diff --git a/src/empathy-status-icon.c b/src/empathy-status-icon.c
index acd7935..97ab255 100644
--- a/src/empathy-status-icon.c
+++ b/src/empathy-status-icon.c
@@ -725,13 +725,15 @@ empathy_status_icon_new (GtkWindow *window, gboolean hide_contact_list)
 			  G_CALLBACK (status_icon_delete_event_cb),
 			  icon);
 
-	should_hide = g_settings_get_boolean (priv->gsettings_ui,
+	if (!hide_contact_list) {
+		should_hide = g_settings_get_boolean (priv->gsettings_ui,
 			EMPATHY_PREFS_UI_MAIN_WINDOW_HIDDEN);
-
-	if (gtk_window_is_active (priv->window) == should_hide) {
-		status_icon_set_visibility (icon, !should_hide, FALSE);
+	} else {
+		should_hide = TRUE;
 	}
 
+	status_icon_set_visibility (icon, !should_hide, FALSE);
+
 	return icon;
 }
 
