diff --git a/alerts.c b/alerts.c
index 6fe88a09..9675934a 100644
--- a/alerts.c
+++ b/alerts.c
@@ -316,8 +316,10 @@ alerts_set_message(struct winlink *wl, const char *type, const char *option)
 		if (visual == VISUAL_OFF)
 			continue;
 		if (c->session->curw == wl)
-			status_message_set(c, "%s in current window", type);
-		else
-			status_message_set(c, "%s in window %d", type, wl->idx);
+			status_message_set(c, 1, "%s in current window", type);
+		else {
+			status_message_set(c, 1, "%s in window %d", type,
+			    wl->idx);
+		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/cmd-display-message.c b/cmd-display-message.c
index 4e69f03a..634f0a93 100644
--- a/cmd-display-message.c
+++ b/cmd-display-message.c
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ cmd_display_message_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 	if (args_has(args, 'p'))
 		cmdq_print(item, "%s", msg);
 	else if (tc != NULL)
-		status_message_set(tc, "%s", msg);
+		status_message_set(tc, 0, "%s", msg);
 	free(msg);
 
 	format_free(ft);
diff --git a/cmd-list-keys.c b/cmd-list-keys.c
index 1141bbb5..4e7ba39c 100644
--- a/cmd-list-keys.c
+++ b/cmd-list-keys.c
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ cmd_list_keys_print_notes(struct cmdq_item *item, struct args *args,
 			note = xstrdup(bd->note);
 		tmp = utf8_padcstr(key, keywidth + 1);
 		if (args_has(args, '1') && tc != NULL)
-			status_message_set(tc, "%s%s%s", prefix, tmp, note);
+			status_message_set(tc, 1, "%s%s%s", prefix, tmp, note);
 		else
 			cmdq_print(item, "%s%s%s", prefix, tmp, note);
 		free(tmp);
diff --git a/cmd-queue.c b/cmd-queue.c
index 26e2f2f9..a40053a6 100644
--- a/cmd-queue.c
+++ b/cmd-queue.c
@@ -856,7 +856,7 @@ cmdq_error(struct cmdq_item *item, const char *fmt, ...)
 		c->retval = 1;
 	} else {
 		*msg = toupper((u_char) *msg);
-		status_message_set(c, "%s", msg);
+		status_message_set(c, 1, "%s", msg);
 	}
 
 	free(msg);
diff --git a/mode-tree.c b/mode-tree.c
index 8a28be16..9ed2e102 100644
--- a/mode-tree.c
+++ b/mode-tree.c
@@ -1139,7 +1139,7 @@ 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, "%s", error);
+				status_message_set(c, 1, "%s", error);
 			}
 			free(error);
 		}
diff --git a/status.c b/status.c
index 375cad4d..b5fa0824 100644
--- a/status.c
+++ b/status.c
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ status_redraw(struct client *c)
 
 /* Set a status line message. */
 void
-status_message_set(struct client *c, const char *fmt, ...)
+status_message_set(struct client *c, int ignore_styles, const char *fmt, ...)
 {
 	struct timeval	tv;
 	va_list		ap;
@@ -433,6 +433,7 @@ status_message_set(struct client *c, const char *fmt, ...)
 	status_push_screen(c);
 
 	va_start(ap, fmt);
+	c->message_ignore_styles = ignore_styles;
 	xvasprintf(&c->message_string, fmt, ap);
 	va_end(ap);
 
@@ -515,7 +516,10 @@ status_message_redraw(struct client *c)
 	for (offset = 0; offset < c->tty.sx; offset++)
 		screen_write_putc(&ctx, &gc, ' ');
 	screen_write_cursormove(&ctx, 0, lines - 1, 0);
-	screen_write_nputs(&ctx, len, &gc, "%s", c->message_string);
+	if (c->message_ignore_styles)
+		screen_write_nputs(&ctx, len, &gc, "%s", c->message_string);
+	else
+		format_draw(&ctx, &gc, c->tty.sx, c->message_string, NULL);
 	screen_write_stop(&ctx);
 
 	if (grid_compare(sl->active->grid, old_screen.grid) == 0) {
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index 6a05e93d..eab3e34a 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -1607,6 +1607,7 @@ struct client {
 
 	uint64_t	 redraw_panes;
 
+	int		 message_ignore_styles;
 	char		*message_string;
 	struct event	 message_timer;
 
@@ -2354,7 +2355,8 @@ 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 printflike(2, 3) status_message_set(struct client *, const char *, ...);
+void printflike(3, 4) status_message_set(struct client *, int, const char *,
+	     ...);
 void	 status_message_clear(struct client *);
 int	 status_message_redraw(struct client *);
 void	 status_prompt_set(struct client *, const char *, const char *,
diff --git a/window-customize.c b/window-customize.c
index e180b001..4efb3b1e 100644
--- a/window-customize.c
+++ b/window-customize.c
@@ -772,7 +772,7 @@ window_customize_set_callback(struct client *c, void *itemdata, const char *s,
 
 fail:
 	*cause = toupper((u_char)*cause);
-	status_message_set(c, "%s", cause);
+	status_message_set(c, 1, "%s", cause);
 	free(cause);
 	return (0);
 }