diff --git a/internal/cli/app_internal_test.go b/internal/cli/app_internal_test.go
index 0e3203f..679e67e 100644
--- a/internal/cli/app_internal_test.go
+++ b/internal/cli/app_internal_test.go
@@ -752,6 +752,31 @@ func TestStatusBar(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+// TestUnreadLine checks that a line added to a window that is not
+// shown puts that window in the status bar's unread list at once,
+// and that the status bar keeps the nick, target and connection
+// state last set.
+func TestUnreadLine(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	ui := NewUI()
+	runUI(t, ui)
+
+	// Window 1, the one shown, is the channel's. The line goes to
+	// window 2 after SetStatus, so only AddLine can show it in the
+	// status bar.
+	ui.SwitchToBuffer(testChannel)
+	ui.SetStatus(testNick, testChannel, "connected")
+	ui.AddLine(testOtherNick, testText)
+
+	const want = " [connected] erin [1:#chan] #chan [Act: 2:bob(1)]"
+
+	got := statusBarText(ui)
+	if got != want {
+		t.Fatalf("status bar is %q, want %q", got, want)
+	}
+}
+
 // TestOwnEventFromOtherClient checks that a message, notice,
 // join or part that the user's session makes from another
 // client shows as one line in the buffer it belongs to.
diff --git a/internal/cli/ui.go b/internal/cli/ui.go
index f702a8d..6f229df 100644
--- a/internal/cli/ui.go
+++ b/internal/cli/ui.go
@@ -30,6 +30,12 @@ type UI struct {
 	buffers       []*Buffer
 	currentBuffer int
 
+	// The nick, target and connection state last passed to
+	// SetStatus.
+	nick       string
+	target     string
+	connStatus string
+
 	onInput func(string)
 	// inputDone is closed once the line last passed to onInput
 	// has been handled. Only callOnInput, on the event loop, uses
@@ -179,7 +185,11 @@ func (ui *UI) SetStatus(
 	nick, target, connStatus string,
 ) {
 	ui.app.QueueUpdateDraw(func() {
-		ui.renderStatusBar(nick, target, connStatus)
+		ui.nick = nick
+		ui.target = target
+		ui.connStatus = connStatus
+
+		ui.refreshStatusBar()
 	})
 }
 
@@ -300,8 +310,10 @@ func (ui *UI) callOnInput(text string) {
 	}()
 }
 
+// refreshStatusBar redraws the status bar with the nick, target
+// and connection state last passed to SetStatus.
 func (ui *UI) refreshStatusBar() {
-	// Placeholder; full refresh needs nick/target context.
+	ui.renderStatusBar(ui.nick, ui.target, ui.connStatus)
 }
 
 func (ui *UI) renderStatusBar(