diff --git a/Source/cmLocalUnixMakefileGenerator.cxx b/Source/cmLocalUnixMakefileGenerator.cxx
index 55dea6aae..c89a4d64b 100644
--- a/Source/cmLocalUnixMakefileGenerator.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmLocalUnixMakefileGenerator.cxx
@@ -924,6 +924,7 @@ void cmLocalUnixMakefileGenerator::OutputExecutableRule(std::ostream& fout,
   std::string flags;
   std::string target = m_ExecutableOutputPath + name 
     + cmSystemTools::GetExecutableExtension(); 
+  target = cmSystemTools::ConvertToOutputPath(target.c_str());
   std::string objs = "$(" + this->CreateMakeVariable(name, "_SRC_OBJS") + ") ";
   std::string depend = "$(";
   depend += this->CreateMakeVariable(name, "_SRC_OBJS") 
diff --git a/Source/cmMakefile.cxx b/Source/cmMakefile.cxx
index bc8bf6bdc..5e8ec9800 100644
--- a/Source/cmMakefile.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmMakefile.cxx
@@ -1443,3 +1443,8 @@ bool cmMakefile::GetLocal() const
 {
   return m_LocalGenerator->GetGlobalGenerator()->GetCMakeInstance()->GetLocal();
 }
+void cmMakefile::DisplayStatus(const char* message, float s)
+{
+  this->GetLocalGenerator()->GetGlobalGenerator()
+    ->GetCMakeInstance()->UpdateProgress(message, s);
+}
diff --git a/Source/cmMakefile.h b/Source/cmMakefile.h
index 2cba4946a..695243ab3 100644
--- a/Source/cmMakefile.h
+++ b/Source/cmMakefile.h
@@ -522,6 +522,8 @@ public:
   //! Determine wether this is a local or global build.
   bool GetLocal() const;
 
+  ///! Display progress or status message.
+  void DisplayStatus(const char*, float);
 protected:
   // add link libraries and directories to the target
   void AddGlobalLinkInformation(const char* name, cmTarget& target);
diff --git a/Source/cmMessageCommand.cxx b/Source/cmMessageCommand.cxx
index 0fa2e83af..45c6dc9df 100644
--- a/Source/cmMessageCommand.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmMessageCommand.cxx
@@ -30,11 +30,20 @@ bool cmMessageCommand::InitialPass(std::vector<std::string> const& argsIn)
   std::vector<std::string>::const_iterator i = args.begin();
 
   bool send_error = false;
+  bool status = false;
   if (*i == "SEND_ERROR")
     {
     send_error = true;
     ++i;
     }
+  else
+    {
+      if (*i == "STATUS")
+        {
+          status = true;
+          ++i;
+        }
+    }
 
   for(;i != args.end(); ++i)
     {
@@ -47,7 +56,14 @@ bool cmMessageCommand::InitialPass(std::vector<std::string> const& argsIn)
     }
   else
     {
-    cmSystemTools::Message(message.c_str());
+      if (status)
+        {
+          m_Makefile->DisplayStatus(message.c_str(), -1);
+        }
+      else
+        {
+          cmSystemTools::Message(message.c_str());
+        }
     }
 
   return true;
diff --git a/Source/cmMessageCommand.h b/Source/cmMessageCommand.h
index 2d0fc3883..a312edcee 100644
--- a/Source/cmMessageCommand.h
+++ b/Source/cmMessageCommand.h
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@ public:
   virtual const char* GetFullDocumentation()
     {
     return
-      "MESSAGE([SEND_ERROR] \"message to display\"...)\n"
-      "The arguments are messages to display. If the first argument is SEND_ERROR then an error is raised.";
+      "MESSAGE([SEND_ERROR | STATUS] \"message to display\"...)\n"
+      "The arguments are messages to display. If the first argument is SEND_ERROR then an error is raised. If the first argument is STATUS then the message is diaplyed in the progress line for the GUI";
     }
   
   cmTypeMacro(cmMessageCommand, cmCommand);