diff --git a/src/command.c b/src/command.c
index 45f4f00c..cdb0c384 100644
--- a/src/command.c
+++ b/src/command.c
@@ -155,10 +155,12 @@ static struct cmd_t main_commands[] =
 
     { "/who", 
         _cmd_who,
-        { "/who", "Find out who is online.",
-        { "/who",
-          "----",
-          "Show the list of all online contacts with their current status message.",
+        { "/who [status]", "Show contacts with chosen status.",
+        { "/who [status]",
+          "-------------",
+          "Show contacts with the specified status, no status shows all contacts.",
+          "Possible statuses are: online, offline, away, dnd, xa, chat.",
+          "online includes: chat, dnd, away, xa.",
           NULL } } },
 
     { "/close", 
diff --git a/src/contact_list.c b/src/contact_list.c
index 328b8d04..22a52659 100644
--- a/src/contact_list.c
+++ b/src/contact_list.c
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
  *
  */
 
+#include <string.h>
+
 #include "contact.h"
 #include "prof_autocomplete.h"
 
@@ -70,3 +72,19 @@ find_contact(char *search_str)
 {
     return p_autocomplete_complete(ac, search_str);
 }
+
+PContact
+contact_list_get_contact(const char const *jid)
+{
+    GSList *contacts = get_contact_list();
+    
+    while (contacts != NULL) {
+        PContact contact = contacts->data;
+        if (strcmp(p_contact_name(contact), jid) == 0) {
+            return contact;
+        }
+        contacts = g_slist_next(contacts);
+    }
+
+    return NULL;
+}
diff --git a/src/contact_list.h b/src/contact_list.h
index 4790a286..7d89b88c 100644
--- a/src/contact_list.h
+++ b/src/contact_list.h
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@
 
 #include <glib.h>
 
+#include "contact.h"
+
 void contact_list_init(void);
 void contact_list_clear(void);
 void reset_search_attempts(void);
@@ -33,5 +35,6 @@ gboolean contact_list_add(const char * const name, const char * const show,
 gboolean contact_list_remove(const char * const name);
 GSList * get_contact_list(void);
 char * find_contact(char *search_str);
+PContact contact_list_get_contact(const char const *jid);
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/windows.c b/src/windows.c
index 724a904f..872a3617 100644
--- a/src/windows.c
+++ b/src/windows.c
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 
 #include "command.h"
 #include "contact.h"
+#include "contact_list.h"
 #include "log.h"
 #include "preferences.h"
 #include "ui.h"
@@ -357,15 +358,23 @@ void
 win_show_outgoing_msg(const char * const from, const char * const to, 
     const char * const message)
 {
-    int win_index = _find_prof_win_index(to);
-    if (win_index == NUM_WINS) 
-        win_index = _new_prof_win(to);
+    // if the contact is offline, show a message
+    PContact contact = contact_list_get_contact(to);
+    
+    if (contact == NULL) {
+        cons_show("%s is not one of your contacts.");
+    } else {
+        int win_index = _find_prof_win_index(to);
 
-    WINDOW *win = _wins[win_index].win;
-    _win_show_time(win);
-    _win_show_user(win, from, 0);
-    _win_show_message(win, message);
-    _win_switch_if_active(win_index);
+        if (win_index == NUM_WINS) 
+            win_index = _new_prof_win(to);
+
+        WINDOW *win = _wins[win_index].win;
+        _win_show_time(win);
+        _win_show_user(win, from, 0);
+        _win_show_message(win, message);
+        _win_switch_if_active(win_index);
+    }
 }
 
 void