diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 8c21ea0e..66520d21 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 ## v0.3.0 (next)
 
+### `status` changes
+
+The `status` segment was split up into three segments. `background_jobs` prints
+an icon if there are background jobs. `root_indicator` prints an icon if the user
+is root. The `status` segment focuses now on the status only.
+
 ### New segment `custom_command` added
 
 A new segment that allows users to define a custom command was added.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6a690bfd..08728697 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ configuration is the default:
 The segments that are currently available are:
 
 * [aws](#aws) - The current AWS profile, if active.
+* **background_jobs** - INdicator for background jobs.
 * [battery](#battery) - Current battery status.
 * [context](#context) - Your username and host.
 * [custom_command](#custom_command) - A custom command to display the output of.
@@ -85,9 +86,10 @@ The segments that are currently available are:
 * **php_version** - Show the current PHP version.
 * [ram](#ram) - Show free RAM and used Swap.
 * [rbenv](#rbenv) - Ruby environment information (if one is active).
+* **root_indicator** - An indicator if the user is root.
 * [rspec_stats](#rspec_stats) - Show a ratio of test classes vs code classes for RSpec.
 * **rust_version** - Display the current rust version.
-* [status](#status) - The return code of the previous command, and status of background jobs.
+* [status](#status) - The return code of the previous command.
 * [symphony2_tests](#symphony2_tests) - Show a ratio of test classes vs code classes for Symfony2.
 * **symphony2_version** - Show the current Symfony2 version, if you are in a Symfony2-Project dir.
 * [time](#time) - System time.
@@ -222,10 +224,9 @@ See [Unit Test Ratios](#unit-test-ratios), below.
 
 ##### status
 
-This segment shows the return code of the last command, and the presence of any
-background jobs. By default, this segment will always print, but you can
-customize it to only print if there is an error or a forked job by setting the
-following variable in your `~/.zshrc`.
+This segment shows the return code of the last command. By default, this
+segment will always print, but you can customize it to only print if there
+is an error by setting the following variable in your `~/.zshrc`.
 
     POWERLEVEL9K_STATUS_VERBOSE=false
 
diff --git a/powerlevel9k.zsh-theme b/powerlevel9k.zsh-theme
index 3d2d5d2c..d9f6af9b 100755
--- a/powerlevel9k.zsh-theme
+++ b/powerlevel9k.zsh-theme
@@ -238,6 +238,13 @@ prompt_custom() {
   "$1_prompt_segment" "${0}_${2:u}" $DEFAULT_COLOR_INVERTED $DEFAULT_COLOR "$(eval ${(P)command})"
 }
 
+# print an icon, if there are background jobs
+prompt_background_jobs() {
+  if [[ $(jobs -l | wc -l) -gt 0 ]]; then
+    "$1_prompt_segment" "$0" "$DEFAULT_COLOR" "cyan" "$(print_icon 'BACKGROUND_JOBS_ICON')"
+  fi
+}
+
 prompt_battery() {
   # The battery can have different states.
   # Default is "unknown"
@@ -537,6 +544,13 @@ prompt_rbenv() {
   fi
 }
 
+# print an icon if user is root.
+prompt_root_indicator() {
+  if [[ "$UID" -eq 0 ]]; then
+    "$1_prompt_segment" "$0" "$DEFAULT_COLOR" "yellow" "$(print_icon 'ROOT_ICON')"
+  fi
+}
+
 # print Rust version number
 prompt_rust_version() {
   local rust_version
@@ -572,26 +586,17 @@ prompt_rvm() {
 # Status: (return code, root status, background jobs)
 set_default POWERLEVEL9K_STATUS_VERBOSE true
 prompt_status() {
-  local symbols bg
-  symbols=()
-
   if [[ "$POWERLEVEL9K_STATUS_VERBOSE" == true ]]; then
     if [[ "$RETVAL" -ne 0 ]]; then
-      symbols+="%F{226}$RETVAL $(print_icon 'CARRIAGE_RETURN_ICON')%f"
-      bg="red"
+      "$1_prompt_segment" "$0_ERROR" "red" "226" "$RETVAL $(print_icon 'CARRIAGE_RETURN_ICON')"
     else
-      symbols+="%F{046}$(print_icon 'OK_ICON')%f"
-      bg="black"
+      "$1_prompt_segment" "$0_OK" "$DEFAULT_COLOR" "046" "$(print_icon 'OK_ICON')"
     fi
   else
-    [[ "$RETVAL" -ne 0 ]] && symbols+="%{%F{red}%}$(print_icon 'FAIL_ICON')%f"
-    bg="$DEFAULT_COLOR"
+    if [[ "$RETVAL" -ne 0 ]]; then
+      "$1_prompt_segment" "$0_ERROR" "$DEFAULT_COLOR" "red" "$(print_icon 'FAIL_ICON')"
+    fi
   fi
-
-  [[ "$UID" -eq 0 ]] && symbols+="%{%F{yellow}%} $(print_icon 'ROOT_ICON')%f"
-  [[ $(jobs -l | wc -l) -gt 0 ]] && symbols+="%{%F{cyan}%}$(print_icon 'BACKGROUND_JOBS_ICON')%f"
-
-  [[ -n "$symbols" ]] && "$1_prompt_segment" "$0" "$bg" "white" "$symbols"
 }
 
 # Symfony2-PHPUnit test ratio
@@ -753,7 +758,7 @@ build_left_prompt() {
 
 # Right prompt
 build_right_prompt() {
-  defined POWERLEVEL9K_RIGHT_PROMPT_ELEMENTS || POWERLEVEL9K_RIGHT_PROMPT_ELEMENTS=(status history time)
+  defined POWERLEVEL9K_RIGHT_PROMPT_ELEMENTS || POWERLEVEL9K_RIGHT_PROMPT_ELEMENTS=(status background_jobs root_indicator history time)
 
   for element in "${POWERLEVEL9K_RIGHT_PROMPT_ELEMENTS[@]}"; do
     # Check if it is a custom command, otherwise interpet it as