diff --git a/server-client.c b/server-client.c
index ccddee7a..048a138b 100644
--- a/server-client.c
+++ b/server-client.c
@@ -1636,3 +1636,34 @@ server_client_push_stderr(struct client *c)
 		log_debug("%s: client %p, queued", __func__, c);
 	}
 }
+
+/* Add to client message log. */
+void
+server_client_add_message(struct client *c, const char *fmt, ...)
+{
+	struct message_entry	*msg, *msg1;
+	char			*s;
+	va_list			 ap;
+	u_int			 limit;
+
+	va_start(ap, fmt);
+	xvasprintf(&s, fmt, ap);
+	va_end(ap);
+
+	log_debug("%s: message %s", c->tty.path, s);
+
+	msg = xcalloc(1, sizeof *msg);
+	msg->msg_time = time(NULL);
+	msg->msg_num = c->message_next++;
+	msg->msg = s;
+	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&c->message_log, msg, entry);
+
+	limit = options_get_number(global_options, "message-limit");
+	TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(msg, &c->message_log, entry, msg1) {
+		if (msg->msg_num + limit >= c->message_next)
+			break;
+		free(msg->msg);
+		TAILQ_REMOVE(&c->message_log, msg, entry);
+		free(msg);
+	}
+}
diff --git a/status.c b/status.c
index 6cc1ee37..a8fe2032 100644
--- a/status.c
+++ b/status.c
@@ -562,13 +562,9 @@ status_print(struct client *c, struct winlink *wl, time_t t,
 void
 status_message_set(struct client *c, const char *fmt, ...)
 {
-	struct timeval		 tv;
-	struct message_entry	*msg, *msg1;
-	va_list			 ap;
-	int			 delay;
-	u_int			 limit;
-
-	limit = options_get_number(global_options, "message-limit");
+	struct timeval	tv;
+	va_list		ap;
+	int		delay;
 
 	status_message_clear(c);
 
@@ -576,19 +572,7 @@ status_message_set(struct client *c, const char *fmt, ...)
 	xvasprintf(&c->message_string, fmt, ap);
 	va_end(ap);
 
-	msg = xcalloc(1, sizeof *msg);
-	msg->msg_time = time(NULL);
-	msg->msg_num = c->message_next++;
-	msg->msg = xstrdup(c->message_string);
-	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&c->message_log, msg, entry);
-
-	TAILQ_FOREACH_SAFE(msg, &c->message_log, entry, msg1) {
-		if (msg->msg_num + limit >= c->message_next)
-			break;
-		free(msg->msg);
-		TAILQ_REMOVE(&c->message_log, msg, entry);
-		free(msg);
-	}
+	server_client_add_message(c, "%s", c->message_string);
 
 	delay = options_get_number(c->session->options, "display-time");
 	if (delay > 0) {
diff --git a/tmux.1 b/tmux.1
index 2bb56e6b..1ba22ab6 100644
--- a/tmux.1
+++ b/tmux.1
@@ -838,7 +838,7 @@ is used,
 .Fl x
 and
 .Fl y
-specify the size of the initial window (80 by 24 if not given).
+specify the size of the initial window.
 .Pp
 If run from a terminal, any
 .Xr termios 4
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index 3b58246b..b54edf3e 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -1830,6 +1830,8 @@ void	 server_client_exec(struct client *, const char *);
 void	 server_client_loop(void);
 void	 server_client_push_stdout(struct client *);
 void	 server_client_push_stderr(struct client *);
+void printflike(2, 3) server_client_add_message(struct client *, const char *,
+	     ...);
 
 /* server-fn.c */
 void	 server_fill_environ(struct session *, struct environ *);