diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index cff38bb5..ac4178a5 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ byobu (4.30) unreleased; urgency=low
       gathering method
   * usr/bin/byobu-config:
     - migrate to toggling on/off the list of status items
+    - fix initial seeding of status config
 
  -- Dustin Kirkland <kirkland@ubuntu.com>  Thu, 11 Aug 2011 10:31:31 -0500
 
diff --git a/usr/bin/byobu-config b/usr/bin/byobu-config
index 3f0882bd..00d0cc50 100755
--- a/usr/bin/byobu-config
+++ b/usr/bin/byobu-config
@@ -334,15 +334,17 @@ def writestatus(items):
     path = BYOBU_CONFIG_DIR+'/status'
     for i in items:
         status[i[1]] = i[0]
-    # SED is hacky here, but damn effective
+    # SED is hacky here, but effective
     if BYOBU_BACKEND == "tmux":
 	for key in ["tmux_left", "tmux_right"]:
             val = genstatusstring(key, status)
-            commands.getoutput("%s -i -e 's/^%s=.*$/%s=\"%s\"/' %s" % (SED, key, key, val, path))
+            commands.getoutput("%s -i -e '/^%s=/d' %s" % (SED, key, path))
+            commands.getoutput("echo '%s=\"%s\"' >> %s" % (key, val, path))
     else:
 	for key in ["screen_upper_left", "screen_upper_right", "screen_lower_left", "screen_lower_right"]:
             val = genstatusstring(key, status)
-            commands.getoutput("%s -i -e 's/^%s=.*$/%s=\"%s\"/' %s" % (SED, key, key, val, path))
+            commands.getoutput("%s -i -e '/^%s=/d' %s" % (SED, key, path))
+            commands.getoutput("echo '%s=\"%s\"' >> %s" % (key, val, path))
 
 def togglestatus(snackScreen, size):
     itemlist=readstatus()