diff --git a/twitterwidgets.py b/twitterwidgets.py
index 4797e4f..b5f6f65 100644
--- a/twitterwidgets.py
+++ b/twitterwidgets.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import gtk, gobject
 from threading import RLock
 from usercache import AvCache,NameCache
 import webbrowser
+import config
 
 
 class TweetPane(gtk.ScrolledWindow):
@@ -96,10 +97,13 @@ class TweetPane(gtk.ScrolledWindow):
 
     def update_window(self, statuses):
         if statuses is None:
-            self.message.set_label('An error occurred while fetching data')
-            self.message.show()
-            for i in range(0, self.num_entries):
-                self.tweets[i].hide()
+            if self.last_tweet_read is None:
+                self.message.set_label('An error occurred while fetching data')
+                self.message.show()
+                for i in range(0, self.num_entries):
+                    self.tweets[i].hide()
+            if config.debug:
+                print 'Error fetching data for ' + self.tab_label
             return
 
         self.message.hide()