diff --git a/alot/db/message.py b/alot/db/message.py
index 6b1a3d9b8..ab08ad124 100644
--- a/alot/db/message.py
+++ b/alot/db/message.py
@@ -68,6 +68,10 @@ def __init__(self, dbman, msg, thread=None):
             self._from = '"{}" <{}>'.format(acc.realname, str(acc.address))
         else:
             self._from = '"Unknown" <>'
+        try:
+            self._subject = decode_header(msg.header('Subject'))
+        except (NullPointerError, LookupError):
+            self._subject = ''
 
     def __str__(self):
         """prettyprint the message"""
@@ -132,6 +136,9 @@ def get_message_parts(self):
             if not msg.is_multipart():
                 yield msg
 
+    def get_subject(self):
+        return self._subject
+
     def get_tags(self):
         """returns tags attached to this message as list of strings"""
         return sorted(self._tags)
diff --git a/alot/widgets/thread.py b/alot/widgets/thread.py
index c5276df83..ffbfb5d46 100644
--- a/alot/widgets/thread.py
+++ b/alot/widgets/thread.py
@@ -78,9 +78,12 @@ def _render_wrap(size, focus=False):
     def __str__(self):
         author, address = self.message.get_author()
         date = self.message.get_datestring()
+        subject = self.message.get_subject()
         rep = author if author != '' else address
         if date is not None:
             rep += " (%s)" % date
+        if subject:
+            rep += ": %s" % subject
         return rep
 
     def selectable(self):