diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@
 find_package(KF5WidgetsAddons ${KF5_VERSION} CONFIG REQUIRED)
 find_package(KF5WindowSystem ${KF5_VERSION} CONFIG REQUIRED)
 find_package(KF5XmlGui ${KF5_VERSION} CONFIG REQUIRED)
+find_package(KF5Plasma ${KF5_VERSION} CONFIG REQUIRED)
 
 # Find KdepimLibs Package
 find_package(KF5Akonadi ${AKONADI_VERSION} CONFIG REQUIRED)
diff --git a/src/CMakeLists.txt b/src/CMakeLists.txt
--- a/src/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/src/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@
     widgets/statusbarlabeltoggledstate.cpp
     widgets/kactionmenutransport.cpp
     widgets/kactionmenuaccount.cpp
+    widgets/busyindicator.cpp
     )
 set(kmailprivate_tag_LIB_SRCS
     tag/tagactionmanager.cpp
@@ -324,6 +325,7 @@
     KF5::AkonadiSearchPIM
     KF5::WebEngineViewer
     KF5::SyntaxHighlighting
+    KF5::Plasma
     )
 target_include_directories(kmailprivate PUBLIC $<TARGET_PROPERTY:KF5::MessageList,INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES>)
 target_include_directories(kmailprivate PUBLIC $<TARGET_PROPERTY:KF5::MessageViewer,INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES>)
diff --git a/src/kmreaderwin.h b/src/kmreaderwin.h
--- a/src/kmreaderwin.h
+++ b/src/kmreaderwin.h
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 class QAction;
 class KToggleAction;
 class QMenu;
+class QStackedWidget;
 namespace MessageViewer {
 class CSSHelper;
 }
@@ -43,6 +44,9 @@
 
 class KJob;
 
+class BusyWidget;
+class OfflineWidget;
+
 /**
    This class implements a "reader window", that is a window
    used for reading or viewing messages.
@@ -243,6 +247,9 @@
 
     QMenu *mViewHtmlOptions;
 
+    QStackedWidget *mStack;
+    BusyWidget *mBusyWidget;
+    OfflineWidget *mOfflineWidget;
     MessageViewer::Viewer *mViewer;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/kmreaderwin.cpp b/src/kmreaderwin.cpp
--- a/src/kmreaderwin.cpp
+++ b/src/kmreaderwin.cpp
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include "mailcommon/mailkernel.h"
 #include "dialog/addemailtoexistingcontactdialog.h"
 #include "job/addemailtoexistingcontactjob.h"
+#include "widgets/busyindicator.h"
 
 #include "kmail-version.h"
 #include <KEmailAddress>
@@ -73,8 +74,12 @@
 #include <KActionCollection>
 #include <KMessageBox>
 #include <QMenu>
+#include <QLabel>
+#include <QHBoxLayout>
+#include <QPushButton>
 
 #include <QClipboard>
+#include <QStackedWidget>
 
 // X headers...
 #undef Never
@@ -85,6 +90,109 @@
 using namespace KMail;
 using namespace MailCommon;
 
+class BusyWidget : public QWidget {
+    Q_OBJECT
+public:
+    explicit BusyWidget(QWidget *parent = nullptr)
+        : QWidget(parent)
+    {
+        mLabel = new QLabel;
+        mLabel->setAlignment(Qt::AlignCenter);
+
+        mBusy = new BusyIndicator;
+        mBusy->setMinimumWidth(64);
+        mBusy->setMinimumHeight(64);
+
+        auto l = new QGridLayout(this);
+        l->addWidget(mBusy, 1, 0, Qt::AlignCenter);
+        l->addWidget(mLabel, 2, 0, Qt::AlignCenter);
+        l->setRowStretch(0, 2);
+        l->setRowStretch(3, 2);
+    }
+
+    void setText(const QString &text)
+    {
+        mLabel->setText(text);
+    }
+
+protected:
+    void showEvent(QShowEvent *event) override
+    {
+        mBusy->setActive(true);
+        QWidget::showEvent(event);
+    }
+
+    void hideEvent(QHideEvent *event) override
+    {
+        mBusy->setActive(false);
+        QWidget::hideEvent(event);
+    }
+
+private:
+    BusyIndicator *mBusy;
+    QLabel *mLabel;
+};
+
+
+class OfflineWidget : public QWidget {
+    Q_OBJECT
+public:
+    explicit OfflineWidget(QWidget *parent = nullptr)
+        : QWidget(parent)
+        , mOnlineMode(MessageViewer::Viewer::AllResources)
+    {
+        auto l = new QVBoxLayout;
+        setLayout(l);
+        l->addStretch(2);
+
+        auto h = new QHBoxLayout;
+        h->addStretch(2);
+        auto icon = new QLabel;
+        icon->setPixmap(QIcon::fromTheme(QStringLiteral("offline")).pixmap(42));
+        h->addWidget(icon);
+
+        mLabel = new QLabel;
+        mLabel->setAlignment(Qt::AlignCenter);
+        h->addWidget(mLabel);
+        h->addStretch(2);
+
+        l->addLayout(h);
+
+        mOnlineBtn = new QPushButton;
+        connect(mOnlineBtn, &QPushButton::clicked,
+                this, [this]() {
+                    Q_EMIT goOnline(mOnlineMode);
+                });
+        l->addWidget(mOnlineBtn, 0, Qt::AlignCenter);
+
+        l->addStretch(2);
+    }
+
+    void setText(const QString &labelText, const QString &buttonText,
+                 MessageViewer::Viewer::ResourceOnlineMode onlineMode)
+    {
+        mLabel->setText(labelText);
+        mOnlineBtn->setText(buttonText);
+        mOnlineMode = onlineMode;
+    }
+
+Q_SIGNALS:
+    void goOnline(MessageViewer::Viewer::ResourceOnlineMode onlineMode);
+
+private:
+    QLabel *mLabel;
+    QPushButton *mOnlineBtn;
+    MessageViewer::Viewer::ResourceOnlineMode mOnlineMode;
+};
+
+namespace {
+
+static const int Stack_ViewerIndex = 0;
+static const int Stack_BusyIndex = 1;
+static const int Stack_OfflineIndex = 2;
+
+}
+
 KMReaderWin::KMReaderWin(QWidget *aParent, QWidget *mainWindow, KActionCollection *actionCollection)
     : QWidget(aParent)
     , mMainWindow(mainWindow)
@@ -101,10 +209,13 @@
     createActions();
     QVBoxLayout *vlay = new QVBoxLayout(this);
     vlay->setContentsMargins(0, 4, 0, 0);
+
+    mStack = new QStackedWidget(this);
+    vlay->addWidget(mStack);
+
     mViewer = new Viewer(this, mainWindow, mActionCollection);
     connect(mViewer, SIGNAL(urlClicked(Akonadi::Item,QUrl)), this, SLOT(slotUrlClicked(Akonadi::Item,QUrl)));
     connect(mViewer, &Viewer::requestConfigSync, kmkernel, &KMKernel::slotRequestConfigSync, Qt::QueuedConnection);   // happens anyway on shutdown, so we can skip it there with using a queued connection
-    connect(mViewer, &Viewer::makeResourceOnline, kmkernel, &KMKernel::makeResourceOnline);
     connect(mViewer, &MessageViewer::Viewer::showReader, this, &KMReaderWin::slotShowReader);
     connect(mViewer, &MessageViewer::Viewer::showMessage, this, &KMReaderWin::slotShowMessage);
     connect(mViewer, &MessageViewer::Viewer::showStatusBarMessage, this, &KMReaderWin::showStatusBarMessage);
@@ -114,7 +225,18 @@
     mViewer->addMessageLoadedHandler(new MessageViewer::MarkMessageReadHandler(this));
     mViewer->addMessageLoadedHandler(new MailCommon::SendMdnHandler(kmkernel, this));
 
-    vlay->addWidget(mViewer);
+    mStack->addWidget(mViewer);
+
+    mBusyWidget = new BusyWidget(this);
+    mStack->addWidget(mBusyWidget);
+
+    mOfflineWidget = new OfflineWidget(this);
+    connect(mOfflineWidget, &OfflineWidget::goOnline,
+            kmkernel, &KMKernel::makeResourceOnline);
+    mStack->addWidget(mOfflineWidget);
+
+    mStack->setCurrentIndex(Stack_ViewerIndex);
+
     readConfig();
 }
 
@@ -313,32 +435,26 @@
 
 void KMReaderWin::displayBusyPage()
 {
-    displaySplashPage(QStringLiteral("status.html"), {
-        { QStringLiteral("title"), i18n("Retrieving Folder Contents") },
-        { QStringLiteral("subtext"), i18n("Please wait . . .") }
-    });
+    mBusyWidget->setText(i18n("Loading message..."));
+    mStack->setCurrentIndex(Stack_BusyIndex);
+    mViewer->clear(MimeTreeParser::Delayed);
 }
 
 void KMReaderWin::displayOfflinePage()
 {
-    displaySplashPage(QStringLiteral("status.html"), {
-        { QStringLiteral("title"), i18n("Offline") },
-        {
-            QStringLiteral("subtext"), i18n("KMail is currently in offline mode. "
-                                            "Click <a href=\"kmail:goOnline\">here</a> to go online . . .</p>")
-        }
-    });
+    mOfflineWidget->setText(i18n("KMail is currently in offline mode."),
+                            i18n("Go online"), MessageViewer::Viewer::AllResources);
+    mStack->setCurrentIndex(Stack_OfflineIndex);
+    mViewer->clear(MimeTreeParser::Delayed);
 }
 
 void KMReaderWin::displayResourceOfflinePage()
 {
-    displaySplashPage(QStringLiteral("status.html"), {
-        { QStringLiteral("title"), i18n("Offline") },
-        {
-            QStringLiteral("subtext"), i18n("Account is currently in offline mode. "
-                                            "Click <a href=\"kmail:goResourceOnline\">here</a> to go online . . .</p>")
-        }
-    });
+    mOfflineWidget->setText(i18n("Account is currently in offline mode."),
+                            i18n("Switch account online"),
+                            MessageViewer::Viewer::SelectedResource);
+    mStack->setCurrentIndex(Stack_OfflineIndex);
+    mViewer->clear(MimeTreeParser::Delayed);
 }
 
 void KMReaderWin::displayAboutPage()
@@ -661,17 +777,20 @@
 void KMReaderWin::clear(bool force)
 {
     mViewer->clear(force ? MimeTreeParser::Force : MimeTreeParser::Delayed);
+    mStack->setCurrentIndex(Stack_ViewerIndex);
 }
 
 void KMReaderWin::setMessage(const Akonadi::Item &item, MimeTreeParser::UpdateMode updateMode)
 {
     qCDebug(KMAIL_LOG) << Q_FUNC_INFO << parentWidget();
     mViewer->setMessageItem(item, updateMode);
+    mStack->setCurrentIndex(Stack_ViewerIndex);
 }
 
 void KMReaderWin::setMessage(const KMime::Message::Ptr &message)
 {
     mViewer->setMessage(message);
+    mStack->setCurrentIndex(Stack_ViewerIndex);
 }
 
 QUrl KMReaderWin::urlClicked() const
@@ -890,3 +1009,5 @@
         deleteLater();
     }
 }
+
+#include "kmreaderwin.moc"
diff --git a/src/widgets/busyindicator.h b/src/widgets/busyindicator.h
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/widgets/busyindicator.h
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+#ifndef BUSYINDICATOR_H_
+#define BUSYINDICATOR_H_
+
+#include <QWidget>
+
+namespace Plasma {
+class Svg;
+}
+
+class QTimer;
+
+class BusyIndicator : public QWidget
+{
+    Q_OBJECT
+
+public:
+    explicit BusyIndicator(QWidget *parent = nullptr);
+    ~BusyIndicator();
+
+    void setActive(bool active);
+    bool active() const;
+
+protected:
+    void paintEvent(QPaintEvent *event) override;
+    void resizeEvent(QResizeEvent *event) override;
+
+    int heightForWidth(int width) const override;
+    
+private:
+    Plasma::Svg *mSvg;
+    QTimer *mTimer;
+    int mAngle;
+};
+
+#endif
diff --git a/src/widgets/busyindicator.cpp b/src/widgets/busyindicator.cpp
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/widgets/busyindicator.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+#include "busyindicator.h"
+
+#include <QTimer>
+#include <QPainter>
+#include <QResizeEvent>
+
+#include <Plasma/Svg>
+
+namespace {
+
+static const int FPS = 20;
+static const int StepAngle = 30;
+
+}
+
+BusyIndicator::BusyIndicator(QWidget *parent)
+    : QWidget(parent)
+    , mSvg(new Plasma::Svg(this))
+    , mTimer(new QTimer(this))
+    , mAngle(0)
+{
+    mSvg->setImagePath(QStringLiteral("widgets/busywidget"));
+    mSvg->setUsingRenderingCache(true);
+    mSvg->setContainsMultipleImages(true);
+
+    connect(mTimer, &QTimer::timeout,
+            this, static_cast<void(QWidget::*)()>(&QWidget::repaint));
+    mTimer->setInterval(1000 / FPS);
+}
+
+BusyIndicator::~BusyIndicator()
+{
+    mTimer->stop();
+}
+
+void BusyIndicator::setActive(bool active)
+{
+    if (active && !mTimer->isActive()) {
+        mTimer->start();
+    } else if (!active) {
+        mTimer->stop();
+    }
+}
+
+bool BusyIndicator::active() const
+{
+    return mTimer->isActive();
+}
+
+int BusyIndicator::heightForWidth(int width) const
+{
+    // always square
+    return width;
+}
+
+void BusyIndicator::resizeEvent(QResizeEvent *event)
+{
+    mSvg->resize(event->size());
+    QWidget::resizeEvent(event);
+}
+
+void BusyIndicator::paintEvent(QPaintEvent *event)
+{
+    QWidget::paintEvent(event);
+
+    QPainter painter(this);
+    mAngle = (mAngle + StepAngle) % 360;
+    const int w = width() / 2;
+    const int h = height() / 2;
+    painter.translate(w, h);
+    painter.rotate(mAngle);
+    mSvg->paint(&painter, -w , -h, width(), height());
+}