diff --git a/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py b/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
index 216a0c2c2..c1f631465 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ DATA = OrderedDict([
          "Whether to show vertical scrollbar for web content."),
 
         ('message-timeout',
-         SettingValue(types.Int(), '3000'),
+         SettingValue(types.Int(), '2000'),
          "Time (in ms) to show messages in the statusbar for."),
     )),
 
diff --git a/qutebrowser/utils/message.py b/qutebrowser/utils/message.py
index 2b33f117b..359c8097f 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/utils/message.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/utils/message.py
@@ -27,18 +27,30 @@ def instance():
     return QCoreApplication.instance().messagebridge
 
 
-def error(message):
-    """Display an error message in the statusbar."""
+def error(message, immediate=False):
+    """Display an error message in the statusbar.
+
+    Args:
+        message: The message to display.
+        immediate: If set, message gets displayed immediately rather than
+                   getting queued.
+    """
     message = str(message)
     logging.error(message)
-    instance().error.emit(message)
+    instance().error.emit(message, immediate)
 
 
-def info(message):
-    """Display a temporary info message in the statusbar."""
+def info(message, immediate=False):
+    """Display a temporary info message in the statusbar.
+
+    Args:
+        message: The message to display.
+        immediate: If set, message gets displayed immediately rather than
+                   getting queued.
+    """
     message = str(message)
     logging.info(message)
-    instance().info.emit(message)
+    instance().info.emit(message, immediate)
 
 
 def text(message):
@@ -62,7 +74,7 @@ class MessageBridge(QObject):
 
     """Bridge for messages to be shown in the statusbar."""
 
-    error = pyqtSignal(str)
-    info = pyqtSignal(str)
+    error = pyqtSignal(str, bool)
+    info = pyqtSignal(str, bool)
     text = pyqtSignal(str)
     set_cmd_text = pyqtSignal(str)
diff --git a/qutebrowser/widgets/statusbar/bar.py b/qutebrowser/widgets/statusbar/bar.py
index b1a02057d..f19da8eeb 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/widgets/statusbar/bar.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/widgets/statusbar/bar.py
@@ -181,9 +181,15 @@ class StatusBar(QWidget):
             self._text_pop_timer.start()
         self._stack.setCurrentWidget(self.txt)
 
-    @pyqtSlot(str)
-    def _disp_text(self, text, error):
-        """Inner logic for disp_error and disp_temp_text."""
+    def _disp_text(self, text, error, immediate):
+        """Inner logic for disp_error and disp_temp_text.
+
+        Args:
+            text: The message to display.
+            error: Whether it's an error message (True) or normal text (False)
+            immediate: If set, message gets displayed immediately rather than
+                       getting queued.
+        """
         logging.debug("Displaying text: {} (error={})".format(text, error))
         now = datetime.now()
         mindelta = config.get('general', 'message-timeout')
@@ -191,8 +197,8 @@ class StatusBar(QWidget):
                  else now - self._last_text_time)
         self._last_text_time = now
         logging.debug("queue: {} / delta: {}".format(self._text_queue, delta))
-        if not self._text_queue and (
-                delta is None or delta.total_seconds() * 1000.0 > mindelta):
+        if immediate or (not self._text_queue and (
+                delta is None or delta.total_seconds() * 1000.0 > mindelta)):
             # If the queue is empty and we didn't print messages for long
             # enough, we can take the short route and display the message
             # immediately. We then start the pop_timer only to restore the
@@ -212,15 +218,27 @@ class StatusBar(QWidget):
             self._text_queue.append((error, text))
         self._text_pop_timer.start()
 
-    @pyqtSlot(str)
-    def disp_error(self, text):
-        """Display an error in the statusbar."""
-        self._disp_text(text, True)
+    @pyqtSlot(str, bool)
+    def disp_error(self, text, immediate):
+        """Display an error in the statusbar.
 
-    @pyqtSlot(str)
-    def disp_temp_text(self, text):
-        """Add a temporary text to the queue."""
-        self._disp_text(text, False)
+        Args:
+            text: The message to display.
+            immediate: If set, message gets displayed immediately rather than
+                       getting queued.
+        """
+        self._disp_text(text, True, immediate)
+
+    @pyqtSlot(str, bool)
+    def disp_temp_text(self, text, immediate):
+        """Display a temporary text in the statusbar.
+
+        Args:
+            text: The message to display.
+            immediate: If set, message gets displayed immediately rather than
+                       getting queued.
+        """
+        self._disp_text(text, False, immediate)
 
     @pyqtSlot(str)
     def set_text(self, val):
diff --git a/qutebrowser/widgets/webview.py b/qutebrowser/widgets/webview.py
index f8760789f..8b836ad66 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/widgets/webview.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/widgets/webview.py
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ class WebView(QWebView):
         if perc < 0:
             raise CommandError("Can't zoom {}%!".format(perc))
         self.setZoomFactor(float(perc) / 100)
-        message.info("Zoom level: {}%".format(perc))
+        message.info("Zoom level: {}%".format(perc), immediate=True)
 
     def zoom(self, offset):
         """Increase/Decrease the zoom level.