diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/device.py b/src/calibre/gui2/device.py
index 1cf0fa5d67..020ba7fb32 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/device.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/device.py
@@ -687,7 +687,7 @@ class DeviceMixin(object): # {{{
         except:
             pass
         if not self.device_error_dialog.isVisible():
-            self.device_error_dialog.setDetailedText(job.details)
+            self.device_error_dialog.set_details(job.details)
             self.device_error_dialog.show()
 
     # Device connected {{{
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/message_box.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/message_box.py
index 565fb147fc..9d586ce28d 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/message_box.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/message_box.py
@@ -45,14 +45,12 @@ class MessageBox(QDialog, Ui_Dialog):
             self.ctc_button.clicked.connect(self.copy_to_clipboard)
 
 
-        if det_msg:
-            self.show_det_msg = _('Show &details')
-            self.hide_det_msg = _('Hide &details')
-            self.det_msg_toggle = self.bb.addButton(self.show_det_msg, self.bb.ActionRole)
-            self.det_msg_toggle.clicked.connect(self.toggle_det_msg)
-            self.det_msg_toggle.setToolTip(
-                    _('Show detailed information about this error'))
-
+        self.show_det_msg = _('Show &details')
+        self.hide_det_msg = _('Hide &details')
+        self.det_msg_toggle = self.bb.addButton(self.show_det_msg, self.bb.ActionRole)
+        self.det_msg_toggle.clicked.connect(self.toggle_det_msg)
+        self.det_msg_toggle.setToolTip(
+                _('Show detailed information about this error'))
 
         self.copy_action = QAction(self)
         self.addAction(self.copy_action)
@@ -66,10 +64,14 @@ class MessageBox(QDialog, Ui_Dialog):
         else:
             self.bb.button(self.bb.Ok).setDefault(True)
 
+        if not det_msg:
+            self.det_msg_toggle.setVisible(False)
+
         self.do_resize()
 
+
     def toggle_det_msg(self, *args):
-        vis = self.det_msg.isVisible()
+        vis = unicode(self.det_msg_toggle.text()) == self.hide_det_msg
         self.det_msg_toggle.setText(self.show_det_msg if vis else
                 self.hide_det_msg)
         self.det_msg.setVisible(not vis)
@@ -100,6 +102,15 @@ class MessageBox(QDialog, Ui_Dialog):
             self.bb.button(self.bb.Ok).setFocus(Qt.OtherFocusReason)
         return ret
 
+    def set_details(self, msg):
+        if not msg:
+            msg = ''
+        self.det_msg.setPlainText(msg)
+        self.det_msg_toggle.setText(self.show_det_msg)
+        self.det_msg_toggle.setVisible(bool(msg))
+        self.det_msg.setVisible(False)
+        self.do_resize()
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     app = QApplication([])
     from calibre.gui2 import question_dialog