diff --git src/allmydata/web/root.py src/allmydata/web/root.py
index 2cd315d..720b460 100644
--- src/allmydata/web/root.py
+++ src/allmydata/web/root.py
@@ -212,12 +212,22 @@ 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 == "no-disabled":
+			return "no, enable for quicker uploads"
+		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':
+            return "no-disabled"
         if connected:
             return "yes"
         return "no"
diff --git src/allmydata/web/static/tahoe.css src/allmydata/web/static/tahoe.css
index 297bbe4..2d82258 100644
--- src/allmydata/web/static/tahoe.css
+++ src/allmydata/web/static/tahoe.css
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ legend {
   border: 1px solid #F00;
   background-color: #FBB;
 }
+.connected-no-disabled {
+  border: 1px solid #000;
+  background-color: #EFE;
+}
 
 .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" />