diff --git a/openslides/participant/static/javascript/participant.js b/openslides/participant/static/javascript/participant.js
index 2048f2dd5..f02e6c3f6 100644
--- a/openslides/participant/static/javascript/participant.js
+++ b/openslides/participant/static/javascript/participant.js
@@ -15,12 +15,10 @@ $(function() {
             dataType: 'json',
             success: function(data) {
                 if (data.active) {
-                    newclass = 'active';
+                    link.addClass('active');
                 } else {
-                    newclass = 'inactive';
+                    link.removeClass('active');
                 }
-                link.removeClass('active inactive').addClass(newclass);
-                link.attr('href', data.link);
             }
         });
     });
diff --git a/openslides/participant/static/styles/participant.css b/openslides/participant/static/styles/participant.css
index 49487e00e..3d2820f49 100644
--- a/openslides/participant/static/styles/participant.css
+++ b/openslides/participant/static/styles/participant.css
@@ -4,16 +4,7 @@
  * :copyright: 2011, 2012 by OpenSlides team, see AUTHORS.
  * :license: GNU GPL, see LICENSE for more details.
  */
-
-a.status_link.active span {
-    background-image: url(../images/icons/on.png);
-    background-repeat: no-repeat;
-    background-position: center;
-    width: 16px;
-    height: 16px;
-    display: inline-block;
-}
-a.status_link.inactive span {
+a.status_link span {
     background-image: url(../images/icons/off.png);
     background-repeat: no-repeat;
     background-position: center;
@@ -21,3 +12,6 @@ a.status_link.inactive span {
     height: 16px;
     display: inline-block;
 }
+a.status_link.active span {
+    background-image: url(../images/icons/on.png);
+}
diff --git a/openslides/participant/templates/participant/overview.html b/openslides/participant/templates/participant/overview.html
index e13f4a4ca..eedfbec34 100644
--- a/openslides/participant/templates/participant/overview.html
+++ b/openslides/participant/templates/participant/overview.html
@@ -87,8 +87,8 @@
             <td><span style="width: 1px; white-space: nowrap;">
                 <a href="{% url user_edit user.id %}"><img src="{% static 'images/icons/edit.png' %}" title="{%trans 'Edit participant' %}"></a>
                 <a href="{% url user_delete user.id %}"><img src="{% static 'images/icons/delete.png' %}" title="{%trans 'Delete participant' %}"></a>
-                <a class="status_link {% if user.is_active %}active{% else %}inactive{% endif %}"
-                    href="{% if user.is_active %}{% url user_inactive user.id %}{% else %}{% url user_active user.id %}{% endif %}"
+                <a class="status_link {% if user.is_active %}active{% endif %}"
+                    href="{% url user_status user.id %}"
                     title="{%trans 'Change status (active/inactive)' %}">
                     <span></span>
                 </a>
diff --git a/openslides/participant/urls.py b/openslides/participant/urls.py
index f13033f73..2aef5ef59 100644
--- a/openslides/participant/urls.py
+++ b/openslides/participant/urls.py
@@ -41,16 +41,9 @@ urlpatterns = patterns('participant.views',
         name='user_delete',
     ),
 
-    url(r'^(?P<user_id>\d+)/active/$',
-        'user_set_active',
-        {'active': True},
-        name='user_active',
-    ),
-
-    url(r'^(?P<user_id>\d+)/inactive/$',
-        'user_set_active',
-        {'active': False},
-        name='user_inactive',
+    url(r'^(?P<user_id>\d+)/status/$',
+        'user_set_status',
+        name='user_status',
     ),
 
     url(r'^import$',
diff --git a/openslides/participant/views.py b/openslides/participant/views.py
index d74bb3751..40368b544 100644
--- a/openslides/participant/views.py
+++ b/openslides/participant/views.py
@@ -198,21 +198,26 @@ def user_delete(request, user_id):
 
 @permission_required('participant.can_manage_participant')
 @template('confirm.html')
-def user_set_active(request, user_id, active=True):
+def user_set_status(request, user_id):
     try:
         user = User.objects.get(pk=user_id)
-        user.is_active = active
+        if user.is_active:
+            user.is_active = False
+        else:
+            user.is_active = True
         user.save()
     except User.DoesNotExist:
-        messages.error(request, _('Participant %d does not exist.') % int(user_id))
+        messages.error(request, _('Participant ID %d does not exist.') % int(user_id))
+        return redirect(reverse('user_overview'))
 
     if request.is_ajax():
-        if active:
-            link = reverse('user_inactive', args=[user.id])
-        else:
-            link = reverse('user_active', args=[user.id])
-        return ajax_request({'active': active,
-                             'link': link})
+        link = reverse('user_status', args=[user.id])
+        return ajax_request({'active': user.is_active})
+    # set success messages for page reload only (= not ajax request)
+    if user.is_active:
+        messages.success(request, _('<b>%s</b> is now <b>present</b>.') % user)
+    else:
+        messages.success(request, _('<b>%s</b> is now <b>absent</b>.') % user)
     return redirect(reverse('user_overview'))
 
 @permission_required('participant.can_manage_participant')