diff --git a/src/converse-controlbox.js b/src/converse-controlbox.js
index 9a6868a0b..6be4dd806 100644
--- a/src/converse-controlbox.js
+++ b/src/converse-controlbox.js
@@ -520,7 +520,7 @@
 
                 renderStatusChangeForm: function (ev) {
                     ev.preventDefault();
-                    var status_message = this.model.get('status') || 'offline';
+                    var status_message = _converse.xmppstatus.get('status_message') || '';
                     var input = _converse.templates.change_status_message({
                         'status_message': status_message,
                         'label_custom_status': __('Custom status'),
diff --git a/src/templates/change_status_message.html b/src/templates/change_status_message.html
index 1998ae8d3..4799ab2cd 100644
--- a/src/templates/change_status_message.html
+++ b/src/templates/change_status_message.html
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 <form id="set-custom-xmpp-status" class="pure-form">
 <fieldset>
     <span class="input-button-group">
-        <input type="text" class="custom-xmpp-status" {{status_message}} placeholder="{{label_custom_status}}"/>
+        <input type="text" class="custom-xmpp-status" value="{{status_message}}" placeholder="{{label_custom_status}}"/>
         <input type="submit" class="pure-button button-primary" value="{{label_save}}"/>
     </span>
 </fieldset>