diff --git a/STRINGS.CHANGES b/STRINGS.CHANGES
index ef53413..7b4cff1 100644
--- a/STRINGS.CHANGES
+++ b/STRINGS.CHANGES
@@ -25,4 +25,12 @@ NEWSTRING: "\r\n\e[1;31mError creating URL!\e[0m\r\n"
 
 LINE 259 NEW
 OLDSTRING: (NONE)
-NEWSTRING: "\e[1;33mSorry this BBS does not have the webserver enabled.\e[0m\r\n"
\ No newline at end of file
+NEWSTRING: "\e[1;33mSorry this BBS does not have the webserver enabled.\e[0m\r\n"
+
+LINE 260 NEW
+OLDSTRING: (NONE)
+NEWSTRING: "\e[%d;1H\e[1;30;40m[\e[1;34;44m%4d\e[1;30;40m]\e[1;32m*\e[1;37m%s\e[K"
+
+LINE 261 NEW
+OLDSTRING: (NONE)
+NEWSTRING: "\e[%d;1H\e[1;30;40m[\e[1;34m%4d\e[1;30;40m]\e[1;32m*\e[1;37m%s\e[K"
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/dist/magicka.strings b/dist/magicka.strings
index 671b5bd..54970f5 100644
--- a/dist/magicka.strings
+++ b/dist/magicka.strings
@@ -257,3 +257,5 @@ File exists!\r\n
      \e[1;34mURL\e[1;30m: \e[1;37m%s\e[0m\r\n
 \r\n\e[1;31mError creating URL!\e[0m\r\n
 \e[1;33mSorry this BBS does not have the webserver enabled.\e[0m\r\n
+\e[%d;1H\e[1;30;40m[\e[1;34;44m%4d\e[1;30;40m]\e[1;32m*\e[1;37m%s\e[K
+\e[%d;1H\e[1;30;40m[\e[1;34m%4d\e[1;30;40m]\e[1;32m*\e[1;37m%s\e[K
diff --git a/src/bbs.h b/src/bbs.h
index 197290e..615716a 100644
--- a/src/bbs.h
+++ b/src/bbs.h
@@ -293,6 +293,7 @@ extern void msgbase_reset_pointers(int conference, int msgarea);
 extern void msgbase_reset_all_pointers();
 extern void full_mail_scan(struct user_record *user);
 extern int read_new_msgs(struct user_record *user, struct msg_headers *msghs);
+extern int new_messages(struct user_record *user, int conference, int area);
 
 extern void rundoor(struct user_record *user, char *cmd, int stdio, char *codepage);
 extern void runexternal(struct user_record *user, char *cmd, int stdio, char **argv, char *cwd, int raw, char *codepage);
diff --git a/src/mail_menu.c b/src/mail_menu.c
index 1fc5a0d..c01090a 100644
--- a/src/mail_menu.c
+++ b/src/mail_menu.c
@@ -2756,9 +2756,17 @@ void choose_area() {
 			s_printf(get_string(248));
 			for (i=start;i<start+22 && i < list_tmp;i++) {
 				if (i == selected) {
-					s_printf(get_string(249), i - start + 2, area_tmp[i]->index, area_tmp[i]->area->name);
+					if (new_messages(gUser, gUser->cur_mail_conf, area_tmp[i]->index)) {
+						s_printf(get_string(259), i - start + 2, area_tmp[i]->index, area_tmp[i]->area->name);
+					} else {
+						s_printf(get_string(249), i - start + 2, area_tmp[i]->index, area_tmp[i]->area->name);
+					}
 				} else {
-					s_printf(get_string(250), i - start + 2, area_tmp[i]->index, area_tmp[i]->area->name);
+					if (new_messages(gUser, gUser->cur_mail_conf, area_tmp[i]->index)) {
+						s_printf(get_string(260), i - start + 2, area_tmp[i]->index, area_tmp[i]->area->name);
+					} else {					
+						s_printf(get_string(250), i - start + 2, area_tmp[i]->index, area_tmp[i]->area->name);
+					}
 				}
 			}
 			s_printf("\e[%d;5H", selected - start + 2);
@@ -2785,8 +2793,16 @@ void choose_area() {
 						selected = list_tmp - 1;
 					} else {
 						if (!redraw) {		
-							s_printf(get_string(250), selected - start + 1, area_tmp[selected - 1]->index, area_tmp[selected - 1]->area->name);
-							s_printf(get_string(249), selected - start + 2, area_tmp[selected]->index, area_tmp[selected]->area->name);
+							if (new_messages(gUser, gUser->cur_mail_conf, area_tmp[selected - 1]->index)) {
+								s_printf(get_string(260), selected - start + 1, area_tmp[selected - 1]->index, area_tmp[selected - 1]->area->name);
+							} else {
+								s_printf(get_string(250), selected - start + 1, area_tmp[selected - 1]->index, area_tmp[selected - 1]->area->name);
+							}
+							if (new_messages(gUser, gUser->cur_mail_conf, area_tmp[selected]->index)) {
+								s_printf(get_string(259), selected - start + 2, area_tmp[selected]->index, area_tmp[selected]->area->name);
+							} else {
+								s_printf(get_string(249), selected - start + 2, area_tmp[selected]->index, area_tmp[selected]->area->name);
+							}
 							s_printf("\e[%d;5H", selected - start + 2);
 						}
 					}
@@ -2803,9 +2819,17 @@ void choose_area() {
 					if (selected < 0) {
 						selected = 0;
 					} else {
-						if (!redraw) {		
-							s_printf(get_string(249), selected - start + 2, area_tmp[selected]->index, area_tmp[selected]->area->name);
-							s_printf(get_string(250), selected - start + 3, area_tmp[selected + 1]->index, area_tmp[selected + 1]->area->name);
+						if (!redraw) {	
+							if (new_messages(gUser, gUser->cur_mail_conf, area_tmp[selected]->index)) {
+								s_printf(get_string(259), selected - start + 2, area_tmp[selected]->index, area_tmp[selected]->area->name);
+							} else {
+								s_printf(get_string(249), selected - start + 2, area_tmp[selected]->index, area_tmp[selected]->area->name);
+							}
+							if (new_messages(gUser, gUser->cur_mail_conf, area_tmp[selected + 1]->index)) {
+								s_printf(get_string(260), selected - start + 3, area_tmp[selected + 1]->index, area_tmp[selected + 1]->area->name);
+							} else {
+								s_printf(get_string(250), selected - start + 3, area_tmp[selected + 1]->index, area_tmp[selected + 1]->area->name);
+							}
 							s_printf("\e[%d;5H", selected - start + 2);
 						}	
 					}
@@ -3233,3 +3257,55 @@ void msgbase_reset_all_pointers() {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+int new_messages(struct user_record *user, int conference, int area) {
+	int count = 0;
+	s_JamBase *jb;
+	s_JamBaseHeader jbh;
+	s_JamLastRead jlr;
+	struct msg_headers *msghs;
+		
+	jb = open_jam_base(conf.mail_conferences[conference]->mail_areas[area]->path);
+	if (!jb) {
+		return 0;
+	}
+	if (JAM_ReadMBHeader(jb, &jbh) != 0) {
+		JAM_CloseMB(jb);
+		return 0;
+	}
+	if (JAM_ReadLastRead(jb, user->id, &jlr) == JAM_NO_USER) {
+		if (jbh.ActiveMsgs == 0) {
+			JAM_CloseMB(jb);
+			return 0;
+		}
+		if (conf.mail_conferences[conference]->mail_areas[area]->type == TYPE_NETMAIL_AREA) {
+			msghs = read_message_headers(conference, area, user);
+			if (msghs != NULL) {
+				if (msghs->msg_count > 0) {
+					count = msghs->msg_count;
+				}
+				free_message_headers(msghs);
+			}
+		} else {
+			count = jbh.ActiveMsgs;
+		}
+	} else {
+		if (jlr.HighReadMsg < jbh.ActiveMsgs) {
+			if (conf.mail_conferences[conference]->mail_areas[area]->type == TYPE_NETMAIL_AREA) {
+				msghs = read_message_headers(conference, area, user);
+				if (msghs != NULL) {
+					if (msghs->msg_count > 0) {
+						if (msghs->msgs[msghs->msg_count-1]->msg_h->MsgNum > jlr.HighReadMsg) {
+							count = msghs->msgs[msghs->msg_count-1]->msg_h->MsgNum - jlr.HighReadMsg;
+						}
+					}
+					free_message_headers(msghs);
+				}
+			} else {
+				count = jbh.ActiveMsgs - jlr.HighReadMsg;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	JAM_CloseMB(jb);
+	return count;
+}
diff --git a/src/www_msgs.c b/src/www_msgs.c
index 28de7bf..0581e87 100644
--- a/src/www_msgs.c
+++ b/src/www_msgs.c
@@ -13,58 +13,6 @@
 extern char * aha(char *input);
 extern struct bbs_config conf;
 
-static int new_messages(struct user_record *user, int conference, int area) {
-	int count = 0;
-	s_JamBase *jb;
-	s_JamBaseHeader jbh;
-	s_JamLastRead jlr;
-	struct msg_headers *msghs;
-		
-	jb = open_jam_base(conf.mail_conferences[conference]->mail_areas[area]->path);
-	if (!jb) {
-		return 0;
-	}
-	if (JAM_ReadMBHeader(jb, &jbh) != 0) {
-		JAM_CloseMB(jb);
-		return 0;
-	}
-	if (JAM_ReadLastRead(jb, user->id, &jlr) == JAM_NO_USER) {
-		if (jbh.ActiveMsgs == 0) {
-			JAM_CloseMB(jb);
-			return 0;
-		}
-		if (conf.mail_conferences[conference]->mail_areas[area]->type == TYPE_NETMAIL_AREA) {
-			msghs = read_message_headers(conference, area, user);
-			if (msghs != NULL) {
-				if (msghs->msg_count > 0) {
-					count = msghs->msg_count;
-				}
-				free_message_headers(msghs);
-			}
-		} else {
-			count = jbh.ActiveMsgs;
-		}
-	} else {
-		if (jlr.HighReadMsg < jbh.ActiveMsgs) {
-			if (conf.mail_conferences[conference]->mail_areas[area]->type == TYPE_NETMAIL_AREA) {
-				msghs = read_message_headers(conference, area, user);
-				if (msghs != NULL) {
-					if (msghs->msg_count > 0) {
-						if (msghs->msgs[msghs->msg_count-1]->msg_h->MsgNum > jlr.HighReadMsg) {
-							count = msghs->msgs[msghs->msg_count-1]->msg_h->MsgNum - jlr.HighReadMsg;
-						}
-					}
-					free_message_headers(msghs);
-				}
-			} else {
-				count = jbh.ActiveMsgs - jlr.HighReadMsg;
-			}
-		}
-	}
-	JAM_CloseMB(jb);
-	return count;
-}
-
 static char *www_sanitize(char *inp) {
 	int i;
 	char *result;