diff --git a/TODO b/TODO
index 6e9c2ead9..331a2d912 100644
--- a/TODO
+++ b/TODO
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ Improvements / minor features
 
 - Get rid of webkit config section
       http://paste.the-compiler.org/view/542f9b74
-- Add an option to configure if javascript may set statusbar
 - Reimplement tabbar to paint it by ourselves to look like dwb
 - Save cookies in Netscape format so it can be used by wget.
     http://www.cookiecentral.com/faq/#3.5
diff --git a/qutebrowser/app.py b/qutebrowser/app.py
index f73daaa5a..1f0c55d47 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/app.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/app.py
@@ -388,7 +388,8 @@ class QuteBrowser(QApplication):
         # config
         self.config.style_changed.connect(style.invalidate_caches)
         for obj in [tabs, completion, self.mainwindow, self.cmd_history,
-                    websettings, kp['normal'], self.modeman, status]:
+                    websettings, kp['normal'], self.modeman, status,
+                    status.txt]:
             self.config.changed.connect(obj.on_config_changed)
 
         # statusbar
diff --git a/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py b/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
index dabc0b92c..467b15f41 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
@@ -218,6 +218,10 @@ DATA = OrderedDict([
         ('confirm-quit',
          SettingValue(types.ConfirmQuit(), 'never'),
          "Whether to confirm quitting the application."),
+
+        ('display-statusbar-messages',
+         SettingValue(types.Bool(), 'false'),
+         "Whether to display javascript statusbar messages."),
     )),
 
     ('network', sect.KeyValue(
diff --git a/qutebrowser/widgets/statusbar/text.py b/qutebrowser/widgets/statusbar/text.py
index 08a684217..4fd6bda14 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/widgets/statusbar/text.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/widgets/statusbar/text.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 
 from PyQt5.QtCore import pyqtSlot
 
+import qutebrowser.config.config as config
 from qutebrowser.widgets.statusbar.textbase import TextBase
 
 
@@ -79,10 +80,12 @@ class Text(TextBase):
 
     def _update_text(self):
         """Update QLabel text when needed."""
-        for text in [self.temptext, self.jstext, self.normaltext]:
-            if text:
-                self.setText(text)
-                break
+        if self.temptext:
+            self.setText(self.temptext)
+        elif self.jstext and config.get('ui', 'display-statusbar-messages'):
+            self.setText(self.jstext)
+        elif self.normaltext:
+            self.setText(self.normaltext)
         else:
             self.setText('')
 
@@ -101,3 +104,9 @@ class Text(TextBase):
         """Set the correct jstext when the current tab changed."""
         tab = self.sender().widget(idx)
         self.jstext = tab.statusbar_message
+
+    @pyqtSlot(str, str)
+    def on_config_changed(self, section, option):
+        """Update text if display-statusbar-messages option changed."""
+        if (section, option) == ('ui', 'display-statusbar-messages'):
+            self._update_text()