diff --git a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/ChatPanel.java b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/ChatPanel.java
index 6a39e99ff..dc4ff17c9 100644
--- a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/ChatPanel.java
+++ b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/ChatPanel.java
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ public Window getConversationContainerWindow() {
      */
     public void setStatusMessage(String statusMessage)
     {
-        this.sendPanel.setStatusMessage(statusMessage);
+        this.sendPanel.getStatusPanel().setStatusMessage(statusMessage);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/ChatSendPanel.java b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/ChatSendPanel.java
index 1c6bf4b69..42d4687bc 100755
--- a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/ChatSendPanel.java
+++ b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/ChatSendPanel.java
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@
 import javax.swing.*;
 
 import net.java.sip.communicator.impl.gui.*;
-import net.java.sip.communicator.impl.gui.lookandfeel.*;
-import net.java.sip.communicator.util.*;
 import net.java.sip.communicator.util.swing.*;
 
 /**
@@ -34,8 +32,6 @@ public class ChatSendPanel
     private final TransparentPanel sendPanel
         = new TransparentPanel(new FlowLayout(FlowLayout.RIGHT, 0, 0));
 
-    private final JLabel statusLabel = new JLabel();
-
     private final ChatPanel chatPanel;
 
     /**
@@ -54,8 +50,6 @@ public ChatSendPanel(ChatPanel chatPanel)
 
         this.chatPanel = chatPanel;
 
-        this.statusPanel.add(statusLabel, BorderLayout.WEST);
-
         this.sendPanel.add(sendButton);
 
         this.add(statusPanel, BorderLayout.CENTER);
@@ -85,58 +79,6 @@ public void run()
         }
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Sets the message text to the status panel in the bottom of the chat
-     * window. Used to show typing notification messages, links' hrefs, etc.
-     *
-     * @param statusMessage The message text to be displayed.
-     */
-    public void setStatusMessage(String statusMessage)
-    {
-        int stringWidth = GuiUtils.getStringWidth(statusLabel, statusMessage);
-
-        final int dot3 = GuiUtils.getStringWidth(statusLabel, "... ");
-
-        // first, we avoid to loop if it is useless.
-        final int statusPanelWidth = statusPanel.getWidth();
-        if (dot3 >= statusPanelWidth)
-        {
-            if (stringWidth > dot3)
-                statusMessage = "...";
-        }
-        else
-        {
-            while ((stringWidth > (statusPanelWidth - dot3))
-                    && !statusMessage.equals("..."))
-            {
-                if (statusMessage.endsWith("..."))
-                {
-                    statusMessage = statusMessage.substring(0,
-                        statusMessage.indexOf("...") - 1).concat("...");
-                }
-                else
-                {
-                    statusMessage = statusMessage.substring(0,
-                        statusMessage.length() - 3).concat("...");
-                }
-                stringWidth = GuiUtils.getStringWidth(statusLabel, statusMessage);
-            }
-        }
-        statusLabel.setText(statusMessage);
-    }
-
-    private class StatusPanel extends TransparentPanel
-    {
-        public StatusPanel()
-        {
-            super(new BorderLayout());
-
-            this.setBorder(BorderFactory.createCompoundBorder(
-                SIPCommBorders.getRoundBorder(),
-                BorderFactory.createEmptyBorder(3, 3, 3, 3)));
-        }
-    }
-
     /**
      * Returns the parent <tt>ChatPanel</tt>.
      * @return the parent <tt>ChatPanel</tt>
@@ -160,7 +102,7 @@ public JPanel getSendPanel()
      * Returns the status panel contained in this panel.
      * @return the status panel contained in this panel
      */
-    public JPanel getStatusPanel()
+    public StatusPanel getStatusPanel()
     {
         return statusPanel;
     }
diff --git a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/StatusPanel.java b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/StatusPanel.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9ffd7db1c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/gui/main/chat/StatusPanel.java
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+/*
+ * SIP Communicator, the OpenSource Java VoIP and Instant Messaging client.
+ *
+ * Distributable under LGPL license.
+ * See terms of license at gnu.org.
+ */
+package net.java.sip.communicator.impl.gui.main.chat;
+
+import java.awt.*;
+
+import javax.swing.*;
+
+import net.java.sip.communicator.impl.gui.lookandfeel.*;
+import net.java.sip.communicator.util.*;
+import net.java.sip.communicator.util.swing.*;
+
+/**
+ * The <tt>StatusPanel</tt> is the panel shown on the bottom of the chat
+ * window and containing the typing notification messages.
+ * 
+ * @author Yana Stamcheva
+ */
+public class StatusPanel extends TransparentPanel
+{
+    private final JLabel statusLabel = new JLabel();
+
+    public StatusPanel()
+    {
+        super(new BorderLayout());
+
+        this.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(100, getFontHeight() + 10));
+
+        this.setBorder(BorderFactory.createCompoundBorder(
+            SIPCommBorders.getRoundBorder(),
+            BorderFactory.createEmptyBorder(3, 3, 3, 3)));
+
+        this.add(statusLabel, BorderLayout.WEST);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Sets the message text to the status panel in the bottom of the chat
+     * window. Used to show typing notification messages, links' hrefs, etc.
+     *
+     * @param statusMessage The message text to be displayed.
+     */
+    public void setStatusMessage(String statusMessage)
+    {
+        int stringWidth = GuiUtils.getStringWidth(statusLabel, statusMessage);
+
+        final int dot3 = GuiUtils.getStringWidth(statusLabel, "... ");
+
+        // first, we avoid to loop if it is useless.
+        final int statusPanelWidth = this.getWidth();
+        if (dot3 >= statusPanelWidth)
+        {
+            if (stringWidth > dot3)
+                statusMessage = "...";
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            while ((stringWidth > (statusPanelWidth - dot3))
+                    && !statusMessage.equals("..."))
+            {
+                if (statusMessage.endsWith("..."))
+                {
+                    statusMessage = statusMessage.substring(0,
+                        statusMessage.indexOf("...") - 1).concat("...");
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    statusMessage = statusMessage.substring(0,
+                        statusMessage.length() - 3).concat("...");
+                }
+                stringWidth
+                    = GuiUtils.getStringWidth(statusLabel, statusMessage);
+            }
+        }
+        statusLabel.setText(statusMessage);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the height of the default status label font.
+     * 
+     * @return the height of the default status label font.
+     */
+    private int getFontHeight()
+    {
+        FontMetrics statusLabelFontMetrics
+            = statusLabel.getFontMetrics(statusLabel.getFont());
+
+        return statusLabelFontMetrics.getMaxAscent()
+                + statusLabelFontMetrics.getMaxDescent();
+    }
+}