diff --git a/default.theme b/default.theme
index a135cf3d..98af18b3 100644
--- a/default.theme
+++ b/default.theme
@@ -277,6 +277,7 @@ abstracts = {
   sbmode = "(%c+%n$*)";
   sbaway = " (%GzZzZ%n)";
   sbservertag = ":$0 (change with ^X)";
+  sbnickmode = "$0";
 
   # activity in statusbar
 
diff --git a/irssi.conf b/irssi.conf
index f5515382..b9e2a5b1 100644
--- a/irssi.conf
+++ b/irssi.conf
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ statusbar = {
 
     # treated "normally", you could change the time/user name to whatever
     time = "{sb $Z}";
-    user = "{sb $cumode$N{sbmode $usermode}{sbaway $A}}";
+    user = "{sb {sbnickmode $cumode}$N{sbmode $usermode}{sbaway $A}}";
 
     # treated specially .. window is printed with non-empty windows,
     # window_empty is printed with empty windows