diff --git a/retroshare-gui/src/gui/FriendsDialog.cpp b/retroshare-gui/src/gui/FriendsDialog.cpp
index d1188fd3d..75e24616b 100644
--- a/retroshare-gui/src/gui/FriendsDialog.cpp
+++ b/retroshare-gui/src/gui/FriendsDialog.cpp
@@ -805,7 +805,16 @@ void FriendsDialog::getAvatar()
 /** Loads own personal status */
 void FriendsDialog::loadmypersonalstatus()
 {
-    ui.mypersonalstatusLabel->setText(QString::fromUtf8(rsMsgs->getCustomStateString().c_str()));
+	QString statustring =  QString::fromUtf8(rsMsgs->getCustomStateString().c_str());
+
+	if (statustring.isEmpty())
+	{
+		ui.mypersonalstatusLabel->setText(tr("Set here your Status message"));
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		ui.mypersonalstatusLabel->setText(statustring);
+	}
 }
 
 void FriendsDialog::statusmessage()
diff --git a/retroshare-gui/src/gui/FriendsDialog.ui b/retroshare-gui/src/gui/FriendsDialog.ui
index 949100e82..644f623a5 100644
--- a/retroshare-gui/src/gui/FriendsDialog.ui
+++ b/retroshare-gui/src/gui/FriendsDialog.ui
@@ -11,16 +11,7 @@
    </rect>
   </property>
   <layout class="QGridLayout" name="gridLayout_2">
-   <property name="leftMargin">
-    <number>0</number>
-   </property>
-   <property name="topMargin">
-    <number>0</number>
-   </property>
-   <property name="rightMargin">
-    <number>0</number>
-   </property>
-   <property name="bottomMargin">
+   <property name="margin">
     <number>0</number>
    </property>
    <item row="0" column="0">
@@ -161,6 +152,12 @@
               <verstretch>0</verstretch>
              </sizepolicy>
             </property>
+            <property name="maximumSize">
+             <size>
+              <width>200</width>
+              <height>16777215</height>
+             </size>
+            </property>
             <property name="toolTip">
              <string>Edit status message</string>
             </property>
@@ -241,7 +238,7 @@
            <enum>QFrame::Sunken</enum>
           </property>
           <layout class="QHBoxLayout" name="horizontalLayout">
-              <property name="margin">
+           <property name="margin">
             <number>6</number>
            </property>
            <item>