diff --git a/res/layout/message_view_header_upper.xml b/res/layout/message_view_header_upper.xml
index 385766f68..02c9e4360 100644
--- a/res/layout/message_view_header_upper.xml
+++ b/res/layout/message_view_header_upper.xml
@@ -56,12 +56,14 @@
             android:layout_width="wrap_content"
             android:layout_height="wrap_content"
             android:layout_marginRight="2dip"
+            android:visibility="gone"
             />
         <TextView
             android:id="@+id/from_address"
             style="@style/message_header_sender_address"
             android:layout_below="@+id/from_name"
             android:layout_toRightOf="@+id/presence"
+            android:layout_alignWithParentIfMissing="true"
             android:layout_width="wrap_content"
             android:layout_height="wrap_content"
             android:textSize="14dip"
diff --git a/src/com/android/email/activity/ContactStatusLoader.java b/src/com/android/email/activity/ContactStatusLoader.java
index 8063952e4..d4121f62a 100644
--- a/src/com/android/email/activity/ContactStatusLoader.java
+++ b/src/com/android/email/activity/ContactStatusLoader.java
@@ -16,9 +16,6 @@
 
 package com.android.email.activity;
 
-import com.android.emailcommon.Logging;
-import com.android.emailcommon.utility.Utility;
-
 import android.content.AsyncTaskLoader;
 import android.content.ContentUris;
 import android.content.Context;
@@ -33,11 +30,14 @@ import android.provider.ContactsContract.Data;
 import android.provider.ContactsContract.StatusUpdates;
 import android.util.Log;
 
+import com.android.emailcommon.Logging;
+import com.android.emailcommon.utility.Utility;
+
 /**
  * Loader to load presence statuses and the contact photo.
  */
 public class ContactStatusLoader extends AsyncTaskLoader<ContactStatusLoader.Result> {
-    public static final int PRESENCE_UNKNOWN_RESOURCE_ID = android.R.drawable.presence_offline;
+    private static final int PRESENCE_UNKNOWN_RESOURCE_ID = android.R.drawable.presence_offline;
 
     /** email address -> photo id, presence */
     /* package */ static final String[] PROJECTION_PHOTO_ID_PRESENCE = new String[] {
@@ -76,6 +76,10 @@ public class ContactStatusLoader extends AsyncTaskLoader<ContactStatusLoader.Res
             mPresenceResId = presenceResId;
             mLookupUri = lookupUri;
         }
+
+        public boolean isUnknown() {
+            return PRESENCE_UNKNOWN_RESOURCE_ID == mPresenceResId;
+        }
     }
 
     public ContactStatusLoader(Context context, String emailAddress) {
diff --git a/src/com/android/email/activity/MessageViewFragmentBase.java b/src/com/android/email/activity/MessageViewFragmentBase.java
index b80edc6ae..8bf08f5e7 100644
--- a/src/com/android/email/activity/MessageViewFragmentBase.java
+++ b/src/com/android/email/activity/MessageViewFragmentBase.java
@@ -530,7 +530,6 @@ public abstract class MessageViewFragmentBase extends Fragment implements View.O
     private void initContactStatusViews() {
         mContactStatusState = CONTACT_STATUS_STATE_UNLOADED;
         mQuickContactLookupUri = null;
-        mSenderPresenceView.setImageResource(ContactStatusLoader.PRESENCE_UNKNOWN_RESOURCE_ID);
         showDefaultQuickContactBadgeImage();
     }
 
@@ -731,7 +730,13 @@ public abstract class MessageViewFragmentBase extends Fragment implements View.O
                     (mFragment.mContactStatusState == CONTACT_STATUS_STATE_UNLOADED_TRIGGERED);
             mFragment.mContactStatusState = CONTACT_STATUS_STATE_LOADED;
             mFragment.mQuickContactLookupUri = result.mLookupUri;
-            mFragment.mSenderPresenceView.setImageResource(result.mPresenceResId);
+
+            if (result.isUnknown()) {
+                mFragment.mSenderPresenceView.setVisibility(View.GONE);
+            } else {
+                mFragment.mSenderPresenceView.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
+                mFragment.mSenderPresenceView.setImageResource(result.mPresenceResId);
+            }
             if (result.mPhoto != null) { // photo will be null if unknown.
                 mFragment.mFromBadge.setImageBitmap(result.mPhoto);
             }