diff --git a/session.py b/session.py
index 8ff488d..e1d8e61 100644
--- a/session.py
+++ b/session.py
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ class Session:
 				self.call("presence_sendUnavailable")
 
 	def changeStatusMessage(self, statusMessage):
-		if statusMessage != self.statusMessage:
+		if (statusMessage != self.statusMessage) or (self.initialized == False):
 			self.statusMessage = statusMessage
 			self.call("profile_setStatus", (statusMessage.encode("utf-8"),))
 			self.logger.info("Status message changed: %s", statusMessage)
diff --git a/whatsappbackend.py b/whatsappbackend.py
index 7b627ad..4aa0b17 100644
--- a/whatsappbackend.py
+++ b/whatsappbackend.py
@@ -63,9 +63,7 @@ class WhatsAppBackend(SpectrumBackend):
 
 	def handleStatusChangeRequest(self, user, status, statusMessage):
 		self.logger.debug("handleStatusChangeRequest(user=%s, status=%d, statusMessage=%s)", user, status, statusMessage)
-		if len(statusMessage):
-			self.sessions[user].changeStatusMessage(statusMessage)
-
+		self.sessions[user].changeStatusMessage(statusMessage)
 		self.sessions[user].changeStatus(status)
 
 	def handleBuddyUpdatedRequest(self, user, buddy, nick, groups):