diff --git a/src/command.c b/src/command.c
index 705be6de..c0155c38 100644
--- a/src/command.c
+++ b/src/command.c
@@ -1009,13 +1009,7 @@ _cmd_sub(gchar **args, struct cmd_help_t help)
         log_info("Sent subscription request to %s.", bare_jid);
     } else if (strcmp(subcmd, "show") == 0) {
         PContact contact = contact_list_get_contact(bare_jid);
-        if (contact == NULL) {
-            if (win_current_is_chat()) {
-                win_current_show("No subscription information for %s.", bare_jid);
-            } else {
-                cons_show("No subscription information for %s.", bare_jid);
-            }
-        } else if (p_contact_subscription(contact) == NULL) {
+        if ((contact == NULL) || (p_contact_subscription(contact) == NULL)) {
             if (win_current_is_chat()) {
                 win_current_show("No subscription information for %s.", bare_jid);
             } else {
@@ -1023,11 +1017,21 @@ _cmd_sub(gchar **args, struct cmd_help_t help)
             }
         } else {
             if (win_current_is_chat()) {
-                win_current_show("%s subscription status: %s.", bare_jid,
-                    p_contact_subscription(contact));
+                if (p_contact_pending_out(contact)) {
+                    win_current_show("%s subscription status: %s, request pending.",
+                        bare_jid, p_contact_subscription(contact));
+                } else {
+                    win_current_show("%s subscription status: %s.", bare_jid,
+                        p_contact_subscription(contact));
+                }
             } else {
-                cons_show("%s subscription status: %s.", bare_jid,
-                    p_contact_subscription(contact));
+                if (p_contact_pending_out(contact)) {
+                    cons_show("%s subscription status: %s, request pending.",
+                        bare_jid, p_contact_subscription(contact));
+                } else {
+                    cons_show("%s subscription status: %s.", bare_jid,
+                        p_contact_subscription(contact));
+                }
             }
         }
     } else {
diff --git a/src/contact.c b/src/contact.c
index 9188b5f0..9cbe5d69 100644
--- a/src/contact.c
+++ b/src/contact.c
@@ -33,12 +33,13 @@ struct p_contact_t {
     char *presence;
     char *status;
     char *subscription;
+    gboolean pending_out;
 };
 
 PContact
 p_contact_new(const char * const jid, const char * const name,
     const char * const presence, const char * const status,
-    const char * const subscription)
+    const char * const subscription, gboolean pending_out)
 {
     PContact contact = malloc(sizeof(struct p_contact_t));
     contact->jid = strdup(jid);
@@ -64,6 +65,8 @@ p_contact_new(const char * const jid, const char * const name,
     else
         contact->subscription = strdup("none");;
 
+    contact->pending_out = pending_out;
+
     return contact;
 }
 
@@ -156,6 +159,12 @@ p_contact_subscription(const PContact contact)
     return contact->subscription;
 }
 
+gboolean
+p_contact_pending_out(const PContact contact)
+{
+    return contact->pending_out;
+}
+
 void
 p_contact_set_presence(const PContact contact, const char * const presence)
 {
diff --git a/src/contact.h b/src/contact.h
index a4f487e8..314cf0f4 100644
--- a/src/contact.h
+++ b/src/contact.h
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ typedef struct p_contact_t *PContact;
 
 PContact p_contact_new(const char * const jid, const char * const name,
     const char * const presence, const char * const status,
-    const char * const subscription);
+    const char * const subscription, gboolean pending_out);
 PContact p_contact_copy(PContact contact);
 void p_contact_free(PContact contact);
 const char * p_contact_jid(PContact contact);
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ const char * p_contact_name(PContact contact);
 const char * p_contact_presence(PContact contact);
 const char * p_contact_status(PContact contact);
 const char * p_contact_subscription(const PContact contact);
+gboolean p_contact_pending_out(const PContact contact);
 void p_contact_set_presence(const PContact contact, const char * const presence);
 void p_contact_set_status(const PContact contact, const char * const status);
 int p_contacts_equal_deep(const PContact c1, const PContact c2);
diff --git a/src/contact_list.c b/src/contact_list.c
index 714750dd..4b3b3a03 100644
--- a/src/contact_list.c
+++ b/src/contact_list.c
@@ -56,13 +56,14 @@ contact_list_reset_search_attempts(void)
 gboolean
 contact_list_add(const char * const jid, const char * const name,
     const char * const presence, const char * const status,
-    const char * const subscription)
+    const char * const subscription, gboolean pending_out)
 {
     gboolean added = FALSE;
     PContact contact = g_hash_table_lookup(contacts, jid);
 
     if (contact == NULL) {
-        contact = p_contact_new(jid, name, presence, status, subscription);
+        contact = p_contact_new(jid, name, presence, status, subscription,
+            pending_out);
         g_hash_table_insert(contacts, strdup(jid), contact);
         p_autocomplete_add(ac, strdup(jid));
         added = TRUE;
diff --git a/src/contact_list.h b/src/contact_list.h
index 90ae947b..0fd27010 100644
--- a/src/contact_list.h
+++ b/src/contact_list.h
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ void contact_list_clear(void);
 void contact_list_reset_search_attempts(void);
 gboolean contact_list_add(const char * const jid, const char * const name,
     const char * const presence, const char * const status,
-    const char * const subscription);
+    const char * const subscription, gboolean pending_out);
 gboolean contact_list_update_contact(const char * const jid, const char * const presence,
     const char * const status);
 GSList * get_contact_list(void);
diff --git a/src/jabber.c b/src/jabber.c
index b1cc6cf5..3a0c23bd 100644
--- a/src/jabber.c
+++ b/src/jabber.c
@@ -760,7 +760,15 @@ _roster_handler(xmpp_conn_t * const conn,
             const char *jid = xmpp_stanza_get_attribute(item, STANZA_ATTR_JID);
             const char *name = xmpp_stanza_get_attribute(item, STANZA_ATTR_NAME);
             const char *sub = xmpp_stanza_get_attribute(item, STANZA_ATTR_SUBSCRIPTION);
-            gboolean added = contact_list_add(jid, name, "offline", NULL, sub);
+
+            gboolean pending_out = FALSE;
+            const char *ask = xmpp_stanza_get_attribute(item, STANZA_ATTR_ASK);
+            if ((ask != NULL) && (strcmp(ask, "subscribe") == 0)) {
+                pending_out = TRUE;
+            }
+
+            gboolean added = contact_list_add(jid, name, "offline", NULL, sub,
+                pending_out);
 
             if (!added) {
                 log_warning("Attempt to add contact twice: %s", jid);
diff --git a/src/room_chat.c b/src/room_chat.c
index d84a23fe..a55b8910 100644
--- a/src/room_chat.c
+++ b/src/room_chat.c
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ room_add_to_roster(const char * const room, const char * const nick,
             updated = TRUE;
         }
 
-        PContact contact = p_contact_new(nick, NULL, show, status, NULL);
+        PContact contact = p_contact_new(nick, NULL, show, status, NULL, FALSE);
         g_hash_table_replace(chat_room->roster, strdup(nick), contact);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/stanza.h b/src/stanza.h
index 9992c659..e29aa873 100644
--- a/src/stanza.h
+++ b/src/stanza.h
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@
 #define STANZA_ATTR_SUBSCRIPTION "subscription"
 #define STANZA_ATTR_XMLNS "xmlns"
 #define STANZA_ATTR_NICK "nick"
+#define STANZA_ATTR_ASK "ask"
 
 #define STANZA_TEXT_AWAY "away"
 #define STANZA_TEXT_DND "dnd"