diff --git a/plover/dictionary/loading_manager.py b/plover/dictionary/loading_manager.py
index f177752da..a83936be6 100644
--- a/plover/dictionary/loading_manager.py
+++ b/plover/dictionary/loading_manager.py
@@ -14,7 +14,15 @@
 
 class DictionaryLoadingManager:
 
-    def __init__(self):
+    def __init__(self, state_change_callback):
+        """
+        Parameters:
+
+        state_change_callback -- A function that will be called when any dictionary is loaded
+            with two parameters: the filename and the loaded dictionary object
+            (or an instance of DictionaryLoaderException if the load fails).
+        """
+        self._state_change_callback = state_change_callback
         self.dictionaries = {}
 
     def __len__(self):
@@ -31,7 +39,7 @@ def start_loading(self, filename):
         if op is not None and not op.needs_reloading():
             return op
         log.info('%s dictionary: %s', 'loading' if op is None else 'reloading', filename)
-        op = DictionaryLoadingOperation(filename)
+        op = DictionaryLoadingOperation(filename, self._state_change_callback)
         self.dictionaries[filename] = op
         return op
 
@@ -54,7 +62,15 @@ def load(self, filenames):
 
 class DictionaryLoadingOperation:
 
-    def __init__(self, filename):
+    def __init__(self, filename, state_change_callback):
+        """
+        Parameters:
+
+        state_change_callback -- A function that will be called when the load is finished
+            with two parameters: the filename and the loaded dictionary object
+            (or an instance of DictionaryLoaderException if the load fails).
+        """
+        self._state_change_callback = state_change_callback
         self.loading_thread = threading.Thread(target=self.load)
         self.filename = filename
         self.result = None
@@ -91,6 +107,7 @@ def load(self):
             log.debug('loading dictionary %s failed', self.filename, exc_info=True)
             self.result = DictionaryLoaderException(self.filename, e)
             self.result.timestamp = timestamp
+        self._state_change_callback(self.filename, self.result)
 
     def get(self):
         self.loading_thread.join()
diff --git a/plover/engine.py b/plover/engine.py
index 1b77dba87..ee0cdacf0 100644
--- a/plover/engine.py
+++ b/plover/engine.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 from collections import namedtuple, OrderedDict
 from functools import wraps
 from queue import Queue
+import functools
 import os
 import shutil
 import threading
@@ -81,6 +82,7 @@ class StenoEngine:
     output_changed
     config_changed
     dictionaries_loaded
+    dictionary_state_changed
     send_string
     send_backspaces
     send_key_combination
@@ -113,7 +115,8 @@ def __init__(self, config, controller, keyboard_emulation):
         self._translator.add_listener(log.translation)
         self._translator.add_listener(self._formatter.format)
         self._dictionaries = self._translator.get_dictionary()
-        self._dictionaries_manager = DictionaryLoadingManager()
+        self._dictionaries_manager = DictionaryLoadingManager(
+                functools.partial(self._trigger_hook, "dictionary_state_changed"))
         self._running_state = self._translator.get_state()
         self._keyboard_emulation = keyboard_emulation
         self._hooks = { hook: [] for hook in self.HOOKS }
diff --git a/plover/gui_qt/dictionaries_widget.py b/plover/gui_qt/dictionaries_widget.py
index 94f29eac9..9bca2b758 100644
--- a/plover/gui_qt/dictionaries_widget.py
+++ b/plover/gui_qt/dictionaries_widget.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 from plover.misc import normalize_path
 from plover.oslayer.config import CONFIG_DIR
 from plover.registry import registry
+from plover.exception import DictionaryLoaderException
 
 from plover.gui_qt.dictionaries_widget_ui import Ui_DictionariesWidget
 from plover.gui_qt.dictionary_editor import DictionaryEditor
@@ -127,10 +128,32 @@ def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         self.table.dropEvent = self._drop_event
         engine.signal_connect('config_changed', self.on_config_changed)
         engine.signal_connect('dictionaries_loaded', self.on_dictionaries_loaded)
+        engine.signal_connect('dictionary_state_changed', self.on_dictionary_state_changed)
 
     def setFocus(self):
         self.table.setFocus()
 
+    def on_dictionary_state_changed(self, filename, d):
+        config_dictionaries = self._config_dictionaries
+        [n] = [n for n, dictionary in enumerate(config_dictionaries) if dictionary.path == filename]
+        assert self.table.rowCount() == len(config_dictionaries)
+        row = n
+        if self._reverse_order:
+            row = len(config_dictionaries) - row - 1
+        if isinstance(d, DictionaryLoaderException):
+            icon = 'error'
+            tooltip = str(d.exception)
+        elif d.readonly:
+            icon = 'readonly'
+            # i18n: Widget: “DictionariesWidget”, tooltip.
+            tooltip = _('This dictionary is read-only.')
+        else:
+            icon = 'normal'
+            tooltip = ''
+        item = self.table.verticalHeaderItem(row)
+        item.setIcon(QIcon(':/dictionary_%s.svg' % icon))
+        item.setToolTip(tooltip)
+
     def on_dictionaries_loaded(self, loaded_dictionaries):
         self._update_dictionaries(loaded_dictionaries=loaded_dictionaries,
                                   record=False, save=False)
diff --git a/plover/gui_qt/engine.py b/plover/gui_qt/engine.py
index 1c2d338c5..7da3a1d63 100644
--- a/plover/gui_qt/engine.py
+++ b/plover/gui_qt/engine.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ class Engine(StenoEngine, QThread):
     signal_machine_state_changed = pyqtSignal(str, str)
     signal_output_changed = pyqtSignal(bool)
     signal_config_changed = pyqtSignal(QVariant)
+    signal_dictionary_state_changed = pyqtSignal(str, QVariant)
     signal_dictionaries_loaded = pyqtSignal(QVariant)
     signal_send_string = pyqtSignal(str)
     signal_send_backspaces = pyqtSignal(int)