diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index d1c1b130e1..47c9c96d1e 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 2006-06-02  David Hampton  <hampton@employees.org>
 
+	* src/gnome-utils/gnc-main-window.c: 
+	* src/gnome-utils/gnc-window.c: The progress bar changes size when
+	text is added/removed.  Prevent these changes by setting the text
+	to a single space when there is no text to display.  Fixes
+	#343455.
+
 	* src/gnome/window-reconcile.c: Limit the reconciliation date to
 	the past or today, never the future.  Fixes #343527.
 
diff --git a/src/gnome-utils/gnc-main-window.c b/src/gnome-utils/gnc-main-window.c
index 8233a5e22d..3ab4d58484 100644
--- a/src/gnome-utils/gnc-main-window.c
+++ b/src/gnome-utils/gnc-main-window.c
@@ -2647,6 +2647,7 @@ gnc_main_window_setup_window (GncMainWindow *window)
         gtk_statusbar_set_has_resize_grip( GTK_STATUSBAR(priv->statusbar), TRUE );
 
 	priv->progressbar = gtk_progress_bar_new ();
+	gtk_progress_bar_set_text(GTK_PROGRESS_BAR(priv->progressbar), " ");
 	gtk_widget_show (priv->progressbar);
 	gtk_box_pack_start (GTK_BOX (priv->statusbar), priv->progressbar,
 			    FALSE, TRUE, 0);
diff --git a/src/gnome-utils/gnc-window.c b/src/gnome-utils/gnc-window.c
index a075267e11..9bb34f46bd 100644
--- a/src/gnome-utils/gnc-window.c
+++ b/src/gnome-utils/gnc-window.c
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ gnc_window_show_progress (const char *message, double percentage)
   }
 
   if (percentage < 0) {
-    gtk_progress_bar_set_text(GTK_PROGRESS_BAR(progressbar), NULL);
+    gtk_progress_bar_set_text(GTK_PROGRESS_BAR(progressbar), " ");
     gtk_progress_bar_set_fraction(GTK_PROGRESS_BAR(progressbar), 0.0);
     if (GNC_WINDOW_GET_IFACE(window)->ui_set_sensitive != NULL)
       GNC_WINDOW_GET_IFACE(window)->ui_set_sensitive(window, TRUE);