diff --git a/mitterlib/ui/ui_pygtk.py b/mitterlib/ui/ui_pygtk.py
index 9028c0b..cd42c80 100644
--- a/mitterlib/ui/ui_pygtk.py
+++ b/mitterlib/ui/ui_pygtk.py
@@ -390,6 +390,21 @@ class Interface(object):
         self._reply_message_id = None
         return
 
+    def _update_title(self, messages, replies):
+        """Update the window title with the information about the number of
+        unread messages and unread replies."""
+        title_info = {
+                'message_count': str(messages),
+                'message': N_('message', 'messages', messages),
+                'replies_count': str(replies),
+                'replies': N_('reply', 'replies', replies)
+                }
+        mask = self._options[self.NAMESPACE]['window_title']
+        for variable in title_info:
+            mask = mask.replace('{' + variable + '}', title_info[variable])
+
+        self._main_window.set_title(mask)
+        return
 
     # ------------------------------------------------------------
     # Widget callback functions
@@ -418,16 +433,7 @@ class Interface(object):
         self._main_tabs.set_tab_label_text(child, message)
 
         replies = self._main_tabs.get_nth_page(1)
-        title_info = {
-                'message_count': data,
-                'message': N_('message', 'messages', data),
-                'replies_count': replies.count,
-                'replies': N_('reply', 'replies', replies.count)
-                }
-
-        title = self._options[self.NAMESPACE]['window_title'] % (title_info)
-        self._main_window.set_title(title)
-
+        self._update_title(data, replies.count)
         if (data + replies.count) > 0:
             self._statusicon.set_from_pixbuf(self._images['new-messages'])
             return
@@ -443,15 +449,7 @@ class Interface(object):
         self._main_tabs.set_tab_label_text(child, message)
 
         messages = self._main_tabs.get_nth_page(0)
-        title_info = {
-                'message_count': messages.count,
-                'message': N_('message', 'messages', messages.count),
-                'replies_count': data,
-                'replies': N_('reply', 'replies', data)
-                }
-
-        title = self._options[self.NAMESPACE]['window_title'] % (title_info)
-        self._main_window.set_title(title)
+        self._update_title(messages.count, data)
         if (data + messages.count) > 0:
             self._statusicon.set_from_pixbuf(self._images['new-messages'])
             return
@@ -1109,15 +1107,15 @@ class Interface(object):
         options.add_option(
                 group=self.NAMESPACE,
                 option='window_title',
-                help='Format string to be used in the title, following ' \
-                        "Python's string formatting rules. Mitter will " \
-                        'pass a dictionary with:\n' \
+                help='Format string to be used in the title. Variables ' \
+                        'can be accessed with {variable_name}. Mitter will ' \
+                        'pass the following variables:\n' \
                         '"message_count": the number of unread messages,\n' \
                         '"message": the translatable word for ' \
                         '"message(s)",\n' \
                         '"replies_count": the number of unread replies,\n' \
                         '"replies": the translatable word for "replies"',
                 metavar='STRING',
-                default='Mitter (%(message_count)d %(message)s, ' \
-                        '%(replies_count)d %(replies)s)',
-                is_cmd_option=False)
\ No newline at end of file
+                default='Mitter ({message_count} {message}, ' \
+                        '{replies_count} {replies})',
+                is_cmd_option=False)