diff --git a/src/fe-text/statusbar-items.c b/src/fe-text/statusbar-items.c
index 5740a40b..27efcbd1 100644
--- a/src/fe-text/statusbar-items.c
+++ b/src/fe-text/statusbar-items.c
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ static char *get_activity_list(MAIN_WINDOW_REC *window, int normal, int hilight)
         char *ret, *name, *value;
         int is_det;
 	int add_name = settings_get_bool("actlist_names");
+	int pref_name = settings_get_bool("actlist_prefer_window_name");
 
 	str = g_string_new(NULL);
 	format = g_string_new(NULL);
@@ -122,8 +123,11 @@ static char *get_activity_list(MAIN_WINDOW_REC *window, int normal, int hilight)
 			g_string_printf(format, "{sb_act_hilight_color %s %d",
 						 window->hilight_color,
 						 window->refnum);
+
 		if (add_name && window->active != NULL)
-			g_string_append_printf(format, ":%s", window->active->visible_name);
+			g_string_append_printf(format, ":%s",
+				pref_name == 1 && window->name != NULL ?
+				window->name : window->active->visible_name);
 		g_string_append_c(format, '}');
 
 		value = theme_format_expand(theme, format->str);
@@ -470,6 +474,7 @@ void statusbar_items_init(void)
 	settings_add_time("misc", "lag_min_show", "1sec");
 	settings_add_str("lookandfeel", "actlist_sort", "refnum");
 	settings_add_bool("lookandfeel", "actlist_names", FALSE);
+	settings_add_bool("lookandfeel", "actlist_prefer_window_name", FALSE);
 
 	statusbar_item_register("window", NULL, item_window_active);
 	statusbar_item_register("window_empty", NULL, item_window_empty);