diff --git a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/css/notebook.css b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/css/notebook.css
index bcd027a1a59..e92af8f2318 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/css/notebook.css
+++ b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/css/notebook.css
@@ -85,6 +85,25 @@ div#toolbar {
     padding: 5px;
 }
 
+span#kernel_status {
+    position: absolute;
+    top: 12%;
+    right: 10px;
+	font-weight: bold;
+}
+
+.status_idle {
+    color: gray;
+}
+
+.status_busy {
+    color: red;
+}
+
+.status_restarting {
+    color: black;
+}
+
 div.notebook {
     width: 790px;
     height: 650px;  /*We might have to detect window height for this*/
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/js/notebook.js b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/js/notebook.js
index 33a89c20436..a4e13997508 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/js/notebook.js
+++ b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/static/js/notebook.js
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ var Notebook = function (selector) {
 Notebook.prototype.bind_events = function () {
     var that = this;
     $(document).keydown(function (event) {
-        console.log(event);
+        // console.log(event);
         if (event.which == 38 && event.shiftKey) {
             event.preventDefault();
             that.select_prev();
@@ -458,6 +458,12 @@ Notebook.prototype._kernel_started = function () {
         } else if (msg_type === "pyout" || msg_type === "display_data") {
             cell.expand();
             cell.append_display_data(reply.content.data);
+        } else if (msg_type === "status") {
+            if (reply.content.execution_state === "busy") {
+                that.kernel.status_busy();
+            } else if (reply.content.execution_state === "idle") {
+                that.kernel.status_idle();
+            };
         };
     };
 };
@@ -769,16 +775,40 @@ Kernel.prototype.interrupt = function () {
 
 
 Kernel.prototype.restart = function () {
+    this.status_restarting();
     url = this.kernel_url + "/restart"
     var that = this;
     $.post(url, function (kernel_id) {
         console.log("Kernel restarted: " + kernel_id);
         that.kernel_id = kernel_id;
         that.kernel_url = that.base_url + "/" + that.kernel_id;
+        that.status_idle();
     }, 'json');
 };
 
 
+Kernel.prototype.status_busy = function () {
+    $("#kernel_status").removeClass("status_idle");
+    $("#kernel_status").removeClass("status_restarting");
+    $("#kernel_status").addClass("status_busy");
+    $("#kernel_status").text("Busy");
+};
+
+
+Kernel.prototype.status_idle = function () {
+    $("#kernel_status").removeClass("status_busy");
+    $("#kernel_status").removeClass("status_restarting");
+    $("#kernel_status").addClass("status_idle");
+    $("#kernel_status").text("Idle");
+};
+
+Kernel.prototype.status_restarting = function () {
+    $("#kernel_status").removeClass("status_busy");
+    $("#kernel_status").removeClass("status_idle");
+    $("#kernel_status").addClass("status_restarting");
+    $("#kernel_status").text("Restarting");
+};
+
 //============================================================================
 // On document ready
 //============================================================================
@@ -803,6 +833,7 @@ $(document).ready(function () {
     $("#kernel_toolbar").buttonset();
     $("#interrupt_kernel").click(function () {IPYTHON.notebook.kernel.interrupt();});
     $("#restart_kernel").click(function () {IPYTHON.notebook.kernel.restart();});
+    $("#kernel_status").addClass("status_idle");
 
     $("#move_cell").buttonset();
     $("#move_up").button("option", "icons", {primary:"ui-icon-arrowthick-1-n"});
diff --git a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/templates/notebook.html b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/templates/notebook.html
index 48df7efae29..5996c0406b1 100644
--- a/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/templates/notebook.html
+++ b/IPython/frontend/html/notebook/templates/notebook.html
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 <div id="tools">
 
 <div id="menu_tabs">
+    <span id="kernel_status">Idle</span>
     <ul>
         <li><a href="#cell_tab">Cell</a></li>
         <li><a href="#kernel_tab">Kernel</a></li>