diff --git a/src/core.py b/src/core.py
index f5c0713e..8014a4df 100644
--- a/src/core.py
+++ b/src/core.py
@@ -240,6 +240,8 @@ class Core(object):
                 if not room:
                     return
                 self.on_chatstate_private_conversation(message, state)
+        elif message['type'] == 'groupchat':
+            self.on_chatstate_groupchat_conversation(message, state)
 
     def on_chatstate_normal_conversation(self, message,state):
         tab = self.get_tab_of_conversation_with_jid(message['from'], False)
@@ -259,6 +261,15 @@ class Core(object):
             self.refresh_window()
         return True
 
+    def on_chatstate_groupchat_conversation(self, message, state):
+        nick = message['mucnick']
+        room_from = message.getMucroom()
+        tab = self.get_tab_by_name(room_from, tabs.MucTab)
+        if tab and tab.get_room() and tab.get_room().get_user_by_name(nick):
+            tab.get_room().get_user_by_name(nick).chatstate = state
+        if tab == self.current_tab():
+            self.refresh_window()
+
     def open_new_form(self, form, on_cancel, on_send, **kwargs):
         """
         Open a new tab containing the form
diff --git a/src/tabs.py b/src/tabs.py
index ffae2652..20ddd212 100644
--- a/src/tabs.py
+++ b/src/tabs.py
@@ -555,7 +555,12 @@ class MucTab(ChatTab, TabWithInfoWin):
             self.core.room_error(res, self.get_name())
 
     def command_say(self, line):
-        muc.send_groupchat_message(self.core.xmpp, self.get_name(), line)
+        msg = self.core.xmpp.make_message(self.get_name())
+        msg['type'] = 'groupchat'
+        msg['body'] = line
+        if config.get('send_chat_states', 'true') == 'true' and self.remote_wants_chatstates is not False:
+            msg['chat_state'] = 'active'
+        msg.send()
 
     def command_ignore(self, arg):
         """
diff --git a/src/user.py b/src/user.py
index 395d522b..8916c8ff 100644
--- a/src/user.py
+++ b/src/user.py
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ class User(object):
         self.change_nick(nick)
         self.color = choice(theme.LIST_COLOR_NICKNAMES)
         self.jid = jid
+        self.chatstate = None
 
     def update(self, affiliation, show, status, role):
         self.affiliation = affiliation
diff --git a/src/windows.py b/src/windows.py
index a18785ad..01566506 100644
--- a/src/windows.py
+++ b/src/windows.py
@@ -138,7 +138,11 @@ class UserList(Win):
                     show_col = theme.COLOR_STATUS_NONE
                 else:
                     show_col = self.color_show[user.show]
-                self.addstr(y, 0, theme.CHAR_STATUS, common.curses_color_pair(show_col))
+                if user.chatstate == 'composing':
+                    char = 'X'
+                else:
+                    char = theme.CHAR_STATUS
+                self.addstr(y, 0, char, common.curses_color_pair(show_col))
                 self.addstr(y, 1, user.nick[:self.width-2], common.curses_color_pair(role_col))
                 y += 1
                 if y == self.height: