diff --git a/core/message_base_qwk_export.js b/core/message_base_qwk_export.js
index dcdd605e..6d748074 100644
--- a/core/message_base_qwk_export.js
+++ b/core/message_base_qwk_export.js
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ const Message = require('./message');
 const { Errors } = require('./enig_error');
 const {
     getMessageAreaByTag,
+    getMessageConferenceByTag,
     hasMessageConfAndAreaRead,
     getAllAvailableMessageAreaTags,
 } = require('./message_area');
@@ -216,7 +217,7 @@ exports.getModule = class MessageBaseQWKExport extends MenuModule {
                             message,
                             step    : 'message',
                             total   : messageIds.length,
-                            status  : `Writing message ${current} / ${messageIds.length}`,
+                            status  : `${_.truncate(message.subject, { length : 25 })} (${current} / ${messageIds.length})`,
                         };
 
                         progressHandler(progress, err => {
@@ -276,7 +277,8 @@ exports.getModule = class MessageBaseQWKExport extends MenuModule {
                         });
                     async.eachSeries(userExportAreas, (exportArea, nextExportArea) => {
                         const area = getMessageAreaByTag(exportArea.areaTag);
-                        if (!area) {
+                        const conf = getMessageConferenceByTag(area.confTag);
+                        if (!area || !conf) {
                             //  :TODO: remove from user properties - this area does not exist
                             this.client.log.warn({ areaTag : exportArea.areaTag }, 'Cannot QWK export area as it does not exist');
                             return nextExportArea(null);
@@ -288,9 +290,10 @@ exports.getModule = class MessageBaseQWKExport extends MenuModule {
                         }
 
                         const progress = {
+                            conf,
                             area,
                             step    : 'next_area',
-                            status  : `Gathering messages in ${area.name}...`,
+                            status  : `Gathering in ${conf.name} - ${area.name}...`,
                         };
 
                         progressHandler(progress, err => {
diff --git a/core/qwk_mail_packet.js b/core/qwk_mail_packet.js
index 3d613ca4..c89ae714 100644
--- a/core/qwk_mail_packet.js
+++ b/core/qwk_mail_packet.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ const { splitTextAtTerms } = require('./string_util');
 const {
     getMessageConfTagByAreaTag,
     getMessageAreaByTag,
+    getMessageConferenceByTag,
     getAllAvailableMessageAreaTags,
 } = require('./message_area');
 const StatLog = require('./stat_log');
@@ -1370,10 +1371,9 @@ class QWKPacketWriter extends EventEmitter {
         //  map areas as conf #\r\nDescription\r\n pairs
         areas.forEach(area => {
             const conferenceNumber = this._getMessageConferenceNumberByAreaTag(area.areaTag);
-            let desc = area.name;
-            if (area.desc) {
-                desc += ` - ${area.desc}`
-            }
+            const conf = getMessageConferenceByTag(area.confTag);
+            const desc = `${conf.name} - ${area.name}`;
+
             controlStream.write(`${conferenceNumber}\r\n`);
             controlStream.write(`${desc}\r\n`);
         });