diff --git a/wt-status.c b/wt-status.c
index db98c52d45..b1b018e54e 100644
--- a/wt-status.c
+++ b/wt-status.c
@@ -245,27 +245,26 @@ static void wt_status_print_trailer(struct wt_status *s)
 
 #define quote_path quote_path_relative
 
-static void wt_status_print_unmerged_data(struct wt_status *s,
-					  struct string_list_item *it)
+static const char *wt_status_unmerged_status_string(int stagemask)
 {
-	const char *c = color(WT_STATUS_UNMERGED, s);
-	struct wt_status_change_data *d = it->util;
-	struct strbuf onebuf = STRBUF_INIT;
-	const char *one, *how = _("bug");
-
-	one = quote_path(it->string, s->prefix, &onebuf);
-	status_printf(s, color(WT_STATUS_HEADER, s), "\t");
-	switch (d->stagemask) {
-	case 1: how = _("both deleted:"); break;
-	case 2: how = _("added by us:"); break;
-	case 3: how = _("deleted by them:"); break;
-	case 4: how = _("added by them:"); break;
-	case 5: how = _("deleted by us:"); break;
-	case 6: how = _("both added:"); break;
-	case 7: how = _("both modified:"); break;
+	switch (stagemask) {
+	case 1:
+		return _("both deleted:");
+	case 2:
+		return _("added by us:");
+	case 3:
+		return _("deleted by them:");
+	case 4:
+		return _("added by them:");
+	case 5:
+		return _("deleted by us:");
+	case 6:
+		return _("both added:");
+	case 7:
+		return _("both modified:");
+	default:
+		die(_("bug: unhandled unmerged status %x"), stagemask);
 	}
-	status_printf_more(s, c, "%-20s%s\n", how, one);
-	strbuf_release(&onebuf);
 }
 
 static const char *wt_status_diff_status_string(int status)
@@ -305,6 +304,35 @@ static int maxwidth(const char *(*label)(int), int minval, int maxval)
 	return result;
 }
 
+static void wt_status_print_unmerged_data(struct wt_status *s,
+					  struct string_list_item *it)
+{
+	const char *c = color(WT_STATUS_UNMERGED, s);
+	struct wt_status_change_data *d = it->util;
+	struct strbuf onebuf = STRBUF_INIT;
+	static char *padding;
+	static int label_width;
+	const char *one, *how;
+	int len;
+
+	if (!padding) {
+		label_width = maxwidth(wt_status_unmerged_status_string, 1, 7);
+		label_width += strlen(" ");
+		if (label_width < 20)
+			label_width = 20;
+		padding = xmallocz(label_width);
+		memset(padding, ' ', label_width);
+	}
+
+	one = quote_path(it->string, s->prefix, &onebuf);
+	status_printf(s, color(WT_STATUS_HEADER, s), "\t");
+
+	how = wt_status_unmerged_status_string(d->stagemask);
+	len = label_width - utf8_strwidth(how);
+	status_printf_more(s, c, "%s%.*s%s\n", how, len, padding, one);
+	strbuf_release(&onebuf);
+}
+
 static void wt_status_print_change_data(struct wt_status *s,
 					int change_type,
 					struct string_list_item *it)