--- a/browser_side/contact.py	Sun Feb 23 16:20:03 2014 +0100
+++ b/browser_side/contact.py	Sun Feb 23 17:01:03 2014 +0100
@@ -29,11 +29,30 @@
 from pyjamas import DOM
 
 from browser_side.base_panels import PopupMenuPanel
+from browser_side.base_widget import DragLabel
 from browser_side.panels import ChatPanel, MicroblogPanel, WebPanel, UniBoxPanel
-from browser_side.tools import DragLabel, html_sanitize, setPresenceStyle
+from browser_side.tools import html_sanitize
 from __pyjamas__ import doc
 
 
+def setPresenceStyle(element, presence, base_style="contact"):
+    """
+    Set the CSS style of a contact's element according to its presence.
+    @param item: the UI element of the contact
+    @param presence: a value in ("", "chat", "away", "dnd", "xa").
+    @param base_style: the base name of the style to apply
+    """
+    if not hasattr(element, 'presence_style'):
+        element.presence_style = None
+    style = '%s-%s' % (base_style, presence or 'connected')
+    if style == element.presence_style:
+        return
+    if element.presence_style is not None:
+        element.removeStyleName(element.presence_style)
+    element.addStyleName(style)
+    element.presence_style = style
+
+
 class GroupLabel(DragLabel, Label, ClickHandler):
     def __init__(self, host, group):
         self.group = group