diff --git a/client/Makefile.in b/client/Makefile.in
index a0adb8f0c9..e1eadf076d 100644
--- a/client/Makefile.in
+++ b/client/Makefile.in
@@ -191,6 +191,7 @@ boinc_client_SOURCES = \
     hostinfo_unix.C				\
     http.C					\
     log_flags.C					\
+    message.C					\
     net_stats.C					\
     net_xfer.C					\
     pers_file_xfer.C				\
diff --git a/client/message.C b/client/message.C
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e378495715
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/message.C
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+#include <stdarg.h>
+
+#include "message.h"
+
+// Takes a printf style formatted string, inserts the proper values,
+// and passes it to show_message
+// TODO: add translation functionality
+//
+void msg_printf(PROJECT *p, int priority, char *fmt, ...) {
+    char        buf[512];
+    va_list     ap;
+
+    if (fmt == NULL) return;
+
+    // Since Windows doesn't support vsnprintf, we have to do a
+    // workaround to prevent buffer overruns
+    //
+    if (strlen(fmt) > 512) fmt[511] = '\0';
+    va_start(ap, fmt); // Parses string for variables
+    vsprintf(buf, fmt, ap); // And convert symbols To actual numbers
+    va_end(ap); // Results are stored in text
+
+    show_message(p, buf, priority);
+}