diff --git a/apps/recorder/icons.c b/apps/recorder/icons.c
index 4e8601d77a..222024cc70 100644
--- a/apps/recorder/icons.c
+++ b/apps/recorder/icons.c
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ const unsigned char bitmap_icons_7x8[][7] =
     {0x3e,0x41,0x51,0x41,0x45,0x41,0x3e}, /* Shuffle playmode (dice) */
     {0x04,0x0c,0x1c,0x3c,0x1c,0x0c,0x04}, /* Down-arrow */
     {0x20,0x30,0x38,0x3c,0x38,0x30,0x20}, /* Up-arrow */
+#ifndef HAVE_LED
+    {0x1c,0x22,0x41,0x49,0x41,0x22,0x1c}, /* Disk/MMC activity */
+#endif
 };
 
 #if LCD_WIDTH == 112 || LCD_WIDTH == 128
@@ -399,6 +402,17 @@ void statusbar_icon_lock(void)
                STATUSBAR_Y_POS, 5, 8, false);
 }
 
+#ifndef HAVE_LED
+/*
+ * no real LED: disk activity in status bar
+ */
+void statusbar_led(void)
+{
+    lcd_bitmap(bitmap_icons_7x8[Icon_Disk], ICON_DISK_X_POS, 
+               STATUSBAR_Y_POS, ICON_DISK_WIDTH, STATUSBAR_HEIGHT, false);
+}
+#endif
+
 #ifdef HAVE_RTC
 /*
  * Print time to status bar
diff --git a/apps/recorder/icons.h b/apps/recorder/icons.h
index 813d33f4fd..394fa14b57 100644
--- a/apps/recorder/icons.h
+++ b/apps/recorder/icons.h
@@ -57,6 +57,9 @@ enum icons_7x8 {
     Icon_Shuffle,
     Icon_DownArrow,
     Icon_UpArrow,
+#ifndef HAVE_LED
+	Icon_Disk,
+#endif
     Icon_Last
 };
 
@@ -89,6 +92,8 @@ extern const unsigned char rockbox160x53[];
 #define ICON_SHUFFLE_WIDTH    7
 #define LOCK_X_POS            STATUSBAR_X_POS+ICON_BATTERY_WIDTH+ICON_PLUG_WIDTH+ICON_VOLUME_WIDTH+ICON_PLAY_STATE_WIDTH+ICON_PLAY_MODE_WIDTH+ICON_SHUFFLE_WIDTH+2+2+2+2+2+2
 #define LOCK_WIDTH            5
+#define ICON_DISK_WIDTH       7
+#define ICON_DISK_X_POS       STATUSBAR_WIDTH-ICON_DISK_WIDTH
 #define TIME_X_END            STATUSBAR_WIDTH-1
 
 extern void statusbar_wipe(void);
@@ -101,6 +106,10 @@ extern void statusbar_icon_lock(void);
 #ifdef HAVE_RTC
 extern void statusbar_time(int hour, int minute);
 #endif
+#ifndef HAVE_LED
+extern void	statusbar_led(void);
+#endif
+
 #endif /* End HAVE_LCD_BITMAP */
 
 #endif /*  _ICONS_H_ */
diff --git a/apps/status.c b/apps/status.c
index 03badc5b75..1da51a10a0 100644
--- a/apps/status.c
+++ b/apps/status.c
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 #include "font.h"
 #endif
 #include "powermgmt.h"
+#include "led.h"
 
 static enum playmode ff_mode;
 
@@ -55,6 +56,9 @@ struct status_info {
     bool keylock;
     bool battery_safe;
     bool redraw_volume; /* true if the volume gauge needs updating */
+#ifndef HAVE_LED
+	bool led; /* disk LED simulation in the status bar */
+#endif
 };
 
 void status_init(void)
@@ -155,6 +159,9 @@ void status_draw(bool force_redraw)
     info.keylock = keys_locked;
     info.repeat = global_settings.repeat_mode;
     info.playmode = current_playmode();
+#ifndef HAVE_LED
+	info.led = led_read();
+#endif
 
     /* only redraw if forced to, or info has changed */
     if (force_redraw ||
@@ -181,7 +188,7 @@ void status_draw(bool force_redraw)
             
             /* animate battery if charging */
             if ((charge_state == 1) ||
-                (charge_state == 2)) {
+€                (charge_state == 2)) {
 #else
             global_settings.runtime = 0;
             lasttime = current_tick;
@@ -232,6 +239,10 @@ void status_draw(bool force_redraw)
             statusbar_icon_lock();
 #ifdef HAVE_RTC
         statusbar_time(info.hour, info.minute);
+#endif
+#ifndef HAVE_LED
+		if (info.led)
+			statusbar_led();
 #endif
         lcd_update_rect(0, 0, LCD_WIDTH, STATUSBAR_HEIGHT);
         lastinfo = info;
diff --git a/firmware/drivers/ata_mmc.c b/firmware/drivers/ata_mmc.c
index 7ba6dac296..7139f0394f 100644
--- a/firmware/drivers/ata_mmc.c
+++ b/firmware/drivers/ata_mmc.c
@@ -635,6 +635,7 @@ int ata_read_sectors(IF_MV2(int drive,)
     addr = start * SECTOR_SIZE;
 
     mutex_lock(&mmc_mutex);
+    led(true);
 #ifdef HAVE_MULTIVOLUME
     card = &card_info[drive];
     ret = select_card(drive);
@@ -681,6 +682,7 @@ int ata_read_sectors(IF_MV2(int drive,)
     }
 
     deselect_card();
+    led(false);
     mutex_unlock(&mmc_mutex);
     
     /* only flush if reading went ok */
@@ -706,6 +708,7 @@ int ata_write_sectors(IF_MV2(int drive,)
     addr = start * SECTOR_SIZE;
     
     mutex_lock(&mmc_mutex);
+	led(true);
 #ifdef HAVE_MULTIVOLUME
     card = &card_info[drive];
     ret = select_card(drive);
@@ -750,6 +753,7 @@ int ata_write_sectors(IF_MV2(int drive,)
     }
 
     deselect_card();
+	led(false);
     mutex_unlock(&mmc_mutex);
 
     /* only flush if writing went ok */
diff --git a/firmware/drivers/led.c b/firmware/drivers/led.c
index 90a1b2cb39..4b63d07582 100644
--- a/firmware/drivers/led.c
+++ b/firmware/drivers/led.c
@@ -21,11 +21,13 @@
 #include "cpu.h"
 #include "led.h"
 #include "system.h"
+#include "kernel.h"
+
+static bool current;
 
 #ifdef HAVE_LED
 
 static bool xor;
-static bool current;
 
 void led(bool on)
 {
@@ -59,16 +61,27 @@ void invert_led(bool on)
     led(current);
 }
 
-#else /* no LED, just dummies */
+#else /* no LED, just status update */
+
+static long delay; 
 
 void led(bool on)
 {
-    (void)on;
+	if (current && !on) /* switching off */
+	{
+		delay = current_tick + HZ/2; /* delay the "off" status a bit */
+	}
+    current = on;
 }
 
 void invert_led(bool on)
 {
-    (void)on;
+    (void)on; /* no invert feature */
+}
+
+bool led_read(void) /* read by status bar update */
+{
+	return (current || TIME_BEFORE(current_tick, delay));
 }
 
 #endif // #ifdef HAVE_LED
diff --git a/firmware/export/led.h b/firmware/export/led.h
index cc035b9345..d7322e465b 100644
--- a/firmware/export/led.h
+++ b/firmware/export/led.h
@@ -24,5 +24,8 @@
 
 extern void led( bool on );
 extern void invert_led( bool on );
+#ifndef HAVE_LED
+extern bool led_read(void); /* read for status bar */
+#endif
 
 #endif