diff --git a/include/winX.h b/include/winX.h
index 32af1364b..3fe217107 100644
--- a/include/winX.h
+++ b/include/winX.h
@@ -394,6 +394,8 @@ E void FDECL(hilight_value, (Widget));
 E void FDECL(swap_fg_bg, (Widget));
 
 /* external declarations */
+E char *FDECL(X11_getmsghistory, (BOOLEAN_P));
+E void FDECL(X11_putmsghistory, (const char *, BOOLEAN_P));
 E void FDECL(X11_init_nhwindows, (int *, char **));
 E void NDECL(X11_player_selection);
 E void NDECL(X11_askname);
diff --git a/win/X11/winX.c b/win/X11/winX.c
index 009f4e6ab..834937e93 100644
--- a/win/X11/winX.c
+++ b/win/X11/winX.c
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ struct window_procs X11_procs = {
 #else
     genl_outrip,
 #endif
-    X11_preference_update, genl_getmsghistory, genl_putmsghistory,
+    X11_preference_update, X11_getmsghistory, X11_putmsghistory,
     genl_status_init, genl_status_finish, genl_status_enablefield,
     genl_status_update,
     genl_can_suspend_no, /* XXX may not always be correct */
@@ -181,6 +181,43 @@ static winid message_win = WIN_ERR, /* These are the winids of the message, */
              status_win = WIN_ERR;  /*   are created in init_windows().     */
 static Pixmap icon_pixmap = None;   /* Pixmap for icon.                     */
 
+void
+X11_putmsghistory(msg, is_restoring)
+const char *msg;
+boolean is_restoring;
+{
+    if (WIN_MESSAGE != WIN_ERR) {
+        struct xwindow *wp = &window_list[WIN_MESSAGE];
+        debugpline2("X11_putmsghistory('%s',%i)", msg, is_restoring);
+        if (msg)
+            append_message(wp, msg);
+    }
+}
+
+char *
+X11_getmsghistory(init)
+boolean init;
+{
+    if (WIN_MESSAGE != WIN_ERR) {
+        static struct line_element *curr = (struct line_element *) 0;
+        static int numlines = 0;
+        struct xwindow *wp = &window_list[WIN_MESSAGE];
+
+        if (!curr) {
+            curr = wp->mesg_information->head;
+            numlines = 0;
+        }
+
+        if (numlines < wp->mesg_information->num_lines) {
+            curr = curr->next;
+            numlines++;
+            debugpline2("X11_getmsghistory(%i)='%s'", init, curr->line);
+            return curr->line;
+        }
+    }
+    return (char *) 0;
+}
+
 /*
  * Find the window structure that corresponds to the given widget.  Note
  * that this is not the popup widget, nor the viewport, but the child.