diff --git src/allmydata/test/test_web.py src/allmydata/test/test_web.py
index 2483236..826d44a 100644
--- src/allmydata/test/test_web.py
+++ src/allmydata/test/test_web.py
@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ class FakeNodeMaker(NodeMaker):
 
 class FakeUploader(service.Service):
     name = "uploader"
+    helper_furl = None
+    helper_connected = False
     def upload(self, uploadable):
         d = uploadable.get_size()
         d.addCallback(lambda size: uploadable.read(size))
@@ -100,7 +102,7 @@ class FakeUploader(service.Service):
         d.addCallback(_got_data)
         return d
     def get_helper_info(self):
-        return (None, False)
+        return (self.helper_furl, self.helper_connected)
 
 def build_one_ds():
     ds = DownloadStatus("storage_index", 1234)
@@ -535,8 +537,55 @@ class Web(WebMixin, WebErrorMixin, testutil.StallMixin, testutil.ReallyEqualMixi
             fileutil.make_dirs("web/test_welcome/private")
             return self.GET("/")
         d.addCallback(_check)
+       
+        #set furl not connected, furl is string 'None'
+        def _checkPreHelperNotConfigured1(res):
+            self.s.uploader.helper_furl = 'None'
+            return self.GET("/")
+        def _checkHelperNotConfigured1(res):
+            self.failUnlessIn('Connected to helper?: <span>not configured</span>',res);
+        
+        d.addCallback(_checkPreHelperNotConfigured1)
+        d.addCallback(_checkHelperNotConfigured1)
+
+    #set furl not connected, furl is obj None
+        def _checkPreHelperNotConfigured2(res):
+            self.s.uploader.helper_furl = None
+            return self.GET("/")
+        def _checkHelperNotConfigured2(res):
+            self.failUnlessIn('Connected to helper?: <span>not configured</span>',res);
+        
+        d.addCallback(_checkPreHelperNotConfigured2)
+        d.addCallback(_checkHelperNotConfigured2)
+
+       
+
+        #enable helper, not connected
+        def _checkPreHelperNotConnected(res): 
+            self.s.uploader.helper_furl = "someHelperFurl"
+            self.s.uploader.helper_connected = False
+            return self.GET("/")
+        def _checkHelperNotConnected(res):
+            self.failUnlessIn('Connected to helper?: <span>no</span>',res);
+        
+        d.addCallback(_checkPreHelperNotConnected)
+        d.addCallback(_checkHelperNotConnected)
+
+        
+        #enable helper, connected
+        def _checkPreHelperConnected(res):
+            self.s.uploader.helper_furl = "someHelperFurl"
+            self.s.uploader.helper_connected = True
+            return self.GET("/") 
+        def _checkHelperConnected(res):
+            self.failUnlessIn('Connected to helper?: <span>yes</span>',res);
+
+        d.addCallback(_checkPreHelperConnected)
+        d.addCallback(_checkHelperConnected)
+        
         return d
 
+
     def test_status(self):
         h = self.s.get_history()
         dl_num = h.list_all_download_statuses()[0].get_counter()
diff --git src/allmydata/web/root.py src/allmydata/web/root.py
index 2cd315d..1796d40 100644
--- src/allmydata/web/root.py
+++ src/allmydata/web/root.py
@@ -212,12 +212,23 @@ class Root(rend.Page):
             return None
         furl, connected = uploader.get_helper_info()
         return furl
+
+    
+    def data_connected_to_helper_description(self,ctx,data):
+        val = self.data_connected_to_helper(ctx,data)
+        if val == "not-configured":
+                return "not configured"
+        return val
+
     def data_connected_to_helper(self, ctx, data):
         try:
             uploader = self.client.getServiceNamed("uploader")
         except KeyError:
             return "no" # we don't even have an Uploader
         furl, connected = uploader.get_helper_info()
+
+        if furl == 'None' or furl is None:
+            return "not-configured"
         if connected:
             return "yes"
         return "no"
diff --git src/allmydata/web/static/tahoe.css src/allmydata/web/static/tahoe.css
index 297bbe4..4157c61 100644
--- src/allmydata/web/static/tahoe.css
+++ src/allmydata/web/static/tahoe.css
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ legend {
   border: 1px solid #F00;
   background-color: #FBB;
 }
+.connected-not-configured {
+  background-color: #FFF;
+}
 
 .encoded, .nodeid {
   font-family: monospace;
diff --git src/allmydata/web/welcome.xhtml src/allmydata/web/welcome.xhtml
index 16f2cb7..464a46b 100644
--- src/allmydata/web/welcome.xhtml
+++ src/allmydata/web/welcome.xhtml
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
   <div>
     <n:attr name="class">connected-<n:invisible n:render="string" n:data="connected_to_helper" /></n:attr>
     <div>Helper: <span n:render="string" n:data="helper_furl" /></div>
-    <div>Connected to helper?: <span n:render="string" n:data="connected_to_helper" /></div>
+    <div>Connected to helper?: <span n:render="string" n:data="connected_to_helper_description" /></div>
   </div>
 
   <p>Connected to <span n:render="string" n:data="connected_storage_servers" />