diff --git a/retroshare-gui/src/gui/chat/ChatWidget.cpp b/retroshare-gui/src/gui/chat/ChatWidget.cpp
index c0dd9d555..b919b15cb 100644
--- a/retroshare-gui/src/gui/chat/ChatWidget.cpp
+++ b/retroshare-gui/src/gui/chat/ChatWidget.cpp
@@ -1408,10 +1408,15 @@ void ChatWidget::updatePeersCustomStateString(const QString& peer_id, const QStr
 		// the peers status string has changed
 		if (status_string.isEmpty()) {
 			ui->statusMessageLabel->hide();
+			ui->titleLabel->setAlignment ( Qt::AlignTop );
+			ui->statusLabel->setAlignment ( Qt::AlignTop );
+
 		} else {
 			ui->statusMessageLabel->show();
 			status_text = RsHtml().formatText(NULL, status_string, RSHTML_FORMATTEXT_EMBED_SMILEYS | RSHTML_FORMATTEXT_EMBED_LINKS);
 			ui->statusMessageLabel->setText(status_text);
+			ui->titleLabel->setAlignment ( Qt::AlignVCenter );
+			ui->statusLabel->setAlignment ( Qt::AlignVCenter );
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/retroshare-gui/src/gui/chat/ChatWidget.ui b/retroshare-gui/src/gui/chat/ChatWidget.ui
index 001b9d5ee..4dd64aff8 100644
--- a/retroshare-gui/src/gui/chat/ChatWidget.ui
+++ b/retroshare-gui/src/gui/chat/ChatWidget.ui
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
            <number>2</number>
           </property>
           <property name="topMargin">
-           <number>0</number>
+           <number>3</number>
           </property>
           <property name="rightMargin">
            <number>3</number>
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@
           <property name="sizeHint" stdset="0">
            <size>
             <width>40</width>
-            <height>20</height>
+            <height>28</height>
            </size>
           </property>
          </spacer>
@@ -574,8 +574,8 @@ border-image: url(:/images/closepressed.png)
         </property>
         <property name="iconSize">
          <size>
-          <width>22</width>
-          <height>22</height>
+          <width>24</width>
+          <height>24</height>
          </size>
         </property>
         <property name="popupMode">
@@ -673,8 +673,8 @@ border-image: url(:/images/closepressed.png)
         </property>
         <property name="iconSize">
          <size>
-          <width>22</width>
-          <height>22</height>
+          <width>24</width>
+          <height>24</height>
          </size>
         </property>
         <property name="popupMode">