diff --git a/include/mode-private.h b/include/mode-private.h
index a4b06c74..935402e4 100644
--- a/include/mode-private.h
+++ b/include/mode-private.h
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #ifndef ROFI_MODE_PRIVATE_H
 #define ROFI_MODE_PRIVATE_H
 
-#define ABI_VERSION 0x00000001
+#define ABI_VERSION 0x00000002
 
 /**
  * @param data Pointer to #Mode object.
@@ -93,6 +93,15 @@ typedef ModeMode ( *_mode_result )( Mode *sw, int menu_retv, char **input, unsig
  */
 typedef char* ( *_mode_preprocess_input )( Mode *sw, const char *input );
 
+/**
+ * @param sw The #Mode pointer
+ *
+ * Message to show in the message bar.
+ *
+ * @returns the (valid pango markup) message to display.
+ */
+typedef char * (*_mode_get_message )( const Mode *sw );
+
 /**
  * Structure defining a switcher.
  * It consists of a name, callback and if enabled
@@ -127,6 +136,8 @@ struct rofi_mode
 
     _mode_preprocess_input  _preprocess_input;
 
+    _mode_get_message _get_message;
+
     /** Pointer to private data. */
     void                    *private_data;
 
diff --git a/include/mode.h b/include/mode.h
index b8ee36c4..0dbef79c 100644
--- a/include/mode.h
+++ b/include/mode.h
@@ -185,5 +185,14 @@ void mode_set_config ( Mode *mode );
  * @returns a newly allocated string
  */
 char * mode_preprocess_input ( Mode *mode, const char *input );
+
+/**
+ * @param mode The mode to query
+ *
+ * Query the mode for a user display.
+ *
+ * @return a new allocated (valid pango markup) message to display (user should free).
+ */
+char *mode_get_message ( const Mode *mode );
 /*@}*/
 #endif
diff --git a/include/view.h b/include/view.h
index 817aeedb..ca3a5721 100644
--- a/include/view.h
+++ b/include/view.h
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ typedef enum
 /**
  * @param sw the Mode to show.
  * @param input A pointer to a string where the inputted data is placed.
- * @param message Extra message to display.
  * @param flags   Flags indicating state of the menu.
  * @param finalize the finailze callback
  *
@@ -41,7 +40,7 @@ typedef enum
  *
  * @returns The command issued (see MenuReturn)
  */
-RofiViewState *rofi_view_create ( Mode *sw, const char *input, const char *message, MenuFlags flags, void ( *finalize )( RofiViewState * ) );
+RofiViewState *rofi_view_create ( Mode *sw, const char *input, MenuFlags flags, void ( *finalize )( RofiViewState * ) );
 
 /**
  * @param state The Menu Handle
diff --git a/source/dialogs/dmenu.c b/source/dialogs/dmenu.c
index 6417e322..ea0880a2 100644
--- a/source/dialogs/dmenu.c
+++ b/source/dialogs/dmenu.c
@@ -470,6 +470,14 @@ static int dmenu_token_match ( const Mode *sw, GRegex **tokens, unsigned int ind
     DmenuModePrivateData *rmpd = (DmenuModePrivateData *) mode_get_private_data ( sw );
     return helper_token_match ( tokens, rmpd->cmd_list[index] );
 }
+static char *dmenu_get_message ( const Mode *sw )
+{
+    DmenuModePrivateData *pd = (DmenuModePrivateData *) mode_get_private_data ( sw );
+    if ( pd->message ){
+        return g_strdup ( pd->message );
+    }
+    return NULL; 
+}
 
 #include "mode-private.h"
 /** dmenu Mode object. */
@@ -485,6 +493,7 @@ Mode dmenu_mode =
     ._get_display_value = get_display_data,
     ._get_completion    = NULL,
     ._preprocess_input  = NULL,
+    ._get_message       = dmenu_get_message,
     .private_data       = NULL,
     .free               = NULL,
     .display_name       = "dmenu:"
@@ -697,7 +706,7 @@ int dmenu_switcher_dialog ( void )
         return TRUE;
     }
     find_arg_str (  "-p", &( dmenu_mode.display_name ) );
-    RofiViewState *state = rofi_view_create ( &dmenu_mode, input, pd->message, menu_flags, dmenu_finalize );
+    RofiViewState *state = rofi_view_create ( &dmenu_mode, input, menu_flags, dmenu_finalize );
     // @TODO we should do this better.
     if ( async ) {
         rofi_view_set_overlay ( state, "Loading.. " );
diff --git a/source/mode.c b/source/mode.c
index 48cf9477..53daf88c 100644
--- a/source/mode.c
+++ b/source/mode.c
@@ -124,4 +124,11 @@ char * mode_preprocess_input ( Mode *mode, const char *input )
     }
     return g_strdup ( input );
 }
+char *mode_get_message ( const Mode *mode )
+{
+    if ( mode->_get_message ) {
+        return mode->_get_message ( mode );
+    }
+    return NULL;
+}
 /*@}*/
diff --git a/source/rofi.c b/source/rofi.c
index 901b3eb0..c933a742 100644
--- a/source/rofi.c
+++ b/source/rofi.c
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ static void run_switcher ( ModeMode mode )
         return;
     }
     curr_switcher = mode;
-    RofiViewState * state = rofi_view_create ( modi[mode], config.filter, NULL, MENU_PROMPT_COLON, process_result );
+    RofiViewState * state = rofi_view_create ( modi[mode], config.filter, MENU_PROMPT_COLON, process_result );
     if ( state ) {
         rofi_view_set_active ( state );
     }
diff --git a/source/view.c b/source/view.c
index 7fd03485..9d92ae57 100644
--- a/source/view.c
+++ b/source/view.c
@@ -374,6 +374,22 @@ static void rofi_view_window_update_size ( RofiViewState * state )
     widget_resize ( WIDGET ( state->main_window ), state->width, state->height );
 }
 
+
+static void rofi_view_reload_message_bar ( RofiViewState *state )
+{
+    if ( state->mesg_box  == NULL ){
+        return ;
+    }
+    char *msg = mode_get_message ( state->sw );
+    if ( msg ) {
+        textbox_text ( state->mesg_tb, msg );
+        widget_enable ( WIDGET (state->mesg_box ) );
+        g_free ( msg );
+    } else {
+        widget_disable ( WIDGET (state->mesg_box ) );
+    }
+}
+
 static gboolean rofi_view_reload_idle ( G_GNUC_UNUSED gpointer data )
 {
     if ( current_active_menu ) {
@@ -1002,6 +1018,7 @@ static void _rofi_view_reload_row ( RofiViewState *state )
     state->line_map  = g_malloc0_n ( state->num_lines, sizeof ( unsigned int ) );
     state->distance  = g_malloc0_n ( state->num_lines, sizeof ( int ) );
     listview_set_max_lines ( state->list_view, state->num_lines );
+    rofi_view_reload_message_bar ( state );
 }
 
 static void rofi_view_refilter ( RofiViewState *state )
@@ -1524,7 +1541,6 @@ static void rofi_view_listview_mouse_activated_cb ( listview *lv, xcb_button_pre
 
 RofiViewState *rofi_view_create ( Mode *sw,
                                   const char *input,
-                                  const char *message,
                                   MenuFlags menu_flags,
                                   void ( *finalize )( RofiViewState * ) )
 {
@@ -1593,11 +1609,9 @@ RofiViewState *rofi_view_create ( Mode *sw,
 
     textbox_text ( state->case_indicator, get_matching_state () );
     state->mesg_box = container_create ( "window.mainbox.message.box" );
-    state->mesg_tb  = textbox_create ( "window.mainbox.message.textbox", TB_AUTOHEIGHT | TB_MARKUP | TB_WRAP, NORMAL, message );
+    state->mesg_tb  = textbox_create ( "window.mainbox.message.textbox", TB_AUTOHEIGHT | TB_MARKUP | TB_WRAP, NORMAL, NULL );
     container_add ( state->mesg_box, WIDGET ( state->mesg_tb ) );
-    if ( message  == NULL ) {
-        widget_disable ( WIDGET( state->mesg_box ) );
-    }
+    rofi_view_reload_message_bar ( state );
     box_add ( state->main_box, WIDGET ( state->mesg_box ), FALSE, end ? 8 : 2 );
 
     state->overlay                = textbox_create ( "window.overlay", TB_AUTOWIDTH | TB_AUTOHEIGHT, URGENT, "blaat"  );