diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshActionHandler.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshActionHandler.kt
index 81d5f39c7..2c2ff5831 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshActionHandler.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshActionHandler.kt
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ constructor(
     fun handleSetModuleConfig(id: Int, destNum: Int, payload: ByteArray) {
         val c = ModuleConfig.ADAPTER.decode(payload)
         commandSender.sendAdmin(destNum, id) { AdminMessage(set_module_config = c) }
-        c.statusmessage?.node_status?.let { status -> nodeManager.updateNodeStatus(destNum, status) }
+        c.statusmessage?.let { sm -> nodeManager.updateNodeStatus(destNum, sm.node_status) }
     }
 
     fun handleGetModuleConfig(id: Int, destNum: Int, config: Int) {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshConfigHandler.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshConfigHandler.kt
index 4135185b1..fb0568e9c 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshConfigHandler.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshConfigHandler.kt
@@ -66,8 +66,8 @@ constructor(
         scope.handledLaunch { radioConfigRepository.setLocalModuleConfig(config) }
         serviceRepository.setConnectionProgress("Module config received")
 
-        config.statusmessage?.node_status?.let { status ->
-            nodeManager.myNodeNum?.let { num -> nodeManager.updateNodeStatus(num, status) }
+        config.statusmessage?.let { sm ->
+            nodeManager.myNodeNum?.let { num -> nodeManager.updateNodeStatus(num, sm.node_status) }
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshNodeManager.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshNodeManager.kt
index e1b789588..421630865 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshNodeManager.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/geeksville/mesh/service/MeshNodeManager.kt
@@ -213,8 +213,8 @@ constructor(
         updateNodeStatus(fromNum, s.status)
     }
 
-    fun updateNodeStatus(nodeNum: Int, status: String) {
-        updateNodeInfo(nodeNum) { it.nodeStatus = status }
+    fun updateNodeStatus(nodeNum: Int, status: String?) {
+        updateNodeInfo(nodeNum) { it.nodeStatus = status?.takeIf { s -> s.isNotEmpty() } }
     }
 
     fun installNodeInfo(info: ProtoNodeInfo, withBroadcast: Boolean = true) {
diff --git a/feature/settings/src/main/kotlin/org/meshtastic/feature/settings/radio/component/StatusMessageConfigItemList.kt b/feature/settings/src/main/kotlin/org/meshtastic/feature/settings/radio/component/StatusMessageConfigItemList.kt
index eb5d0523c..75914edeb 100644
--- a/feature/settings/src/main/kotlin/org/meshtastic/feature/settings/radio/component/StatusMessageConfigItemList.kt
+++ b/feature/settings/src/main/kotlin/org/meshtastic/feature/settings/radio/component/StatusMessageConfigItemList.kt
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ package org.meshtastic.feature.settings.radio.component
 
 import androidx.compose.foundation.text.KeyboardActions
 import androidx.compose.foundation.text.KeyboardOptions
+import androidx.compose.material.icons.Icons
+import androidx.compose.material.icons.filled.Clear
+import androidx.compose.material3.Icon
+import androidx.compose.material3.IconButton
 import androidx.compose.runtime.Composable
 import androidx.compose.runtime.getValue
 import androidx.compose.ui.platform.LocalFocusManager
@@ -27,6 +31,7 @@ import androidx.hilt.lifecycle.viewmodel.compose.hiltViewModel
 import androidx.lifecycle.compose.collectAsStateWithLifecycle
 import org.jetbrains.compose.resources.stringResource
 import org.meshtastic.core.strings.Res
+import org.meshtastic.core.strings.clear
 import org.meshtastic.core.strings.node_status_summary
 import org.meshtastic.core.strings.status_message
 import org.meshtastic.core.strings.status_message_config
@@ -58,7 +63,7 @@ fun StatusMessageConfigScreen(viewModel: RadioConfigViewModel = hiltViewModel(),
             TitledCard(title = stringResource(Res.string.status_message_config)) {
                 EditTextPreference(
                     title = stringResource(Res.string.node_status_summary),
-                    value = formState.value.node_status ?: "",
+                    value = formState.value.node_status,
                     maxSize = 80, // status_message max_size:80
                     enabled = state.connected,
                     isError = false,
@@ -66,6 +71,16 @@ fun StatusMessageConfigScreen(viewModel: RadioConfigViewModel = hiltViewModel(),
                     KeyboardOptions.Default.copy(keyboardType = KeyboardType.Text, imeAction = ImeAction.Done),
                     keyboardActions = KeyboardActions(onDone = { focusManager.clearFocus() }),
                     onValueChanged = { formState.value = formState.value.copy(node_status = it) },
+                    trailingIcon = {
+                        if (formState.value.node_status.isNotEmpty()) {
+                            IconButton(onClick = { formState.value = formState.value.copy(node_status = "") }) {
+                                Icon(
+                                    imageVector = Icons.Default.Clear,
+                                    contentDescription = stringResource(Res.string.clear),
+                                )
+                            }
+                        }
+                    },
                 )
             }
         }