diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 35d10bc8..e60f49ad 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 byobu (5.29) unreleased; urgency=low
 
+  [ Dustin Kirkland ]
   * README:
     - update build docs referencing git repo
   * usr/lib/byobu/cpu_freq, usr/lib/byobu/date, usr/lib/byobu/entropy,
@@ -69,6 +70,10 @@ byobu (5.29) unreleased; urgency=low
     - fix regression with Python2.6 compatibility, use Popen instead of
       check_output
 
+  [ Przemek Wesolek ]
+  * usr/bin/byobu-status: LP: #1003938
+    - go through cat due to possible tmux/epoll bug
+
  -- Dustin Kirkland <kirkland@ubuntu.com>  Tue, 15 Jan 2013 19:26:40 -0600
 
 byobu (5.28-0ubuntu1) raring; urgency=low
diff --git a/usr/bin/byobu-status b/usr/bin/byobu-status
index 1b367e6a..fa9de4b3 100755
--- a/usr/bin/byobu-status
+++ b/usr/bin/byobu-status
@@ -55,8 +55,9 @@ case "$BYOBU_BACKEND" in
 		fi
 		for w in $width; do
 			if [ "$w" != "$w_last" ]; then
-				tmux set -g status-left-length $(($w*1/4)) >/dev/null 2>&1
-				tmux set -g status-right-length $(($w*3/4)) >/dev/null 2>&1
+				# go through cat due to possible tmux/epoll bug
+				tmux set -g status-left-length $(($w*1/4)) | cat >/dev/null 2>&1
+				tmux set -g status-right-length $(($w*3/4)) | cat >/dev/null 2>&1
 				printf "$w" > $BYOBU_RUN_DIR/width
 				break
 			fi