diff --git a/app/views/shared/_publisher.html.haml b/app/views/shared/_publisher.html.haml
index da22fe96b..d899c3d02 100644
--- a/app/views/shared/_publisher.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/shared/_publisher.html.haml
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
             = t("shared.publisher.click_to_share_with")
             - if aspect == :all || aspect == :profile
               = status.hidden_field(:public)
-              = image_tag "icons/globe.png", :title => t('.public'), :class => 'public_icon dim', :width => 16, :height => 16
+              = image_tag "icons/globe.png", :title => t('javascripts.publisher.limited'), :class => 'public_icon dim', :width => 16, :height => 16
             - if current_user.services
               - for service in current_user.services
                 = image_tag "social_media_logos/#{service.provider}-16x16.png", :title => service.provider.titleize, :class => "service_icon dim", :id =>"#{service.provider}", :maxchar => "#{service.class::MAX_CHARACTERS}"
diff --git a/config/locales/diaspora/en.yml b/config/locales/diaspora/en.yml
index e46ecb82a..9060cff59 100644
--- a/config/locales/diaspora/en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/diaspora/en.yml
@@ -662,7 +662,6 @@ en:
       share_with: "share with"
       whats_on_your_mind: "What's on your mind?"
       publishing_to: "publishing to: "
-      public: "Public"
       click_to_share_with: "Click to share with: "
       discard_post: "Discard post"
     add_contact:
diff --git a/config/locales/javascript/javascript.en.yml b/config/locales/javascript/javascript.en.yml
index ac4ac2ff4..f32bb50f7 100644
--- a/config/locales/javascript/javascript.en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/javascript/javascript.en.yml
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ en:
       search_for: "Search for {{name}}"
       publisher:
         at_least_one_aspect: "You must publish to at least one aspect"
+        limited: "Limited - your post will only be seen by people you are sharing with"
+        public: "Public - your post will be visible to everyone and found by search engines"
       infinite_scroll:
         no_more: "No more posts."
       web_sockets:
diff --git a/public/javascripts/publisher.js b/public/javascripts/publisher.js
index e86e6aea5..77950f6e2 100644
--- a/public/javascripts/publisher.js
+++ b/public/javascripts/publisher.js
@@ -289,9 +289,18 @@ var Publisher = {
   bindPublicIcon: function(){
     $(".public_icon").bind("click", function(evt){
       $(this).toggleClass("dim");
-      var public_field= $("#publisher #status_message_public");
+      var public_field = $("#publisher #status_message_public");
 
-      (public_field.val() == 'false') ? (public_field.val('true')) : (public_field.val('false'));
+      if (public_field.val() == 'false') {
+        public_field.val('true');
+        $(this).attr('title', Diaspora.widgets.i18n.t('publisher.public'));
+      } else {
+        public_field.val('false');
+        $(this).attr('title', Diaspora.widgets.i18n.t('publisher.limited'));
+      }
+
+      $(this).tipsy(true).fixTitle();
+      $(this).tipsy(true).show();
     });
   },
   toggleServiceField: function(service){
diff --git a/spec/javascripts/publisher-spec.js b/spec/javascripts/publisher-spec.js
index 80a4042cd..56894f794 100644
--- a/spec/javascripts/publisher-spec.js
+++ b/spec/javascripts/publisher-spec.js
@@ -110,6 +110,9 @@ describe("Publisher", function() {
   describe("bindPublicIcon", function() {
     beforeEach( function(){
       spec.loadFixture('aspects_index_services');
+      Diaspora.widgets.i18n.loadLocale(
+        { 'publisher' :
+          { 'public' : 'is public', 'limited' : 'is limited' } }, 'en');
     });
 
     it('gets called on initialize', function(){
@@ -131,8 +134,13 @@ describe("Publisher", function() {
 
       $(".public_icon").click();
       expect($('#publisher #status_message_public').val()).toBe('true');
-
-
+    });
+    it('toggles the tooltip on the clicked icon', function(){
+      Publisher.bindPublicIcon();
+      $(".public_icon").click();
+      expect($(".public_icon")).toHaveAttr('original-title', 'is public');
+      $(".public_icon").click();
+      expect($(".public_icon")).toHaveAttr('original-title', 'is limited');
     });
   });
   describe("bindServiceIcons", function() {