Index: trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/SplashScreen.java
===================================================================
--- trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/SplashScreen.java	(revision 4028)
+++ trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/SplashScreen.java	(revision 4029)
@@ -5,4 +5,5 @@
 
 import java.awt.Color;
+import java.awt.Dimension;
 import java.awt.Font;
 import java.awt.GridBagConstraints;
@@ -119,5 +120,5 @@
             gc.weighty = 0.0;
             gc.insets = new Insets(5,0,0,5);
-            add(lblTaskTitle = new JLabel(""), gc);
+            add(lblTaskTitle = new JLabel(" "), gc);
 
             gc.gridx = 0;
@@ -127,5 +128,12 @@
             gc.weighty = 0.0;
             gc.insets = new Insets(5,0,0,5);
-            add(lblCustomText = new JLabel(""), gc);
+            add(lblCustomText = new JLabel(" ") {
+                @Override
+                public Dimension getPreferredSize() {
+                    Dimension d = super.getPreferredSize();
+                    if(d.width < 600) d.width = 600;
+                    return d;
+                }
+            }, gc);
 
             gc.gridx = 0;
@@ -143,4 +151,6 @@
 
         public void setCustomText(String message) {
+            if(message.isEmpty())
+                message = " "; /* prevent killing of additional line */
             lblCustomText.setText(message);
             repaint();