diff --git a/alerts.c b/alerts.c
index 4cc5c3eb..d3c5df05 100644
--- a/alerts.c
+++ b/alerts.c
@@ -314,10 +314,11 @@ alerts_set_message(struct winlink *wl, const char *type, const char *option)
 			tty_putcode(&c->tty, TTYC_BEL);
 		if (visual == VISUAL_OFF)
 			continue;
-		if (c->session->curw == wl)
-			status_message_set(c, -1, 1, "%s in current window", type);
-		else {
-			status_message_set(c, -1, 1, "%s in window %d", type,
+		if (c->session->curw == wl) {
+			status_message_set(c, -1, 1, 0, "%s in current window",
+			    type);
+		} else {
+			status_message_set(c, -1, 1, 0, "%s in window %d", type,
 			    wl->idx);
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/cmd-display-message.c b/cmd-display-message.c
index 301c1a5e..0522d37f 100644
--- a/cmd-display-message.c
+++ b/cmd-display-message.c
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ const struct cmd_entry cmd_display_message_entry = {
 	.name = "display-message",
 	.alias = "display",
 
-	.args = { "acd:Ipt:F:v", 0, 1 },
-	.usage = "[-aIpv] [-c target-client] [-d delay] [-F format] "
+	.args = { "acd:INpt:F:v", 0, 1 },
+	.usage = "[-aINpv] [-c target-client] [-d delay] [-F format] "
 		 CMD_TARGET_PANE_USAGE " [message]",
 
 	.target = { 't', CMD_FIND_PANE, CMD_FIND_CANFAIL },
@@ -132,8 +132,10 @@ cmd_display_message_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 		cmdq_error(item, "%s", msg);
 	else if (args_has(args, 'p'))
 		cmdq_print(item, "%s", msg);
-	else if (tc != NULL)
-		status_message_set(tc, delay, 0, "%s", msg);
+	else if (tc != NULL) {
+		status_message_set(tc, delay, 0, args_has(args, 'N'), "%s",
+		    msg);
+	}
 	free(msg);
 
 	format_free(ft);
diff --git a/cmd-list-keys.c b/cmd-list-keys.c
index dd82e57e..ca4bf752 100644
--- a/cmd-list-keys.c
+++ b/cmd-list-keys.c
@@ -113,9 +113,10 @@ cmd_list_keys_print_notes(struct cmdq_item *item, struct args *args,
 		else
 			note = xstrdup(bd->note);
 		tmp = utf8_padcstr(key, keywidth + 1);
-		if (args_has(args, '1') && tc != NULL)
-			status_message_set(tc, -1, 1, "%s%s%s", prefix, tmp, note);
-		else
+		if (args_has(args, '1') && tc != NULL) {
+			status_message_set(tc, -1, 1, 0, "%s%s%s", prefix, tmp,
+			    note);
+		} else
 			cmdq_print(item, "%s%s%s", prefix, tmp, note);
 		free(tmp);
 		free(note);
diff --git a/cmd-queue.c b/cmd-queue.c
index a0d80c34..54163919 100644
--- a/cmd-queue.c
+++ b/cmd-queue.c
@@ -862,7 +862,7 @@ cmdq_error(struct cmdq_item *item, const char *fmt, ...)
 		c->retval = 1;
 	} else {
 		*msg = toupper((u_char) *msg);
-		status_message_set(c, -1, 1, "%s", msg);
+		status_message_set(c, -1, 1, 0, "%s", msg);
 	}
 
 	free(msg);
diff --git a/cmd-run-shell.c b/cmd-run-shell.c
index 73ed79f4..56d5f723 100644
--- a/cmd-run-shell.c
+++ b/cmd-run-shell.c
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ cmd_run_shell_timer(__unused int fd, __unused short events, void* arg)
 		if (status == CMD_PARSE_ERROR) {
 			if (cdata->item == NULL) {
 				*error = toupper((u_char)*error);
-				status_message_set(c, -1, 1, "%s", error);
+				status_message_set(c, -1, 1, 0, "%s", error);
 			} else
 				cmdq_error(cdata->item, "%s", error);
 			free(error);
diff --git a/mode-tree.c b/mode-tree.c
index c0f85026..ca7f33a4 100644
--- a/mode-tree.c
+++ b/mode-tree.c
@@ -1204,7 +1204,7 @@ mode_tree_run_command(struct client *c, struct cmd_find_state *fs,
 		if (status == CMD_PARSE_ERROR) {
 			if (c != NULL) {
 				*error = toupper((u_char)*error);
-				status_message_set(c, -1, 1, "%s", error);
+				status_message_set(c, -1, 1, 0, "%s", error);
 			}
 			free(error);
 		}
diff --git a/server-client.c b/server-client.c
index 1c2b74b6..d3ffd682 100644
--- a/server-client.c
+++ b/server-client.c
@@ -1308,7 +1308,11 @@ server_client_handle_key(struct client *c, struct key_event *event)
 	 * immediately rather than queued.
 	 */
 	if (~c->flags & CLIENT_READONLY) {
-		status_message_clear(c);
+		if (c->message_string != NULL) {
+			if (c->message_ignore_keys)
+				return (0);
+			status_message_clear(c);
+		}
 		if (c->overlay_key != NULL) {
 			switch (c->overlay_key(c, event)) {
 			case 0:
diff --git a/status.c b/status.c
index 154d9452..f9786f4b 100644
--- a/status.c
+++ b/status.c
@@ -424,7 +424,7 @@ status_redraw(struct client *c)
 /* Set a status line message. */
 void
 status_message_set(struct client *c, int delay, int ignore_styles,
-    const char *fmt, ...)
+    int ignore_keys, const char *fmt, ...)
 {
 	struct timeval	tv;
 	va_list		ap;
@@ -433,7 +433,6 @@ status_message_set(struct client *c, int delay, int ignore_styles,
 	status_push_screen(c);
 
 	va_start(ap, fmt);
-	c->message_ignore_styles = ignore_styles;
 	xvasprintf(&c->message_string, fmt, ap);
 	va_end(ap);
 
@@ -456,6 +455,10 @@ status_message_set(struct client *c, int delay, int ignore_styles,
 		evtimer_add(&c->message_timer, &tv);
 	}
 
+	if (delay != 0)
+		c->message_ignore_keys = ignore_keys;
+	c->message_ignore_styles = ignore_styles;
+
 	c->tty.flags |= (TTY_NOCURSOR|TTY_FREEZE);
 	c->flags |= CLIENT_REDRAWSTATUS;
 }
diff --git a/tmux.1 b/tmux.1
index 9d235b8f..2343ab89 100644
--- a/tmux.1
+++ b/tmux.1
@@ -5565,7 +5565,7 @@ The following keys are also available:
 .It Li "q" Ta "Exit menu"
 .El
 .It Xo Ic display-message
-.Op Fl aIpv
+.Op Fl aINpv
 .Op Fl c Ar target-client
 .Op Fl d Ar delay
 .Op Fl t Ar target-pane
@@ -5585,6 +5585,8 @@ If
 is not given, the
 .Ic message-time
 option is used; a delay of zero waits for a key press.
+.Ql N
+ignores key presses and closes only after the delay expires.
 The format of
 .Ar message
 is described in the
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index 9b2bd21d..6be5b302 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -1688,6 +1688,7 @@ struct client {
 
 	uint64_t	 redraw_panes;
 
+	int		 message_ignore_keys;
 	int		 message_ignore_styles;
 	char		*message_string;
 	struct event	 message_timer;
@@ -2491,7 +2492,7 @@ struct style_range *status_get_range(struct client *, u_int, u_int);
 void	 status_init(struct client *);
 void	 status_free(struct client *);
 int	 status_redraw(struct client *);
-void status_message_set(struct client *, int, int, const char *, ...);
+void status_message_set(struct client *, int, int, int, const char *, ...);
 void	 status_message_clear(struct client *);
 int	 status_message_redraw(struct client *);
 void	 status_prompt_set(struct client *, struct cmd_find_state *,
diff --git a/window-customize.c b/window-customize.c
index fce002fd..34a13f73 100644
--- a/window-customize.c
+++ b/window-customize.c
@@ -999,7 +999,7 @@ window_customize_set_option_callback(struct client *c, void *itemdata,
 
 fail:
 	*cause = toupper((u_char)*cause);
-	status_message_set(c, -1, 1, "%s", cause);
+	status_message_set(c, -1, 1, 0, "%s", cause);
 	free(cause);
 	return (0);
 }
@@ -1205,7 +1205,7 @@ window_customize_set_command_callback(struct client *c, void *itemdata,
 
 fail:
 	*error = toupper((u_char)*error);
-	status_message_set(c, -1, 1, "%s", error);
+	status_message_set(c, -1, 1, 0, "%s", error);
 	free(error);
 	return (0);
 }