diff --git a/lib/action.php b/lib/action.php
index 0ba4b8b8ff..2997a5239d 100644
--- a/lib/action.php
+++ b/lib/action.php
@@ -601,10 +601,6 @@ class Action extends HTMLOutputter // lawsuit
                 $attrs = array('id' => 'input_form_nav_'.$tag,
                                'class' => 'input_form_nav_tab');
 
-                if ($tag == 'status') {
-                    $attrs['class'] .= ' current';
-                }
-
                 $this->elementStart('li', $attrs);
 
                 $this->element('a',
@@ -615,15 +611,18 @@ class Action extends HTMLOutputter // lawsuit
 
             $this->elementEnd('ul');
 
+            $attrs = array('class' => 'input_form current',
+                           'id' => 'input_form_placeholder');
+            $this->elementStart('div', $attrs);
+            $form = new NoticePlaceholderForm($this);
+            $form->show();
+            $this->elementEnd('div');
+
             foreach ($tabs as $tag => $title) {
 
                 $attrs = array('class' => 'input_form',
                                'id' => 'input_form_'.$tag);
 
-                if ($tag == 'status') {
-                    $attrs['class'] .= ' current';
-                }
-
                 $this->elementStart('div', $attrs);
 
                 $form = null;
diff --git a/lib/noticeplaceholderform.php b/lib/noticeplaceholderform.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..788a2021d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/noticeplaceholderform.php
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+<?php
+/**
+ * StatusNet, the distributed open-source microblogging tool
+ *
+ * Form for posting a notice
+ *
+ * PHP version 5
+ *
+ * LICENCE: This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU Affero General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero General Public License
+ * along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ *
+ * @category  Form
+ * @package   StatusNet
+ * @author   Brion Vibber <brion@status.net>
+ * @copyright 2011 StatusNet, Inc.
+ * @license   http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/agpl-3.0.html GNU Affero General Public License version 3.0
+ * @link      http://status.net/
+ */
+
+if (!defined('STATUSNET') && !defined('LACONICA')) {
+    exit(1);
+}
+
+require_once INSTALLDIR.'/lib/form.php';
+
+/**
+ * Placeholder form for posting a notice
+ *
+ * Frequently-used form for posting a notice
+ *
+ * @category Form
+ * @package  StatusNet
+ * @author   Brion Vibber <brion@status.net>
+ * @license  http://www.fsf.org/licensing/licenses/agpl-3.0.html GNU Affero General Public License version 3.0
+ * @link     http://status.net/
+ *
+ * @see      HTMLOutputter
+ */
+class NoticePlaceholderForm extends Widget
+{
+    function show()
+    {
+        // Similar to that for inline replies, but not quite!
+        $placeholder = _('Update your status...');
+        $this->out->elementStart('div', 'form_notice_placeholder');
+        $this->out->element('input', array('class' => 'placeholder',
+                                           'value' => $placeholder));
+        $this->out->elementEnd('div');
+    }
+}
diff --git a/theme/neo/css/display.css b/theme/neo/css/display.css
index 528537b029..d6a33ad0cb 100644
--- a/theme/neo/css/display.css
+++ b/theme/neo/css/display.css
@@ -273,8 +273,11 @@ address {
     display: none; /* XXX move into input with js */
 }
 
-.form_notice textarea {
+.form_notice textarea,
+.form_notice_placeholder .placeholder {
     width: 473px;
+}
+.form_notice textarea {
     height: 42px;
     padding: 6px 10px 18px 10px;
     border: 1px solid #a6a6a6;