diff --git a/content/content.c b/content/content.c
index 8b089cd1e..758a615ce 100644
--- a/content/content.c
+++ b/content/content.c
@@ -169,6 +169,7 @@ nserror content_llcache_callback(llcache_handle *llcache,
 		(void) llcache_handle_get_source_data(llcache, &source_size);
 
 		content_set_status(c, messages_get("Processing"));
+		msg_data.explicit_status_text = NULL;
 		content_broadcast(c, CONTENT_MSG_STATUS, msg_data);
 
 		content_convert(c);
@@ -182,6 +183,7 @@ nserror content_llcache_callback(llcache_handle *llcache,
 		break;
 	case LLCACHE_EVENT_PROGRESS:
 		content_set_status(c, event->data.msg);
+		msg_data.explicit_status_text = NULL;
 		content_broadcast(c, CONTENT_MSG_STATUS, msg_data);
 		break;
 	}
diff --git a/content/content.h b/content/content.h
index ab569dd64..f1ff2a2c9 100644
--- a/content/content.h
+++ b/content/content.h
@@ -107,9 +107,13 @@ union content_msg_data {
 		int object_width, object_height;
 	} redraw;
 	/** CONTENT_MSG_REFRESH - Minimum delay  */
-	int delay;	
+	int delay;
 	/** CONTENT_MSG_REFORMAT - Reformat should not cause a redraw */
 	bool background;
+	/** CONTENT_MSG_STATUS - Status message update.  If NULL, the content's
+	 * internal status text has been updated, and listener should use
+	 * content_get_status_message() */
+	const char *explicit_status_text;
 	/** CONTENT_MSG_DOWNLOAD - Low-level cache handle */
 	struct llcache_handle *download;
 	/** CONTENT_MSG_RFC5988_LINK - rfc5988 link data   */
diff --git a/desktop/browser.c b/desktop/browser.c
index 73fcc0490..b7869859f 100644
--- a/desktop/browser.c
+++ b/desktop/browser.c
@@ -1323,7 +1323,15 @@ nserror browser_window_callback(hlcache_handle *c,
 		break;
 
 	case CONTENT_MSG_STATUS:
-		browser_window_set_status(bw, content_get_status_message(c));
+		if (event->data.explicit_status_text == NULL) {
+			/* Object content's status text updated */
+			browser_window_set_status(bw,
+					content_get_status_message(c));
+		} else {
+			/* Object content wants to set explicit message */
+			browser_window_set_status(bw,
+					event->data.explicit_status_text);
+		}
 		break;
 
 	case CONTENT_MSG_REFORMAT:
diff --git a/render/html.c b/render/html.c
index fc2f2b8b7..7f3c761bb 100644
--- a/render/html.c
+++ b/render/html.c
@@ -240,6 +240,7 @@ void html_finish_conversion(html_content *c)
 	/* convert xml tree to box tree */
 	LOG(("XML to box (%p)", c));
 	content_set_status(&c->base, messages_get("Processing"));
+	msg_data.explicit_status_text = NULL;
 	content_broadcast(&c->base, CONTENT_MSG_STATUS, msg_data);
 
 	exc = dom_document_get_document_element(c->document, (void *) &html);
@@ -1168,14 +1169,18 @@ html_object_callback(hlcache_handle *object,
 		LOG(("%d fetches active", c->base.active));
 
 		content_add_error(&c->base, "?", 0);
-		html_set_status(c, event->data.error);
-		content_broadcast(&c->base, CONTENT_MSG_STATUS, event->data);
 		html_object_failed(box, c, o->background);
 		break;
 
 	case CONTENT_MSG_STATUS:
-		html_set_status(c, content_get_status_message(object));
-		/* content_broadcast(&c->base, CONTENT_MSG_STATUS, 0); */
+		if (event->data.explicit_status_text == NULL) {
+			/* Object content's status text updated */
+			html_set_status(c, content_get_status_message(object));
+		} else {
+			/* Object content wants to set explicit message */
+			content_broadcast(&c->base, CONTENT_MSG_STATUS,
+					event->data);
+		}
 		break;
 
 	case CONTENT_MSG_REFORMAT:
@@ -1406,9 +1411,17 @@ html_convert_css_callback(hlcache_handle *css,
 		break;
 
 	case CONTENT_MSG_STATUS:
-		html_set_status(parent, content_get_status_message(css));
-		content_broadcast(&parent->base, CONTENT_MSG_STATUS,
-				event->data);
+		if (event->data.explicit_status_text == NULL) {
+			/* Object content's status text updated */
+			html_set_status(parent,
+					content_get_status_message(css));
+			content_broadcast(&parent->base, CONTENT_MSG_STATUS,
+					event->data);
+		} else {
+			/* Object content wants to set explicit message */
+			content_broadcast(&parent->base, CONTENT_MSG_STATUS,
+					event->data);
+		}
 		break;
 
 	default:
diff --git a/render/html_script.c b/render/html_script.c
index 44b661d8f..446868b86 100644
--- a/render/html_script.c
+++ b/render/html_script.c
@@ -188,9 +188,6 @@ convert_script_async_cb(hlcache_handle *script,
 		break;
 
 	case CONTENT_MSG_STATUS:
-		html_set_status(parent, content_get_status_message(script));
-		content_broadcast(&parent->base, CONTENT_MSG_STATUS,
-				event->data);
 		break;
 
 	default:
@@ -248,9 +245,6 @@ convert_script_defer_cb(hlcache_handle *script,
 		break;
 
 	case CONTENT_MSG_STATUS:
-		html_set_status(parent, content_get_status_message(script));
-		content_broadcast(&parent->base, CONTENT_MSG_STATUS,
-				event->data);
 		break;
 
 	default:
@@ -345,9 +339,6 @@ convert_script_sync_cb(hlcache_handle *script,
 		break;
 
 	case CONTENT_MSG_STATUS:
-		html_set_status(parent, content_get_status_message(script));
-		content_broadcast(&parent->base, CONTENT_MSG_STATUS,
-				event->data);
 		break;
 
 	default: