diff --git a/simutrans/history.txt b/simutrans/history.txt
index bd5714e02b..49cd0c890c 100644
--- a/simutrans/history.txt
+++ b/simutrans/history.txt
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 	CHG: Allow again building roads through other people halts but do not take road ownership afterwards
 	FIX: Always have topped or new windows on the screen
 	FIX: Saving discarded the newest messages
+	FIX: number of players online in chat window now correct (and also showing offline state)
 
 
 Release of 124.1 (r11272 on 3-June-2024):
diff --git a/src/base.tab b/src/base.tab
index 40e74400ee..2c5a88f614 100644
--- a/src/base.tab
+++ b/src/base.tab
@@ -4413,6 +4413,10 @@ obj=program_text
 name=Click to open the finance dialog.
 note=player ranking window
 --
+obj=program_text
+name=Not online
+note=message when offline in chat window
+--
 
 
 
diff --git a/src/simutrans/gui/chat_frame.cc b/src/simutrans/gui/chat_frame.cc
index 5d82f99e04..f4d39f5731 100644
--- a/src/simutrans/gui/chat_frame.cc
+++ b/src/simutrans/gui/chat_frame.cc
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 
 #include "../dataobj/translator.h"
 #include "../dataobj/environment.h"
-#include "../dataobj/gameinfo.h"
 #include "../network/network_cmd_ingame.h"
 #include "../player/simplay.h"
 #include "../display/viewport.h"
@@ -203,7 +202,6 @@ class gui_chat_balloon_t :
 	scr_size get_min_size() const OVERRIDE
 	{
 		return scr_size(100 + lb_time_diff.get_size().w, message.get_min_size().h + 4 + D_V_SPACE + lb_time_diff.get_size().h);
-//		return scr_size(100 + lb_time_diff.get_size().w, size.h);
 	}
 
 	scr_size get_max_size() const OVERRIDE
@@ -381,11 +379,6 @@ void chat_frame_t::fill_list()
 	player_t* current_player = world()->get_active_player();
 	const scr_coord_val width = get_windowsize().w;
 
-	gameinfo_t gi(world());
-
-	lb_now_online.buf().printf(translator::translate("%u Client(s)\n"), (unsigned)gi.get_clients());
-	lb_now_online.update();
-
 	old_player_nr = current_player->get_player_nr();
 
 	cont_chat_log[chat_mode].clear_elements();
@@ -407,8 +400,8 @@ void chat_frame_t::fill_list()
 				// no permission but visible messages you sent
 				continue;
 			}
-
 			break;
+
 		case CH_WHISPER:
 			if (i->destination == NULL || i->sender == NULL) {
 				continue;
@@ -431,8 +424,8 @@ void chat_frame_t::fill_list()
 			if (strcmp(env_t::nickname.c_str(), i->sender.c_str())) {
 				chat_history.append_unique(i->sender);
 			}
-
 			break;
+
 		default:
 		case CH_PUBLIC:
 			// system message and public chats
@@ -560,6 +553,9 @@ bool chat_frame_t::action_triggered(gui_action_creator_t* comp, value_t)
 
 void chat_frame_t::draw(scr_coord pos, scr_size size)
 {
+	lb_now_online.buf().printf(translator::translate(env_t::networkmode ? "%u Client(s)\n" : "Not online"), chat_message_t::get_online_players());
+	lb_now_online.update();
+
 	if (welt->get_chat_message()->get_list().get_count() != last_count || old_player_nr != world()->get_active_player_nr()) {
 		fill_list();
 	}
diff --git a/src/simutrans/simmesg.cc b/src/simutrans/simmesg.cc
index 342cbe8182..137b5cb3d9 100644
--- a/src/simutrans/simmesg.cc
+++ b/src/simutrans/simmesg.cc
@@ -13,8 +13,10 @@
 #include "world/simworld.h"
 
 #include "dataobj/loadsave.h"
+#include "dataobj/translator.h"
 #include "dataobj/environment.h"
 #include "dataobj/pakset_manager.h"
+#include "network/network_socket_list.h"
 #include "player/simplay.h"
 #include "utils/simstring.h"
 #include "tpl/slist_tpl.h"
@@ -28,6 +30,10 @@
 
 static karte_ptr_t welt;
 
+uint8 clients_active = 0;
+const char *player_count;
+size_t player_count_lenght;
+
 uint32 message_node_t::get_type_shifted() const
 {
 	return 1<<(type & message_t::MESSAGE_TYPE_MASK);
@@ -127,6 +133,8 @@ void message_t::clear()
 		delete list.remove_first();
 	}
 	ticker::clear_messages();
+	player_count = translator::translate("Now %u clients connected.", world()->get_settings().get_name_language_id());
+	player_count_lenght = strchr(player_count, '%') - player_count;
 }
 
 
@@ -162,6 +170,11 @@ void message_t::add_message(const char *text, koord3d pos, uint16 what_flags, FL
 {
 DBG_MESSAGE("message_t::add_msg()","%40s (at %i,%i,%i)", text, pos.x, pos.y, pos.z );
 
+	// hacky, retrieve the number of clients for the last messages
+	if (strncmp(text, player_count, player_count_lenght) == 0) {
+		clients_active = atoi(text + player_count_lenght);
+	}
+
 	sint32 what_bit = 1<<(what_flags & MESSAGE_TYPE_MASK);
 	if(  what_bit&ignore_flags  ) {
 		// wants us to ignore this completely
@@ -352,6 +365,8 @@ void message_t::rdwr(loadsave_t* file)
 }
 
 
+
+
 chat_message_t::~chat_message_t()
 {
 	clear();
@@ -498,3 +513,16 @@ void chat_message_t::rdwr(loadsave_t* file)
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+
+// return the number of connected clients
+uint8 chat_message_t::get_online_players()
+{
+	if (env_t::server) {
+		return socket_list_t::get_playing_clients();
+	}
+	else if (env_t::networkmode) {
+		return clients_active;
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
diff --git a/src/simutrans/simmesg.h b/src/simutrans/simmesg.h
index 01f7f35b3a..ce0a646bde 100644
--- a/src/simutrans/simmesg.h
+++ b/src/simutrans/simmesg.h
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ class message_t
 class chat_message_t
 {
 public:
+
 	class chat_node {
 	public:
 		char msg[256];
@@ -128,6 +129,8 @@ class chat_message_t
 	chat_message_t() {};
 	~chat_message_t();
 
+	static uint8 get_online_players();
+
 private:
 	slist_tpl<chat_node*> list;