diff --git a/.config/zsh/functions/mx-set-status b/.config/zsh/functions/mx-set-status
index e10db8d..6aa4507 100755
--- a/.config/zsh/functions/mx-set-status
+++ b/.config/zsh/functions/mx-set-status
@@ -13,12 +13,21 @@ local host=${cfg[1]}
 local user=${cfg[2]}
 local token=${cfg[3]}
 local mxstatus="be gay, do crime! :3"
-[[ -v 1 ]] && mxstatus=${1}
 
 local response=$(curl --silent \
     --header "Authorization: Bearer ${token}" \
     "https://${host}/_matrix/client/v3/presence/${user}/status")
 local presence=$(jq --raw-output .presence <<<${response})
+local status_msg=$(jq --raw-output .status_msg <<<${response})
+
+if [[ -v 1 ]]; then
+    mxstatus=${1}
+else
+    # preserve status message that is not empty or beginning with “np: ”
+    if [[ ${#status_msg} != 0 ]] && [[ ${status_msg[1,4]} != "np: " ]]; then
+        mxstatus=${status_msg}
+    fi
+fi
 
 curl --silent -X PUT \
     --header "Authorization: Bearer ${token}" \