"
+
+#define N_STATUS_MESSAGES 8
+
+class StatusBar : public Menu, TimeoutHandler
+{
+public:
+	StatusBar();
+
+	void queueMessage(const char *message);
+
+	virtual void draw(SDL_Surface *where);
+
+	virtual void hoverCallback(int which) {};
+
+	virtual void selectCallback(int which) {};
+
+	virtual void escapeCallback(int which) {};
+
+protected:
+	virtual void timeoutCallback();
+
+	const char *dequeueMessage();
+
+	const char *messages[N_STATUS_MESSAGES];
+	const char *cur_message;
+	int head, tail;
+	int x;
+	int y;
+};
+
+#endif /* __DIALOGUE_BOX_HH__ */