diff --git a/bin/mail b/bin/mail
index e1976248..83859896 100755
--- a/bin/mail
+++ b/bin/mail
@@ -23,4 +23,4 @@ if [ "$1" = "--detail" ]; then
 	exit 0
 fi
 
-[ -s "$mailfile" ] && printf "\005{=b Wb}M\005{-} " || exit 0
+[ -s "$mailfile" ] && printf "\005{= wk}[M]\005{-} " || exit 0
diff --git a/byobu-config b/byobu-config
index 1bf9462f..64993b0a 100755
--- a/byobu-config
+++ b/byobu-config
@@ -262,6 +262,7 @@ def readstatus():
     status["ip_address"]=0
     status["load_average"]=1
     status["logo"]=1
+    status["mail"]=0
     status["mem_available"]=1
     status["mem_used"]=1
     status["menu"]=1
diff --git a/byobu.1 b/byobu.1
index 9c0da50d..a59a2f99 100644
--- a/byobu.1
+++ b/byobu.1
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ byobu \- wrapper script for seeding a user's byobu configuration and launching s
 
 \fBdisk_available\fP \- disk space available on / directory; displayed in the lower bar on the far right in white text on a light purple background; override the default directory by specifying an alternate mount point in \fI$HOME/.byobu/disk\fP
 
-\fBmail\fP \- system mail for the current user; the letter 'M' is displayed in the lower bar toward the left in blue text on a white background
+\fBmail\fP \- system mail for the current user; the letter '[M]' is displayed in the lower bar toward the left in black text on a grey background
 
 \fBmem_used\fP \- disk space used on / directory as a percentage of the total space available on /; displayed in the lower bar on the far right in white text on a light purple background with a trailing '%' sign; override the default directory by specifying an alternate mount point in \fI$HOME/.byobu/disk\fP