Index: trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/MapStatus.java
===================================================================
--- trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/MapStatus.java	(revision 9345)
+++ trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/MapStatus.java	(revision 9346)
@@ -34,4 +34,5 @@
 import java.util.ConcurrentModificationException;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Objects;
 import java.util.TreeSet;
 import java.util.concurrent.BlockingQueue;
@@ -182,8 +183,10 @@
     }
 
+    /** The {@link CoordinateFormat} set in the previous update */
+    private transient CoordinateFormat previousCoordinateFormat = null;
     private final ImageLabel latText = new ImageLabel("lat",
-            tr("The geographic latitude at the mouse pointer."), 11, PROP_BACKGROUND_COLOR.get());
+            null, 11, PROP_BACKGROUND_COLOR.get());
     private final ImageLabel lonText = new ImageLabel("lon",
-            tr("The geographic longitude at the mouse pointer."), 11, PROP_BACKGROUND_COLOR.get());
+            null, 11, PROP_BACKGROUND_COLOR.get());
     private final ImageLabel headingText = new ImageLabel("heading",
             tr("The (compass) heading of the line segment being drawn."),
@@ -871,4 +874,19 @@
                     latText.setText(p.latToString(mCord));
                     lonText.setText(p.lonToString(mCord));
+                    if (Objects.equals(previousCoordinateFormat, mCord)) {
+                        // do nothing
+                    } else if (CoordinateFormat.EAST_NORTH.equals(mCord)) {
+                        latText.setIcon("northing");
+                        lonText.setIcon("easting");
+                        latText.setToolTipText(tr("The northing at the mouse pointer."));
+                        lonText.setToolTipText(tr("The easting at the mouse pointer."));
+                        previousCoordinateFormat = mCord;
+                    } else {
+                        latText.setIcon("lat");
+                        lonText.setIcon("lon");
+                        latText.setToolTipText(tr("The geographic latitude at the mouse pointer."));
+                        lonText.setToolTipText(tr("The geographic longitude at the mouse pointer."));
+                        previousCoordinateFormat = mCord;
+                    }
                 }
             }
Index: trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/widgets/ImageLabel.java
===================================================================
--- trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/widgets/ImageLabel.java	(revision 9345)
+++ trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/widgets/ImageLabel.java	(revision 9346)
@@ -6,4 +6,5 @@
 import java.awt.GridBagLayout;
 
+import javax.swing.Icon;
 import javax.swing.JLabel;
 import javax.swing.JPanel;
@@ -18,4 +19,5 @@
  */
 public class ImageLabel extends JPanel {
+    private final JLabel imgLabel;
     private final JLabel tf;
     private final int charCount;
@@ -23,5 +25,5 @@
     /**
      * Constructs a new {@code ImageLabel}.
-     * @param img Image name (without .png extension) to find in {@code statusline} directory
+     * @param img Image name (without extension) to find in {@code statusline} directory
      * @param tooltip Tooltip text to display
      * @param charCount Character count used to compute min/preferred size
@@ -31,5 +33,6 @@
         setLayout(new GridBagLayout());
         setBackground(background);
-        add(new JLabel(ImageProvider.get("statusline/"+img+".png")), GBC.std().anchor(GBC.WEST).insets(0, 1, 1, 0));
+        add(imgLabel = new JLabel(), GBC.std().anchor(GBC.WEST).insets(0, 1, 1, 0));
+        setIcon(img);
         add(tf = new JLabel(), GBC.std().fill(GBC.BOTH).anchor(GBC.WEST).insets(2, 1, 1, 0));
         setToolTipText(tooltip);
@@ -45,4 +48,12 @@
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Sets the image to display.
+     * @param img Image name (without extension) to find in {@code statusline} directory
+     */
+    public void setIcon(String img) {
+        imgLabel.setIcon(ImageProvider.get("statusline/" + img));
+    }
+
     @Override
     public Dimension getPreferredSize() {