diff --git a/kdevplatform/shell/problemmodel.h b/kdevplatform/shell/problemmodel.h
--- a/kdevplatform/shell/problemmodel.h
+++ b/kdevplatform/shell/problemmodel.h
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #include <shell/shellexport.h>
 #include <QAbstractItemModel>
 #include <shell/problem.h>
+#include <editor/documentrange.h>
 
 namespace KDevelop {
     class IDocument;
@@ -130,6 +131,20 @@
     /// Retrieve problems for selected document
     QVector<IProblem::Ptr> problems(const KDevelop::IndexedString& document) const;
 
+    /**
+     * Add new "placeholder" item (problem). The item will be displayed whenever the model is empty.
+     *
+     * The method should be used to notify user about some events. For example, analyzer plugin
+     * can set placeholders at analysis state changes - started/finished without errors/etc.
+     *
+     * \param[in] text Sets problem description.
+     * \param[in] location Sets problem final location.
+     * \param[in] source Sets problem source string.
+    */
+    void setPlaceholderText(const QString& text,
+                            const KDevelop::DocumentRange& location = KDevelop::DocumentRange::invalid(),
+                            const QString& source = QString());
+
     /// Retrieve the supported features
     Features features() const;
 
diff --git a/kdevplatform/shell/problemmodel.cpp b/kdevplatform/shell/problemmodel.cpp
--- a/kdevplatform/shell/problemmodel.cpp
+++ b/kdevplatform/shell/problemmodel.cpp
@@ -68,12 +68,29 @@
         : m_problems(store)
         , m_features(KDevelop::ProblemModel::NoFeatures)
         , m_fullUpdateTooltip(i18nc("@info:tooltip", "Re-parse all watched documents"))
+        , m_isPlaceholderShown(false)
     {
     }
 
+    KDevelop::IProblem::Ptr createPlaceholdreProblem() const
+    {
+        Q_ASSERT(!m_placeholderText.isEmpty());
+
+        KDevelop::IProblem::Ptr problem(new KDevelop::DetectedProblem(m_placeholderSource));
+        problem->setDescription(m_placeholderText);
+        problem->setFinalLocation(m_placeholderLocation);
+        problem->setSeverity(KDevelop::IProblem::Hint);
+
+        return problem;
+    }
+
     QScopedPointer<KDevelop::ProblemStore> m_problems;
     KDevelop::ProblemModel::Features m_features;
     QString m_fullUpdateTooltip;
+    QString m_placeholderText;
+    QString m_placeholderSource;
+    KDevelop::DocumentRange m_placeholderLocation;
+    bool m_isPlaceholderShown;
 };
 
 
@@ -253,25 +270,51 @@
     emit fullUpdateTooltipChanged();
 }
 
+void ProblemModel::setPlaceholderText(
+    const QString& text,
+    const KDevelop::DocumentRange& location,
+    const QString& source)
+{
+    d->m_placeholderText = text;
+    d->m_placeholderLocation = location;
+    d->m_placeholderSource = source;
+
+    if (d->m_isPlaceholderShown) {
+        clearProblems();
+    } else if (d->m_problems->count() == 0) {
+        setProblems({});
+    }
+}
+
 void ProblemModel::addProblem(const IProblem::Ptr &problem)
 {
-    int c = d->m_problems->count();
-    beginInsertRows(QModelIndex(), c, c);
-    d->m_problems->addProblem(problem);
-    endInsertRows();
+    if (d->m_isPlaceholderShown) {
+        setProblems({ problem });
+    } else {
+        int c = d->m_problems->count();
+        beginInsertRows(QModelIndex(), c, c);
+        d->m_problems->addProblem(problem);
+        endInsertRows();
+    }
 }
 
 void ProblemModel::setProblems(const QVector<IProblem::Ptr> &problems)
 {
     beginResetModel();
-    d->m_problems->setProblems(problems);
+    if (problems.isEmpty() && !d->m_placeholderText.isEmpty()) {
+        d->m_problems->setProblems({ d->createPlaceholdreProblem() });
+        d->m_isPlaceholderShown = true;
+    } else {
+        d->m_problems->setProblems(problems);
+        d->m_isPlaceholderShown = false;
+    }
     endResetModel();
 }
 
 void ProblemModel::clearProblems()
 {
     beginResetModel();
-    d->m_problems->clear();
+    setProblems({});
     endResetModel();
 }
 
diff --git a/kdevplatform/shell/tests/test_problemmodel.cpp b/kdevplatform/shell/tests/test_problemmodel.cpp
--- a/kdevplatform/shell/tests/test_problemmodel.cpp
+++ b/kdevplatform/shell/tests/test_problemmodel.cpp
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
     void testNoGrouping();
     void testPathGrouping();
     void testSeverityGrouping();
+    void testPlaceholderText();
 
 private:
     void generateProblems();
@@ -362,6 +363,61 @@
     m_model->clearProblems();
 }
 
+void TestProblemModel::testPlaceholderText()
+{
+    const QString text1 = QStringLiteral("testPlaceholderText1");
+    const QString text2 = QStringLiteral("testPlaceholderText2");
+    const QString empty;
+
+    m_model->setGrouping(NoGrouping);
+
+    // Test model with empty placeholder text
+
+    QCOMPARE(m_model->rowCount(), 0);
+    m_model->setPlaceholderText(empty);
+    QCOMPARE(m_model->rowCount(), 0);
+    m_model->setProblems(m_problems);
+    QCOMPARE(m_model->rowCount(), 3);
+    m_model->clearProblems();
+    QCOMPARE(m_model->rowCount(), 0);
+
+    // Test empty model with non-empty placeholder text
+
+    m_model->setPlaceholderText(text1);
+    QCOMPARE(m_model->rowCount(), 1);
+    QVERIFY(checkLabel(0, QModelIndex(), text1));
+
+    m_model->setPlaceholderText(text2);
+    QCOMPARE(m_model->rowCount(), 1);
+    QVERIFY(checkLabel(0, QModelIndex(), text2));
+
+    // Test non-empty model with non-empty placeholder text
+
+    m_model->setProblems(m_problems);
+    QCOMPARE(m_model->rowCount(), 3);
+
+    m_model->clearProblems();
+    QCOMPARE(m_model->rowCount(), 1);
+    QVERIFY(checkLabel(0, QModelIndex(), text2));
+
+    m_model->addProblem(m_problems[0]);
+    QCOMPARE(m_model->rowCount(), 1);
+    QVERIFY(checkIsSame(0, QModelIndex(), m_problems[0]));
+
+    m_model->addProblem(m_problems[1]);
+    QCOMPARE(m_model->rowCount(), 2);
+    QVERIFY(checkIsSame(1, QModelIndex(), m_problems[1]));
+
+    m_model->setPlaceholderText(text1);
+    QCOMPARE(m_model->rowCount(), 2);
+    QVERIFY(checkIsSame(0, QModelIndex(), m_problems[0]));
+    QVERIFY(checkIsSame(1, QModelIndex(), m_problems[1]));
+
+    m_model->setProblems({});
+    QCOMPARE(m_model->rowCount(), 1);
+    QVERIFY(checkLabel(0, QModelIndex(), text1));
+}
+
 // Generate 3 problems, all with different paths, different severity
 // Also generates a problem with diagnostics
 void TestProblemModel::generateProblems()