diff --git a/res/layout/accounts_item.xml b/res/layout/accounts_item.xml
index b25c398a8..8c76ac48e 100644
--- a/res/layout/accounts_item.xml
+++ b/res/layout/accounts_item.xml
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@
     android:paddingRight="6dip"
     android:paddingBottom="2dip"
     android:descendantFocusability="blocksDescendants"
-    android:gravity="center_vertical" >
+    android:gravity="center_vertical"
+    android:background="#ccc" >
 
     <View
         android:id="@+id/chip"
@@ -18,7 +19,8 @@
         android:layout_marginTop="2dip"
         android:layout_marginBottom="1dip"
         android:layout_centerVertical="true"
-        android:layout_alignParentLeft="true" />
+        android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
+        android:background="@android:color/transparent" />
 
         
     <LinearLayout
diff --git a/res/values/strings.xml b/res/values/strings.xml
index 550849c82..e8c304efc 100644
--- a/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -1031,4 +1031,7 @@ Welcome to K-9 Mail setup.  K-9 is an open source mail client for Android origin
     <string name="messagelist_sent_to_me_sigil">»</string>
     <string name="messagelist_sent_cc_me_sigil">›</string>
     <string name="error_unable_to_connect">Unable to connect.</string>
+
+    <string name="account_unavailable">Account \"<xliff:g id="account">%s</xliff:g>\" is unavailable; check storage</string>
+    
 </resources>
diff --git a/src/com/fsck/k9/AccountStats.java b/src/com/fsck/k9/AccountStats.java
index d69685e66..146a8c94b 100644
--- a/src/com/fsck/k9/AccountStats.java
+++ b/src/com/fsck/k9/AccountStats.java
@@ -10,4 +10,5 @@ public class AccountStats implements Serializable {
     public long size = -1;
     public int unreadMessageCount = 0;
     public int flaggedMessageCount = 0;
+    public boolean available = true;
 }
diff --git a/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/Accounts.java b/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/Accounts.java
index a3c8c6430..43a0f2f61 100644
--- a/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/Accounts.java
+++ b/src/com/fsck/k9/activity/Accounts.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import com.fsck.k9.activity.setup.Prefs;
 import com.fsck.k9.controller.MessagingController;
 import com.fsck.k9.controller.MessagingListener;
 import com.fsck.k9.mail.Flag;
+import com.fsck.k9.mail.store.StorageManager;
 import com.fsck.k9.view.ColorChip;
 
 import java.util.*;
@@ -158,6 +159,7 @@ public class Accounts extends K9ListActivity implements OnItemClickListener, OnC
             }
             if (stats == null) {
                 stats = new AccountStats(); // empty stats for unavailable accounts
+                stats.available = false;
             }
             accountStats.put(account.getUuid(), stats);
             if (account instanceof Account) {
@@ -291,18 +293,37 @@ public class Accounts extends K9ListActivity implements OnItemClickListener, OnC
         outState.putSerializable(ACCOUNT_STATS, accountStats);
     }
 
+    private StorageManager.StorageListener storageListener = new StorageManager.StorageListener()
+        {
+            
+            @Override
+            public void onUnmount(String providerId)
+            {
+                refresh();
+            }
+            
+            @Override
+            public void onMount(String providerId)
+            {
+                refresh();
+            }
+        };
+    
     @Override
     public void onResume() {
         super.onResume();
 
         refresh();
         MessagingController.getInstance(getApplication()).addListener(mListener);
+        StorageManager.getInstance(getApplication()).addListener(storageListener);
     }
 
     @Override
     public void onPause() {
         super.onPause();
         MessagingController.getInstance(getApplication()).removeListener(mListener);
+        StorageManager.getInstance(getApplication()).removeListener(storageListener);
+        
     }
 
     private void refresh() {
@@ -408,6 +429,10 @@ public class Accounts extends K9ListActivity implements OnItemClickListener, OnC
         } else {
             Account realAccount = (Account)account;
             if (!realAccount.isAvailable(this)) {
+                String toastText = getString(R.string.account_unavailable, account.getDescription());
+                Toast toast = Toast.makeText(getApplication(), toastText, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT);
+                toast.show();
+                
                 Log.i(K9.LOG_TAG, "refusing to open account that is not available");
                 return false;
             }
@@ -780,24 +805,6 @@ public class Accounts extends K9ListActivity implements OnItemClickListener, OnC
             }
             AccountStats stats = accountStats.get(account.getUuid());
 
-            /*
-                        // 20101024/fiouzy: the following code throws NullPointerException because Background is null
-
-                        // display unavailable accounts translucent
-                        if (account instanceof Account) {
-                            Account realAccount = (Account) account;
-                            if (realAccount.isAvailable(Accounts.this)) {
-                                holder.email.getBackground().setAlpha(255);
-                                holder.description.getBackground().setAlpha(255);
-                            } else {
-                                holder.email.getBackground().setAlpha(127);
-                                holder.description.getBackground().setAlpha(127);
-                            }
-                        } else {
-                            holder.email.getBackground().setAlpha(255);
-                            holder.description.getBackground().setAlpha(255);
-                        }
-            */
             if (stats != null && account instanceof Account && stats.size >= 0) {
                 holder.email.setText(SizeFormatter.formatSize(Accounts.this, stats.size));
                 holder.email.setVisibility(View.VISIBLE);
@@ -828,6 +835,8 @@ public class Accounts extends K9ListActivity implements OnItemClickListener, OnC
 
                 holder.flaggedMessageCount.setOnClickListener(new AccountClickListener(account, SearchModifier.FLAGGED));
                 holder.newMessageCount.setOnClickListener(new AccountClickListener(account, SearchModifier.UNREAD));
+                
+                view.getBackground().setAlpha(stats.available ? 0 : 127);
 
                 holder.activeIcons.setOnClickListener(new OnClickListener() {
                     public void onClick(View v) {
@@ -840,6 +849,7 @@ public class Accounts extends K9ListActivity implements OnItemClickListener, OnC
             } else {
                 holder.newMessageCount.setVisibility(View.GONE);
                 holder.flaggedMessageCount.setVisibility(View.GONE);
+                view.getBackground().setAlpha(0);
             }
             if (account instanceof Account) {
                 Account realAccount = (Account)account;