diff --git a/docs/signals.txt b/docs/signals.txt
index 7aea8658..79451139 100644
--- a/docs/signals.txt
+++ b/docs/signals.txt
@@ -236,10 +236,6 @@ fe-messages.c:
  "message invite", SERVER_REC, char *channel, char *nick, char *address
  "message topic", SERVER_REC, char *channel, char *topic, char *nick, char *address
 
-hilight-text.c:
- "window hilight", WINDOW_REC, int level
- "window activity", WINDOW_REC, int level
-
 keyboard.c:
  "keyinfo created", KEYINFO_REC
  "keyinfo destroyed", KEYINFO_REC
@@ -253,7 +249,10 @@ themes.c:
  "theme destroyed", THEME_REC
 
 window-activity.c:
+ "window hilight", WINDOW_REC
+ "window activity", WINDOW_REC, int old_level
  "window item hilight", WI_ITEM_REC
+ "window item activity", WI_ITEM_REC, int old_lvel
 
 window-items.c:
  "window item new", WINDOW_REC, WI_ITEM_REC
diff --git a/src/core/window-item-rec.h b/src/core/window-item-rec.h
index ea5365a9..dae5d5ec 100644
--- a/src/core/window-item-rec.h
+++ b/src/core/window-item-rec.h
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ STRUCT_SERVER_REC *server;
 char *name;
 
 time_t createtime;
-int new_data;
-int last_color;  /* if NEWDATA_HILIGHT is set, color number could be specified here */
+int data_level;
+int hilight_color;
 
 #undef STRUCT_SERVER_REC
diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/fe-messages.c b/src/fe-common/core/fe-messages.c
index 5a8290b5..ae0faacf 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/fe-messages.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/fe-messages.c
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ static void sig_message_public(SERVER_REC *server, const char *msg,
 
 	for_me = nick_match_msg(chanrec, msg, server->nick);
 	color = for_me ? NULL :
-		hilight_find_nick(target, nick, address, MSGLEVEL_PUBLIC, msg);
+		hilight_match_nick(target, nick, address, MSGLEVEL_PUBLIC, msg);
 
 	print_channel = chanrec == NULL ||
 		!window_item_is_active((WI_ITEM_REC *) chanrec);
diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/fe-queries.c b/src/fe-common/core/fe-queries.c
index b4272011..68c67eb8 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/fe-queries.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/fe-queries.c
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ static int sig_query_autoclose(void)
 
 		next = tmp->next;
 		window = window_item_window((WI_ITEM_REC *) rec);
-		if (window != active_win && rec->new_data == 0 &&
+		if (window != active_win && rec->data_level == 0 &&
 		    now-window->last_line > query_auto_close)
 			query_destroy(rec);
 	}
diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/fe-windows.h b/src/fe-common/core/fe-windows.h
index aaa3f0ce..11e1ffd1 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/fe-windows.h
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/fe-windows.h
@@ -7,10 +7,10 @@
 #include "window-item-def.h"
 
 enum {
-	NEWDATA_TEXT = 1,
-	NEWDATA_MSG,
-        NEWDATA_HILIGHT,
-	NEWDATA_CUSTOM
+        DATA_LEVEL_NONE = 0,
+	DATA_LEVEL_TEXT,
+	DATA_LEVEL_MSG,
+        DATA_LEVEL_HILIGHT
 };
 
 typedef struct {
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ typedef struct {
 	WI_ITEM_REC *active;
 	SERVER_REC *active_server;
 
+	int level; /* message level */
 	GSList *waiting_channels; /* list of "<server tag> <channel>" */
 
 	int lines;
@@ -31,9 +32,9 @@ typedef struct {
 	GList *cmdhist, *histpos;
 	int histlines;
 
-	int level;
-	int new_data;
-	int last_color;
+	int data_level; /* current data level */
+	int hilight_color; /* current hilight color */
+
 	time_t last_timestamp; /* When was last timestamp printed */
 	time_t last_line; /* When was last line printed */
 
diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/formats.c b/src/fe-common/core/formats.c
index 95aa36ba..759becdf 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/formats.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/formats.c
@@ -212,6 +212,9 @@ void format_create_dest(TEXT_DEST_REC *dest,
 	dest->level = level;
 	dest->window = window != NULL ? window :
 		window_find_closest(server, target, level);
+
+	dest->hilight_priority = 0;
+        dest->hilight_color = 0;
 }
 
 static char *format_get_text_args(TEXT_DEST_REC *dest,
diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/formats.h b/src/fe-common/core/formats.h
index 94bb100a..b03a27f6 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/formats.h
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/formats.h
@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@ typedef struct {
 	void *server;
 	const char *target;
 	int level;
+
+	int hilight_priority;
+        int hilight_color;
 } TEXT_DEST_REC;
 
 int format_find_tag(const char *module, const char *tag);
diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.c b/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.c
index 2c873307..6d9f1583 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.c
@@ -34,10 +34,10 @@
 #include "formats.h"
 
 #define DEFAULT_HILIGHT_LEVEL \
-	(MSGLEVEL_PUBLIC | MSGLEVEL_MSGS | \
-	MSGLEVEL_ACTIONS | MSGLEVEL_DCCMSGS)
+	(MSGLEVEL_PUBLIC | MSGLEVEL_MSGS | MSGLEVEL_DCCMSGS)
 
-static int hilight_next, last_nick_color;
+static HILIGHT_REC *next_hilight;
+static int hilight_stop_next;
 GSList *hilights;
 
 static void hilight_add_config(HILIGHT_REC *rec)
@@ -136,14 +136,6 @@ static HILIGHT_REC *hilight_find(const char *text, char **channels)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
-static void sig_print_text(TEXT_DEST_REC *dest, const char *str)
-{
-	if (hilight_next) {
-		hilight_next = FALSE;
-		signal_stop();
-	}
-}
-
 /* color name -> mirc color number */
 static int mirc_color_name(const char *name)
 {
@@ -189,16 +181,16 @@ static int mirc_color_name(const char *name)
 	return -1;
 }
 
-char *hilight_match(const char *channel, const char *nickmask, int level, const char *str)
+HILIGHT_REC *hilight_match(const char *channel, const char *nickmask,
+			   int level, const char *str)
 {
 	GSList *tmp;
-	const char *color;
-	char number[MAX_INT_STRLEN];
-	int len, best_match, colornum;
+        HILIGHT_REC *match;
+	int len, best_match;
 
 	g_return_val_if_fail(str != NULL, NULL);
 
-	color = NULL; best_match = 0;
+	match = NULL; best_match = 0;
 	for (tmp = hilights; tmp != NULL; tmp = tmp->next) {
 		HILIGHT_REC *rec = tmp->data;
 
@@ -225,14 +217,24 @@ char *hilight_match(const char *channel, const char *nickmask, int level, const
 		len = strlen(rec->text);
 		if (best_match < len) {
 			best_match = len;
-			color = rec->color;
+			match = rec;
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (best_match == 0)
-		return NULL;
+        return match;
+}
+
+char *hilight_get_color(HILIGHT_REC *rec)
+{
+	const char *color = rec->color;
+	char number[MAX_INT_STRLEN];
+        int colornum;
+
+	g_return_val_if_fail(rec != NULL, NULL);
+
+	if (color == NULL)
+		color = settings_get_str("hilight_color");
 
-	if (color == NULL) color = settings_get_str("hilight_color");
 	if (isalpha((int) *color)) {
 		/* color was specified with it's name - try to convert it */
 		colornum = mirc_color_name(color);
@@ -241,72 +243,87 @@ char *hilight_match(const char *channel, const char *nickmask, int level, const
 		ltoa(number, colornum);
 		color = number;
 	}
+
 	return g_strconcat(isdigit(*color) ? "\003" : "", color, NULL);
 }
 
 static void sig_print_text_stripped(TEXT_DEST_REC *dest, const char *str)
 {
+        HILIGHT_REC *hilight;
 	char *newstr, *color;
-	int oldlevel;
 
 	g_return_if_fail(str != NULL);
 
+	if (next_hilight != NULL) {
+		dest->hilight_priority = next_hilight->priority;
+		color = hilight_get_color(next_hilight);
+		dest->hilight_color = (color != NULL && *color == 3) ?
+			atoi(color+1) : 0;
+		g_free(color);
+		next_hilight = NULL;
+                return;
+	}
+
 	if (dest->level & (MSGLEVEL_NOHILIGHT|MSGLEVEL_HILIGHT))
 		return;
 
-	color = hilight_match(dest->target, NULL, dest->level, str);
-	if (color == NULL) return;
+	hilight = hilight_match(dest->target, NULL, dest->level, str);
+	if (hilight == NULL)
+		return;
 
+	/* update the level / hilight info */
+	dest->level |= MSGLEVEL_HILIGHT;
+	if (hilight->priority > 0)
+		dest->hilight_priority = hilight->priority;
+
+	color = hilight_get_color(hilight);
 	if (*color == 3) {
 		/* colorify */
-                dest->window->last_color = atoi(color+1);
+		dest->hilight_color = atoi(color+1);
 	}
 
-	if (dest->window != active_win) {
-		oldlevel = dest->window->new_data;
-		dest->window->new_data = NEWDATA_HILIGHT;
-		signal_emit("window hilight", 2, dest->window, GINT_TO_POINTER(oldlevel));
-		signal_emit("window activity", 2, dest->window, GINT_TO_POINTER(oldlevel));
-	}
+	hilight_stop_next = FALSE;
 
-	hilight_next = FALSE;
-
-	/* update the level, but let the signal pass through.. */
-	dest->level |= MSGLEVEL_HILIGHT;
+	/* send both signals again. "print text stripped" maybe wouldn't
+	   have to be resent, but it would reverse the signal sending
+	   order which some things may depend on, so maybe it's best we
+	   don't do it. */
+	signal_emit("print text stripped", 2, dest, str);
 
 	newstr = g_strconcat(color, str, NULL);
 	signal_emit("print text", 2, dest, newstr);
 	g_free(newstr);
 
-	hilight_next = TRUE;
+	hilight_stop_next = TRUE;
 
 	g_free_not_null(color);
+        signal_stop();
 }
 
-char *hilight_find_nick(const char *channel, const char *nick,
-			const char *address, int level, const char *msg)
+static void sig_print_text(TEXT_DEST_REC *dest, const char *str)
 {
+	if (hilight_stop_next) {
+		hilight_stop_next = FALSE;
+		signal_stop();
+	}
+}
+
+char *hilight_match_nick(const char *channel, const char *nick,
+			 const char *address, int level, const char *msg)
+{
+        HILIGHT_REC *rec;
 	char *color, *mask;
 
         mask = g_strdup_printf("%s!%s", nick, address);
-	color = hilight_match(channel, mask, level, msg);
+	rec = hilight_match(channel, mask, level, msg);
 	g_free(mask);
 
-	last_nick_color = (color != NULL && *color == 3) ?
-		atoi(color+1) : 0;
+	color = rec == NULL ? NULL : hilight_get_color(rec);
+
+        next_hilight = rec;
 	return color;
 }
 
-int hilight_last_nick_color(void)
-{
-	return last_nick_color;
-}
-
-static void sig_message(void)
-{
-	last_nick_color = 0;
-}
-
 static void read_hilight_config(void)
 {
 	CONFIG_NODE *node;
@@ -338,6 +355,7 @@ static void read_hilight_config(void)
 		rec->color = color == NULL || *color == '\0' ? NULL :
 			g_strdup(color);
 		rec->level = config_node_get_int(node, "level", 0);
+		rec->priority = config_node_get_int(node, "priority", 0);
 		rec->nick = config_node_get_bool(node, "nick", TRUE);
 		rec->nickmask = config_node_get_bool(node, "mask", FALSE);
 		rec->fullword = config_node_get_bool(node, "fullword", FALSE);
@@ -389,7 +407,7 @@ static void cmd_hilight(const char *data)
 {
         GHashTable *optlist;
 	HILIGHT_REC *rec;
-	char *colorarg, *levelarg, *chanarg, *text;
+	char *colorarg, *levelarg, *priorityarg, *chanarg, *text;
 	char **channels;
 	void *free_arg;
 
@@ -406,6 +424,7 @@ static void cmd_hilight(const char *data)
 
 	chanarg = g_hash_table_lookup(optlist, "channels");
 	levelarg = g_hash_table_lookup(optlist, "level");
+	priorityarg = g_hash_table_lookup(optlist, "priority");
 	colorarg = g_hash_table_lookup(optlist, "color");
 
 	if (*text == '\0') cmd_param_error(CMDERR_NOT_ENOUGH_PARAMS);
@@ -429,6 +448,7 @@ static void cmd_hilight(const char *data)
 
 	rec->level = (levelarg == NULL || *levelarg == '\0') ? 0 :
 		level2bits(replace_chars(levelarg, ',', ' '));
+	rec->priority = priorityarg == NULL ? 0 : atoi(priorityarg);
 	rec->nick = settings_get_bool("hilight_only_nick") &&
 		(rec->level == 0 || (rec->level & DEFAULT_HILIGHT_LEVEL) == rec->level) ?
 		g_hash_table_lookup(optlist, "nonick") == NULL :
@@ -473,33 +493,30 @@ static void cmd_dehilight(const char *data)
 
 void hilight_text_init(void)
 {
-	hilight_next = FALSE;
-	last_nick_color = 0;
+        next_hilight = NULL;
+	hilight_stop_next = FALSE;
 
 	read_hilight_config();
 	settings_add_str("misc", "hilight_color", "8");
 	settings_add_bool("misc", "hilight_only_nick", TRUE);
 
-	signal_add_first("print text", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_print_text);
 	signal_add_first("print text stripped", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_print_text_stripped);
+	signal_add_first("print text", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_print_text);
         signal_add("setup reread", (SIGNAL_FUNC) read_hilight_config);
-	signal_add_last("message public", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_message);
-	signal_add_last("message private", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_message);
+
 	command_bind("hilight", NULL, (SIGNAL_FUNC) cmd_hilight);
 	command_bind("dehilight", NULL, (SIGNAL_FUNC) cmd_dehilight);
-
-	command_set_options("hilight", "-color -level -channels nick nonick mask word regexp");
+	command_set_options("hilight", "-color -level -priority -channels nick nonick mask word regexp");
 }
 
 void hilight_text_deinit(void)
 {
 	hilights_destroy_all();
 
-	signal_remove("print text", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_print_text);
 	signal_remove("print text stripped", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_print_text_stripped);
+	signal_remove("print text", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_print_text);
         signal_remove("setup reread", (SIGNAL_FUNC) read_hilight_config);
-        signal_remove("message public", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_message);
-        signal_remove("message private", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_message);
+
 	command_unbind("hilight", (SIGNAL_FUNC) cmd_hilight);
 	command_unbind("dehilight", (SIGNAL_FUNC) cmd_dehilight);
 }
diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.h b/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.h
index 83ab8f8c..f7666535 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.h
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/hilight-text.h
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ typedef struct {
 	int level; /* match only messages with this level, 0=default */
 	char *color; /* if starts with number, \003 is automatically
 	                inserted before it. */
+	int priority;
 
 	unsigned int nick:1; /* hilight only the nick, not a full line - works only with msgs. */
 	unsigned int nickmask:1; /* `text 'is a nick mask - colorify the nick */
@@ -17,12 +18,12 @@ typedef struct {
 
 extern GSList *hilights;
 
-char *hilight_match(const char *channel, const char *nickmask,
-		    int level, const char *str);
+HILIGHT_REC *hilight_match(const char *channel, const char *nickmask,
+			   int level, const char *str);
+char *hilight_get_color(HILIGHT_REC *rec);
 
-char *hilight_find_nick(const char *channel, const char *nick,
-			const char *address, int level, const char *msg);
-int hilight_last_nick_color(void);
+char *hilight_match_nick(const char *channel, const char *nick,
+			 const char *address, int level, const char *msg);
 
 void hilight_text_init(void);
 void hilight_text_deinit(void);
diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/window-activity.c b/src/fe-common/core/window-activity.c
index 14f7fa43..1312a83b 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/window-activity.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/window-activity.c
@@ -32,162 +32,100 @@
 #include "hilight-text.h"
 #include "formats.h"
 
-static const char *noact_channels;
+static char **noact_channels;
 static int hilight_level, activity_level;
 
+static void window_activity(WINDOW_REC *window,
+			    int data_level, int hilight_color)
+{
+	int old_data_level;
+
+	old_data_level = window->data_level;
+	if (data_level == 0 || window->data_level < data_level) {
+		window->data_level = data_level;
+		window->hilight_color = hilight_color;
+		signal_emit("window hilight", 1, window);
+	}
+
+	signal_emit("window activity", 2, window,
+		    GINT_TO_POINTER(old_data_level));
+}
+
+static void window_item_activity(WI_ITEM_REC *item,
+				 int data_level, int hilight_color)
+{
+	int old_data_level;
+
+	old_data_level = item->data_level;
+	if (data_level == 0 || item->data_level < data_level) {
+		item->data_level = data_level;
+		item->hilight_color = hilight_color;
+		signal_emit("window item hilight", 1, item);
+	}
+
+	signal_emit("window item activity", 2, item,
+		    GINT_TO_POINTER(old_data_level));
+}
+
+#define hide_target_activity(data_level, target) \
+	((data_level) < DATA_LEVEL_HILIGHT && (target) != NULL && \
+	(noact_channels) != NULL && \
+	strarray_find((noact_channels), target) != -1)
+
 static void sig_hilight_text(TEXT_DEST_REC *dest, const char *msg)
 {
-	int oldlevel, new_data;
+	WI_ITEM_REC *item;
+	int data_level;
 
 	if (dest->window == active_win ||
 	    (dest->level & (MSGLEVEL_NEVER|MSGLEVEL_NO_ACT)))
 		return;
 
-	/* hilights and private messages get HILIGHT status,
-	   public messages get MSGS status and rest get TEXT */
-	new_data = (dest->level & (MSGLEVEL_HILIGHT|hilight_level)) ?
-		NEWDATA_HILIGHT :
-		((dest->level & activity_level) ? NEWDATA_MSG : NEWDATA_TEXT);
+	data_level = (dest->level & hilight_level) ?
+		DATA_LEVEL_HILIGHT+dest->hilight_priority :
+		((dest->level & activity_level) ?
+		 DATA_LEVEL_MSG : DATA_LEVEL_TEXT);
 
-        /* check that channel isn't in "don't show activity" list */
-	if (new_data < NEWDATA_HILIGHT &&
-	    dest->target != NULL && find_substr(noact_channels, dest->target))
+	if (hide_target_activity(data_level, dest->target))
 		return;
 
-	oldlevel = dest->window->new_data;
-	if (dest->window->new_data < new_data) {
-		dest->window->new_data = new_data;
-		dest->window->last_color = hilight_last_nick_color();;
-		signal_emit("window hilight", 1, dest->window);
-	}
-
-	signal_emit("window activity", 2, dest->window, GINT_TO_POINTER(oldlevel));
-}
-
-static void sig_dehilight(WINDOW_REC *window, WI_ITEM_REC *item)
-{
-	g_return_if_fail(window != NULL);
-
-	if (item != NULL && item->new_data != 0) {
-		item->new_data = 0;
-		item->last_color = 0;
-		signal_emit("window item hilight", 1, item);
+	if (dest->target != NULL) {
+		item = window_item_find(dest->server, dest->target);
+		if (item != NULL) {
+			window_item_activity(item, data_level,
+					     dest->hilight_color);
+		}
 	}
+	window_activity(dest->window, data_level, dest->hilight_color);
 }
 
 static void sig_dehilight_window(WINDOW_REC *window)
 {
         GSList *tmp;
-	int oldlevel;
 
 	g_return_if_fail(window != NULL);
 
-	if (window->new_data == 0)
-		return;
-
-	if (window->new_data != 0) {
-		oldlevel = window->new_data;
-		window->new_data = 0;
-		window->last_color = 0;
-		signal_emit("window hilight", 2, window, GINT_TO_POINTER(oldlevel));
+	if (window->data_level != 0) {
+		window_activity(window, 0, 0);
+		for (tmp = window->items; tmp != NULL; tmp = tmp->next)
+			window_item_activity(tmp->data, 0, 0);
 	}
-	signal_emit("window activity", 2, window, GINT_TO_POINTER(oldlevel));
-
-	for (tmp = window->items; tmp != NULL; tmp = tmp->next)
-		sig_dehilight(window, tmp->data);
-}
-
-static void sig_hilight_window_item(WI_ITEM_REC *item)
-{
-	WINDOW_REC *window;
-	GSList *tmp;
-	int level, oldlevel, color;
-
-	if (item->new_data < NEWDATA_HILIGHT &&
-	    find_substr(noact_channels, item->name))
-		return;
-
-	window = window_item_window(item); level = 0; color = 0;
-	for (tmp = window->items; tmp != NULL; tmp = tmp->next) {
-		item = tmp->data;
-
-		if (item->new_data > level) {
-			level = item->new_data;
-			color = item->last_color;
-		}
-	}
-
-	oldlevel = window->new_data;
-	if (level == NEWDATA_HILIGHT)
-		window->last_color = color;
-	if (window->new_data < level || level == 0) {
-		window->new_data = level;
-		signal_emit("window hilight", 2, window, GINT_TO_POINTER(oldlevel));
-	}
-	signal_emit("window activity", 2, window, GINT_TO_POINTER(oldlevel));
-}
-
-static void sig_message(SERVER_REC *server, const char *msg,
-			const char *nick, const char *addr,
-			const char *target, int level)
-{
-	WINDOW_REC *window;
-	WI_ITEM_REC *item;
-
-	/* get window and window item */
-	item = window_item_find(server, target);
-	window = item == NULL ?
-		window_find_closest(server, target, level) :
-		window_item_window(item);
-
-	if (window == active_win)
-		return;
-
-	/* hilight */
-	if (item != NULL) item->last_color = hilight_last_nick_color();
-	level = (item != NULL && item->last_color > 0) ||
-		(level & hilight_level) ?
-		NEWDATA_HILIGHT : NEWDATA_MSG;
-	if (item != NULL && item->new_data < level) {
-		item->new_data = level;
-		signal_emit("window item hilight", 1, item);
-	} else {
-		int oldlevel = window->new_data;
-
-		if (window->new_data < level) {
-			window->new_data = level;
-			window->last_color = hilight_last_nick_color();
-			signal_emit("window hilight", 2, window,
-				    GINT_TO_POINTER(oldlevel));
-		}
-		signal_emit("window activity", 2, window,
-			    GINT_TO_POINTER(oldlevel));
-	}
-}
-
-static void sig_message_public(SERVER_REC *server, const char *msg,
-			       const char *nick, const char *addr,
-			       const char *target)
-{
-	int level = MSGLEVEL_PUBLIC;
-
-	if (nick_match_msg(channel_find(server, target), msg, server->nick))
-                level |= MSGLEVEL_HILIGHT;
-
-	sig_message(server, msg, nick, addr, target, level);
-}
-
-static void sig_message_private(SERVER_REC *server, const char *msg,
-				const char *nick, const char *addr)
-{
-	sig_message(server, msg, nick, addr, nick, MSGLEVEL_MSGS);
 }
 
 static void read_settings(void)
 {
-	noact_channels = settings_get_str("noact_channels");
+	const char *channels;
+
+	if (noact_channels != NULL)
+		g_strfreev(noact_channels);
+
+        channels = settings_get_str("noact_channels");
+	noact_channels = *channels == '\0' ? NULL :
+		g_strsplit(channels, " ", -1);
+
 	activity_level = level2bits(settings_get_str("activity_levels"));
-	hilight_level = level2bits(settings_get_str("hilight_levels"));
+	hilight_level = MSGLEVEL_HILIGHT |
+		level2bits(settings_get_str("hilight_levels"));
 }
 
 void window_activity_init(void)
@@ -198,23 +136,18 @@ void window_activity_init(void)
 
 	read_settings();
 	signal_add("print text", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_hilight_text);
-	signal_add("window item changed", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_dehilight);
 	signal_add("window changed", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_dehilight_window);
 	signal_add("window dehilight", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_dehilight_window);
-	signal_add("window item hilight", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_hilight_window_item);
-	signal_add("message public", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_message_public);
-	signal_add("message private", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_message_private);
 	signal_add("setup changed", (SIGNAL_FUNC) read_settings);
 }
 
 void window_activity_deinit(void)
 {
+	if (noact_channels != NULL)
+		g_strfreev(noact_channels);
+
 	signal_remove("print text", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_hilight_text);
-	signal_remove("window item changed", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_dehilight);
 	signal_remove("window changed", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_dehilight_window);
 	signal_remove("window dehilight", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_dehilight_window);
-	signal_remove("window item hilight", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_hilight_window_item);
-	signal_remove("message public", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_message_public);
-	signal_remove("message private", (SIGNAL_FUNC) sig_message_private);
 	signal_remove("setup changed", (SIGNAL_FUNC) read_settings);
 }
diff --git a/src/fe-common/core/window-commands.c b/src/fe-common/core/window-commands.c
index f38a379e..a9d21710 100644
--- a/src/fe-common/core/window-commands.c
+++ b/src/fe-common/core/window-commands.c
@@ -103,8 +103,8 @@ static WINDOW_REC *window_highest_activity(WINDOW_REC *window)
 
 		rec = tmp->data;
 
-		if (rec->new_data && max_act < rec->new_data) {
-			max_act = rec->new_data;
+		if (rec->data_level > 0 && max_act < rec->data_level) {
+			max_act = rec->data_level;
 			max_win = rec;
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/fe-text/mainwindow-activity.c b/src/fe-text/mainwindow-activity.c
index e0a7d6ae..cfee615a 100644
--- a/src/fe-text/mainwindow-activity.c
+++ b/src/fe-text/mainwindow-activity.c
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@
 
 static void sig_activity(WINDOW_REC *window)
 {
-	GSList *tmp;
+	/*GSList *tmp;
 
-	if (!is_window_visible(window) || window->new_data == 0)
+	if (!is_window_visible(window) || window->data_level == 0)
 		return;
 
 	window->new_data = 0;
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ static void sig_activity(WINDOW_REC *window)
 		item->new_data = 0;
 		item->last_color = 0;
 	}
-	signal_stop();
+	signal_stop();*/
 }
 
 void mainwindow_activity_init(void)
diff --git a/src/fe-text/statusbar-items.c b/src/fe-text/statusbar-items.c
index 2e555581..7b3294be 100644
--- a/src/fe-text/statusbar-items.c
+++ b/src/fe-text/statusbar-items.c
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ static void draw_activity(gchar *title, gboolean act, gboolean det)
     {
 	window = tmp->data;
 
-	is_det = window->new_data >= NEWDATA_HILIGHT;
+	is_det = window->data_level >= DATA_LEVEL_HILIGHT;
 	if (is_det && !det) continue;
 	if (!is_det && !act) continue;
 
@@ -341,17 +341,19 @@ static void draw_activity(gchar *title, gboolean act, gboolean det)
 	}
 
 	ltoa(str, window->refnum);
-	switch (window->new_data)
+	switch (window->data_level)
 	{
-	case NEWDATA_TEXT:
+	case DATA_LEVEL_NONE:
+                break;
+	case DATA_LEVEL_TEXT:
 		set_color(stdscr, sbar_color_dim);
 		break;
-	case NEWDATA_MSG:
+	case DATA_LEVEL_MSG:
 		set_color(stdscr, sbar_color_bold);
 		break;
-	case NEWDATA_HILIGHT:
-		if (window->last_color > 0)
-			set_color(stdscr, sbar_color_background | mirc_colors[window->last_color]);
+	default:
+		if (window->hilight_color > 0)
+			set_color(stdscr, sbar_color_background | mirc_colors[window->hilight_color%16]);
 		else
 			set_color(stdscr, sbar_color_act_highlight);
 		break;
@@ -376,7 +378,7 @@ static void statusbar_activity(SBAR_ITEM_REC *item, int ypos)
 
 	size_needed += 1+ltoa(str, window->refnum);
 
-	if (!use_colors && window->new_data >= NEWDATA_HILIGHT)
+	if (!use_colors && window->data_level >= DATA_LEVEL_HILIGHT)
 	    det = TRUE;
 	else
 	    act = TRUE;
@@ -418,7 +420,7 @@ static void sig_statusbar_activity_hilight(WINDOW_REC *window, gpointer oldlevel
 	/* Move the window to the first in the activity list */
 	if (g_list_find(activity_list, window) != NULL)
 	    activity_list = g_list_remove(activity_list, window);
-	if (window->new_data != 0)
+	if (window->data_level != 0)
 	    activity_list = g_list_prepend(activity_list, window);
 	statusbar_item_redraw(activity_item);
 	return;
@@ -427,14 +429,14 @@ static void sig_statusbar_activity_hilight(WINDOW_REC *window, gpointer oldlevel
     if (g_list_find(activity_list, window) != NULL)
     {
 	/* already in activity list */
-	if (window->new_data == 0)
+	if (window->data_level == 0)
 	{
 	    /* remove from activity list */
 	    activity_list = g_list_remove(activity_list, window);
 	    statusbar_item_redraw(activity_item);
 	}
-	else if (window->new_data != GPOINTER_TO_INT(oldlevel) ||
-		 window->last_color != 0)
+	else if (window->data_level != GPOINTER_TO_INT(oldlevel) ||
+		 window->hilight_color != 0)
 	{
 		/* different level as last time (or maybe different
 		   hilight color?), just redraw it. */
@@ -443,7 +445,7 @@ static void sig_statusbar_activity_hilight(WINDOW_REC *window, gpointer oldlevel
         return;
     }
 
-    if (window->new_data == 0)
+    if (window->data_level == 0)
 	    return;
 
     /* add window to activity list .. */
diff --git a/src/perl/perl-common.c b/src/perl/perl-common.c
index 500d6145..145b72c3 100644
--- a/src/perl/perl-common.c
+++ b/src/perl/perl-common.c
@@ -240,8 +240,8 @@ void perl_window_item_fill_hash(HV *hv, WI_ITEM_REC *item)
 	hv_store(hv, "name", 4, new_pv(item->name), 0);
 
 	hv_store(hv, "createtime", 10, newSViv(item->createtime), 0);
-	hv_store(hv, "new_data", 8, newSViv(item->new_data), 0);
-	hv_store(hv, "last_color", 10, newSViv(item->last_color), 0);
+	hv_store(hv, "data_level", 8, newSViv(item->data_level), 0);
+	hv_store(hv, "hilight_color", 10, newSViv(item->hilight_color), 0);
 }
 
 void perl_channel_fill_hash(HV *hv, CHANNEL_REC *channel)
@@ -403,8 +403,8 @@ void perl_window_fill_hash(HV *hv, WINDOW_REC *window)
 	hv_store(hv, "lines", 5, newSViv(window->lines), 0);
 
 	hv_store(hv, "level", 5, newSViv(window->level), 0);
-	hv_store(hv, "new_data", 8, newSViv(window->new_data), 0);
-	hv_store(hv, "last_color", 10, newSViv(window->last_color), 0);
+	hv_store(hv, "data_level", 8, newSViv(window->data_level), 0);
+	hv_store(hv, "hilight_color", 10, newSViv(window->hilight_color), 0);
 	hv_store(hv, "last_timestamp", 14, newSViv(window->last_timestamp), 0);
 	hv_store(hv, "last_line", 9, newSViv(window->last_line), 0);
 }