diff --git a/src/qtgui/guiutils.cpp b/src/qtgui/guiutils.cpp
index e7e18d5d..389ab7f0 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/guiutils.cpp
+++ b/src/qtgui/guiutils.cpp
@@ -295,6 +295,7 @@ void rwSettings(bool writing)
                Bool, false);
     SETTING_RW(prefs.noClearSearch, "/Recoll/prefs/noClearSearch", Bool, false);
     SETTING_RW(prefs.noToolbars, "/Recoll/prefs/noToolbars", Bool, false);
+    SETTING_RW(prefs.noStatusBar, "/Recoll/prefs/noStatusBar", Bool, false);
     SETTING_RW(prefs.showTrayIcon, "/Recoll/prefs/showTrayIcon", Bool, false);
     SETTING_RW(prefs.closeToTray, "/Recoll/prefs/closeToTray", Bool, false);
     SETTING_RW(prefs.trayMessages, "/Recoll/prefs/trayMessages", Bool, false);
diff --git a/src/qtgui/guiutils.h b/src/qtgui/guiutils.h
index 72641691..dc6e832c 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/guiutils.h
+++ b/src/qtgui/guiutils.h
@@ -142,6 +142,7 @@ class PrefsPack {
     
     bool noToolbars{false};
     bool noClearSearch{false};
+    bool noStatusBar{false};
     bool showTrayIcon{false};
     bool closeToTray{false};
     bool trayMessages{false};
diff --git a/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.cpp b/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.cpp
index 958660b8..a501cbb0 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.cpp
+++ b/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.cpp
@@ -151,9 +151,7 @@ void RclMain::init()
     qf.setPermissions(QFile::ReadOwner|QFile::WriteOwner);
     qf.close();
     m_watcher.addPath(idxfn);
-    // At least some versions of qt4 don't display the status bar if
-    // it's not created here.
-    (void)statusBar();
+    setupStatusBar();
 
     (void)new HelpClient(this);
     HelpClient::installMap((const char *)this->objectName().toUtf8(),
@@ -483,6 +481,17 @@ void RclMain::setupToolbars()
     }
 }
 
+void RclMain::setupStatusBar()
+{
+    auto bar = statusBar();
+    if (prefs.noStatusBar) {
+        bar->hide();
+    } else {
+        bar->show();
+    }
+}
+
+
 void RclMain::enableTrayIcon(bool on)
 {
     on =  on && QSystemTrayIcon::isSystemTrayAvailable();
diff --git a/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.h b/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.h
index e601a37a..0895b3d8 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.h
+++ b/src/qtgui/rclmain_w.h
@@ -90,7 +90,8 @@ public:
     void enableTrayIcon(bool onoff);
     QString readDarkCSS();
     void setupToolbars();
-
+    void setupStatusBar();
+                         
 public slots:
     virtual void fileExit();
     virtual void periodic100();
diff --git a/src/qtgui/uiprefs.ui b/src/qtgui/uiprefs.ui
index 6cc4a747..63bd730c 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/uiprefs.ui
+++ b/src/qtgui/uiprefs.ui
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
          <item>
           <widget class="QLabel" name="textLabelSST">
            <property name="text">
-            <string>Start with simple search mode</string>
+            <string>Start with simple search mode: </string>
            </property>
            <property name="wordWrap">
             <bool>false</bool>
@@ -172,6 +172,16 @@
          </property>
         </widget>
        </item>
+       <item>
+        <widget class="QCheckBox" name="noStatusBarCB">
+         <property name="text">
+          <string>Hide status bar.</string>
+         </property>
+         <property name="checked">
+          <bool>false</bool>
+         </property>
+        </widget>
+       </item>
        <item>
         <widget class="QCheckBox" name="noClearSearchCB">
          <property name="text">
diff --git a/src/qtgui/uiprefs_w.cpp b/src/qtgui/uiprefs_w.cpp
index dfa89833..24ea56c4 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/uiprefs_w.cpp
+++ b/src/qtgui/uiprefs_w.cpp
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ void UIPrefsDialog::setFromPrefs()
 
     noToolbarsCB->setChecked(prefs.noToolbars);
     noClearSearchCB->setChecked(prefs.noClearSearch);
+    noStatusBarCB->setChecked(prefs.noStatusBar);
     showTrayIconCB->setChecked(prefs.showTrayIcon);
     if (!prefs.showTrayIcon) {
         prefs.closeToTray = false;
@@ -350,9 +351,11 @@ void UIPrefsDialog::accept()
 
     prefs.keepSort = keepSortCB->isChecked();
     prefs.noToolbars = noToolbarsCB->isChecked();
+    m_mainWindow->setupToolbars();
+    prefs.noStatusBar = noStatusBarCB->isChecked();
+    m_mainWindow->setupStatusBar();
     prefs.noClearSearch = noClearSearchCB->isChecked();
     m_mainWindow->sSearch->setupButtons();
-    m_mainWindow->setupToolbars();
     prefs.showTrayIcon = showTrayIconCB->isChecked();
     m_mainWindow->enableTrayIcon(prefs.showTrayIcon);
     prefs.closeToTray = closeToTrayCB->isChecked();