diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 5c3bb21f..d7ccfdf2 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Version 2.4.6-stable+timestamp.2013.05.17.14.52.19
+Version 2.4.6-stable+timestamp.2013.05.19.22.13.58
diff --git a/gluon/http.py b/gluon/http.py
index 22490340..fd429f9d 100644
--- a/gluon/http.py
+++ b/gluon/http.py
@@ -69,14 +69,12 @@ class HTTP(BaseException):
         status,
         body='',
         cookies=None,
-        status_message='',
         **headers
     ):
         self.status = status
         self.body = body
         self.headers = headers
         self.cookies2headers(cookies)
-        self.status_message = status_message
 
     def cookies2headers(self, cookies):
         if cookies and len(cookies) > 0:
@@ -87,14 +85,10 @@ class HTTP(BaseException):
         env = env or {}
         status = self.status
         headers = self.headers
-        status_message = status
         if status in defined_status:
-            if status_message:
-                status = str(status) + ' ' + str(status_message)
-            else:
-                status = '%d %s' % (status, defined_status[status])
+            status = '%d %s' % (status, defined_status[status])
         else:
-            status = str(status) + ' ' + status_message
+            status = str(status)
             if not regex_status.match(status):
                 status = '500 %s' % (defined_status[500])
         headers.setdefault('Content-Type', 'text/html; charset=UTF-8')
@@ -129,19 +123,15 @@ class HTTP(BaseException):
 
         message elements that are not defined are omitted
         """
-        msg = '%(status)d'
-        status_message = ''
-        if self.status_message:
-            status_message = self.status_message
-        elif self.status in defined_status:
-            status_message = defined_status.get(self.status)
-        if status_message:
-            msg = '%(status)d %(defined_status)s'
+        msg = '%(status)s'
+        if self.status in defined_status:
+            msg = '%(status)s %(defined_status)s'
         if 'web2py_error' in self.headers:
             msg += ' [%(web2py_error)s]'
-        return msg % dict(status=self.status,
-                          defined_status=status_message,
-                          web2py_error=self.headers.get('web2py_error'))
+        return msg % dict(
+            status=self.status,
+            defined_status=defined_status.get(self.status),
+            web2py_error=self.headers.get('web2py_error'))
 
     def __str__(self):
         "stringify me"
diff --git a/gluon/tests/test_http.py b/gluon/tests/test_http.py
index c41db092..a588e03e 100644
--- a/gluon/tests/test_http.py
+++ b/gluon/tests/test_http.py
@@ -24,17 +24,21 @@ class TestHTTP(unittest.TestCase):
         
         def gen_status_str(code, message):
             return str(code) + ' ' + str(message)
-        message = 'This is a custom message'
+        message = '1423 This is a custom message'
         code = 1423
-        self.assertEqual(str(h(code, status_message=message)), gen_status_str(code, message))
+        self.assertEqual(str(h(gen_status_str(code, message))), 
+                         gen_status_str(code, message))
 
         # test predefined codes
         for code in defined_status.keys():
-            self.assertEqual(str(h(code)), gen_status_str(code, defined_status[code]))
+            self.assertEqual(
+                str(h(code)),
+                gen_status_str(code, defined_status[code]))
         
         # test correct use of status_message 
         for code in defined_status.keys():
-            self.assertEqual(str(h(code, status_message=message)), gen_status_str(code, message))
+            self.assertEqual(str(h(gen_status_str(code, message))), 
+                             gen_status_str(code, message))
 
         # test wrong call detection