diff --git a/mitterlib/ui/ui_pygtk.py b/mitterlib/ui/ui_pygtk.py
index 0cb48db..c09a256 100644
--- a/mitterlib/ui/ui_pygtk.py
+++ b/mitterlib/ui/ui_pygtk.py
@@ -776,10 +776,14 @@ class Interface(object):
         text = _buffer_text(text_buffer)
         count = len(text)
 
+        if self._reply_message_id:
+            suffix = '(replying to %s)' % (self._reply_message_id.username)
+        else:
+            suffix = ''
+
         # TODO: gettext to properly use "characters"/"character"
-        text = '%d characters' % (count)
+        text = '%d characters %s' % (count, prefix)
 
-        #self._count_label.set_text(text)
         self._statusbar.push(self._remove_count_status(), text)
         self._update_sensitivity(not (count == 0))
 
@@ -925,7 +929,6 @@ class Interface(object):
         message = model.get_value(iter, 0)
         self._update_text.get_buffer().set_text(
                 self._connection.reply_prefix(message))
-        #self._reply_label.set_text('Replying to %s' % (message.username))
         self._reply_message_id = message
         self._update_text.grab_focus()