diff --git a/qutebrowser/app.py b/qutebrowser/app.py
index bb2f1972f..becd548f6 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/app.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/app.py
@@ -392,6 +392,8 @@ class Application(QApplication):
         self.messagebridge.s_error.connect(status.disp_error)
         self.messagebridge.s_info.connect(status.disp_temp_text)
         self.messagebridge.s_set_text.connect(status.set_text)
+        self.messagebridge.s_maybe_reset_text.connect(
+            status.txt.maybe_reset_text)
         self.messagebridge.s_set_cmd_text.connect(cmd.set_cmd_text)
         self.messagebridge.s_question.connect(
             status.prompt.prompter.ask_question, Qt.DirectConnection)
diff --git a/qutebrowser/browser/hints.py b/qutebrowser/browser/hints.py
index f5da7a419..f1d2b3e57 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/browser/hints.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/browser/hints.py
@@ -157,8 +157,9 @@ class HintManager(QObject):
         for elem in self._context.elems.values():
             if not elem.label.isNull():
                 elem.label.removeFromDocument()
+        text = self.HINT_TEXTS[self._context.target]
+        message.instance().maybe_reset_text(text)
         self._context = None
-        message.instance().set_text('')
 
     def _hint_strings(self, elems):
         """Calculate the hint strings for elems.
diff --git a/qutebrowser/utils/message.py b/qutebrowser/utils/message.py
index ab4619239..f1fa9221c 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/utils/message.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/utils/message.py
@@ -136,6 +136,8 @@ class MessageBridge(QObject):
                 args: See s_error.
         s_set_text: Set a persistent text in the statusbar.
                     arg: The text to set.
+        s_maybe_reset_text: Reset the text if it hasn't been changed yet.
+                            arg: The expected text.
         s_set_cmd_text: Pre-set a text for the commandline prompt.
                         arg: The text to set.
 
@@ -150,6 +152,7 @@ class MessageBridge(QObject):
     s_error = pyqtSignal(str, bool)
     s_info = pyqtSignal(str, bool)
     s_set_text = pyqtSignal(str)
+    s_maybe_reset_text = pyqtSignal(str)
     s_set_cmd_text = pyqtSignal(str)
     s_question = pyqtSignal(usertypes.Question, bool)
 
@@ -215,6 +218,14 @@ class MessageBridge(QObject):
         log.misc.debug(text)
         self._emit_later(self.s_set_text, text)
 
+    def maybe_reset_text(self, text):
+        """Reset the text in the statusbar if it matches an expected text.
+
+        Args:
+            text: The expected text.
+        """
+        self._emit_later(self.s_maybe_reset_text, str(text))
+
     def ask(self, question, blocking):
         """Ask a question to the user.
 
diff --git a/qutebrowser/widgets/statusbar/text.py b/qutebrowser/widgets/statusbar/text.py
index 978bb856f..f894a94df 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/widgets/statusbar/text.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/widgets/statusbar/text.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ from PyQt5.QtCore import pyqtSlot
 
 from qutebrowser.config import config
 from qutebrowser.widgets.statusbar import textbase
-from qutebrowser.utils import usertypes
+from qutebrowser.utils import usertypes, log
 
 
 class Text(textbase.TextBase):
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ class Text(textbase.TextBase):
             which: Which text to set, a self.Text instance.
             text: The text to set.
         """
+        log.statusbar.debug("Setting {} text to '{}'.".format(
+            which.name, text))
         if which is self.Text.normal:
             self._normaltext = text
         elif which is self.Text.temp:
@@ -64,6 +66,15 @@ class Text(textbase.TextBase):
             raise ValueError("Invalid value {} for which!".format(which))
         self._update_text()
 
+    @pyqtSlot(str)
+    def maybe_reset_text(self, text):
+        """Clear a normal text if it still matches an expected text."""
+        if self._normaltext == text:
+            log.misc.debug("Resetting: '{}'".format(text))
+            self.set_text(self.Text.normal, '')
+        else:
+            log.misc.debug("Ignoring reset: '{}'".format(text))
+
     def _update_text(self):
         """Update QLabel text when needed."""
         if self._temptext: