diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/jobs.py b/src/calibre/gui2/jobs.py
index 1d86910e15..6bb9f52b36 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/jobs.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/jobs.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ from Queue import Empty, Queue
 
 from PyQt4.Qt import QAbstractTableModel, QVariant, QModelIndex, Qt, \
     QTimer, SIGNAL, QIcon, QDialog, QAbstractItemDelegate, QApplication, \
-    QSize, QStyleOptionProgressBarV2, QString, QStyle
+    QSize, QStyleOptionProgressBarV2, QString, QStyle, QToolTip
 
 from calibre.utils.ipc.server import Server
 from calibre.utils.ipc.job import ParallelJob
@@ -57,6 +57,28 @@ class JobManager(QAbstractTableModel):
         else:
             return QVariant(section+1)
 
+    def show_tooltip(self, arg):
+        widget, pos = arg
+        QToolTip.showText(pos, self.get_tooltip())
+
+    def get_tooltip(self):
+        running_jobs = [j for j in self.jobs if j.run_state == j.RUNNING]
+        waiting_jobs = [j for j in self.jobs if j.run_state == j.WAITING]
+        lines = [_('There are %d running jobs:')%len(running_jobs)]
+        for job in running_jobs:
+            desc = job.description
+            if not desc:
+                desc = _('Unknown job')
+            p = 100. if job.is_finished else job.percent
+            lines.append('%s:  %.0f%% done'%(desc, p))
+        lines.extend(['', _('There are %d waiting jobs:')%len(waiting_jobs)])
+        for job in waiting_jobs:
+            desc = job.description
+            if not desc:
+                desc = _('Unknown job')
+            lines.append(desc)
+        return '\n'.join(['calibre', '']+ lines)
+
     def data(self, index, role):
         try:
             if role not in (Qt.DisplayRole, Qt.DecorationRole):
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/main.py b/src/calibre/gui2/main.py
index 26bd764ad4..66b880f0b2 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/main.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/main.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ from PyQt4.Qt import Qt, SIGNAL, QObject, QCoreApplication, QUrl, QTimer, \
                      QModelIndex, QPixmap, QColor, QPainter, QMenu, QIcon, \
                      QToolButton, QDialog, QDesktopServices, QFileDialog, \
                      QSystemTrayIcon, QApplication, QKeySequence, QAction, \
-                     QMessageBox, QStackedLayout
+                     QMessageBox, QStackedLayout, QHelpEvent
 from PyQt4.QtSvg import QSvgRenderer
 
 from calibre import  prints, patheq
@@ -89,6 +89,18 @@ class Listener(Thread):
         except:
             pass
 
+class SystemTrayIcon(QSystemTrayIcon):
+
+    def __init__(self, icon, parent):
+        QSystemTrayIcon.__init__(self, icon, parent)
+
+    def event(self, ev):
+        if ev.type() == ev.ToolTip:
+            evh = QHelpEvent(ev)
+            self.emit(SIGNAL('tooltip_requested(PyQt_PyObject)'),
+                    (self, evh.globalPos()))
+            return True
+        return QSystemTrayIcon.event(self, ev)
 
 class Main(MainWindow, Ui_MainWindow, DeviceGUI):
     'The main GUI'
@@ -144,8 +156,11 @@ class Main(MainWindow, Ui_MainWindow, DeviceGUI):
         self.device_connected = False
         self.viewers = collections.deque()
         self.content_server = None
-        self.system_tray_icon = QSystemTrayIcon(QIcon(I('library.png')), self)
+        self.system_tray_icon = SystemTrayIcon(QIcon(I('library.png')), self)
         self.system_tray_icon.setToolTip('calibre')
+        self.connect(self.system_tray_icon,
+                SIGNAL('tooltip_requested(PyQt_PyObject)'),
+                self.job_manager.show_tooltip)
         if not config['systray_icon']:
             self.system_tray_icon.hide()
         else: