diff --git a/cmd/aerc/main.go b/cmd/aerc/main.go
index 5e537fb..009b5eb 100644
--- a/cmd/aerc/main.go
+++ b/cmd/aerc/main.go
@@ -73,10 +73,22 @@ func main() {
 	grid.AddChild(tabs.TabContent).At(1, 1)
 
 	statusbar := libui.NewStack()
-	exline := widgets.NewExLine()
-	statusbar.Push(exline)
 	grid.AddChild(statusbar).At(2, 1)
 
+	statusline := widgets.NewStatusLine()
+	statusline.Push("test status!", 6*time.Second)
+	statusline.Push("test error!", 3*time.Second).
+		Color(tb.ColorRed, tb.ColorBlack)
+	statusbar.Push(statusline)
+
+	exline := widgets.NewExLine(func(command string) {
+		statusbar.Pop()
+		logger.Printf("TODO: execute command: %s\n", command)
+	}, func() {
+		statusbar.Pop()
+	})
+	statusbar.Push(exline)
+
 	ui, err := libui.Initialize(conf, grid)
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
diff --git a/widgets/exline.go b/widgets/exline.go
index e13b50d..0522371 100644
--- a/widgets/exline.go
+++ b/widgets/exline.go
@@ -9,21 +9,24 @@ import (
 
 // TODO: history
 // TODO: tab completion
-// TODO: commit
-// TODO: cancel (via esc/ctrl+c)
 // TODO: scrolling
 
 type ExLine struct {
 	command []rune
-	commit  func(cmd *string)
+	commit  func(cmd string)
+	cancel  func()
 	index   int
 	scroll  int
 
 	onInvalidate func(d ui.Drawable)
 }
 
-func NewExLine() *ExLine {
-	return &ExLine{command: []rune{}}
+func NewExLine(commit func (cmd string), cancel func()) *ExLine {
+	return &ExLine{
+		cancel:  cancel,
+		commit:  commit,
+		command: []rune{},
+	}
 }
 
 func (ex *ExLine) OnInvalidate(onInvalidate func(d ui.Drawable)) {
@@ -118,6 +121,12 @@ func (ex *ExLine) Event(event tb.Event) bool {
 			ex.Invalidate()
 		case tb.KeyCtrlW:
 			ex.deleteWord()
+		case tb.KeyEnter:
+			tb.HideCursor()
+			ex.commit(string(ex.command))
+		case tb.KeyEsc, tb.KeyCtrlC:
+			tb.HideCursor()
+			ex.cancel()
 		default:
 			if event.Ch != 0 {
 				ex.insert(event.Ch)
diff --git a/widgets/status.go b/widgets/status.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bb87d33
--- /dev/null
+++ b/widgets/status.go
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+package widgets
+
+import (
+	"time"
+
+	tb "github.com/nsf/termbox-go"
+
+	"git.sr.ht/~sircmpwn/aerc2/lib/ui"
+)
+
+type StatusLine struct {
+	stack    []*StatusMessage
+	fallback StatusMessage
+
+	onInvalidate func(d ui.Drawable)
+}
+
+type StatusMessage struct {
+	bg      tb.Attribute
+	fg      tb.Attribute
+	message string
+}
+
+func NewStatusLine() *StatusLine {
+	return &StatusLine{
+		fallback: StatusMessage{
+			bg:      tb.ColorWhite,
+			fg:      tb.ColorBlack,
+			message: "Idle",
+		},
+	}
+}
+
+func (status *StatusLine) OnInvalidate(onInvalidate func (d ui.Drawable)) {
+	status.onInvalidate = onInvalidate
+}
+
+func (status *StatusLine) Invalidate() {
+	if status.onInvalidate != nil {
+		status.onInvalidate(status)
+	}
+}
+
+func (status *StatusLine) Draw(ctx *ui.Context) {
+	line := &status.fallback
+	if len(status.stack) != 0 {
+		line = status.stack[len(status.stack)-1]
+	}
+	cell := tb.Cell{
+		Fg: line.fg,
+		Bg: line.bg,
+		Ch: ' ',
+	}
+	ctx.Fill(0, 0, ctx.Width(), ctx.Height(), cell)
+	ctx.Printf(0, 0, cell, "%s", line.message)
+}
+
+func (status *StatusLine) Set(text string) *StatusMessage {
+	status.fallback = StatusMessage{
+		bg:      tb.ColorWhite,
+		fg:      tb.ColorBlack,
+		message: text,
+	}
+	status.Invalidate()
+	return &status.fallback
+}
+
+func (status *StatusLine) Push(text string, expiry time.Duration) *StatusMessage {
+	msg := &StatusMessage{
+		bg:      tb.ColorWhite,
+		fg:      tb.ColorBlack,
+		message: text,
+	}
+	status.stack = append(status.stack, msg)
+	go (func () {
+		time.Sleep(expiry)
+		for i, m := range status.stack {
+			if m == msg {
+				status.stack = append(status.stack[:i], status.stack[i+1:]...)
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		status.Invalidate()
+	})()
+	return msg
+}
+
+func (msg *StatusMessage) Color(bg tb.Attribute, fg tb.Attribute) {
+	msg.bg = bg
+	msg.fg = fg
+}