diff --git a/library/Icingadb/Util/PluginOutput.php b/library/Icingadb/Util/PluginOutput.php
index 916cea2e..782d1a41 100644
--- a/library/Icingadb/Util/PluginOutput.php
+++ b/library/Icingadb/Util/PluginOutput.php
@@ -34,13 +34,13 @@ class PluginOutput extends HtmlString
     protected const TEXT_REPLACEMENTS = [
         "\t",
         "\n",
-        '<span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-ok"></span>',
-        '<span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-warning"></span>',
-        '<span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-critical"></span>',
-        '<span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-unknown"></span>',
-        '<span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-up"></span>',
-        '<span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-down"></span>',
-        '<span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-info"></span>',
+        '<span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-ok">[OK]</span>',
+        '<span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-warning">[WARNING]</span>',
+        '<span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-critical">[CRITICAL]</span>',
+        '<span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-unknown">[UNKNOWN]</span>',
+        '<span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-up">[UP]</span>',
+        '<span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-down">[DOWN]</span>',
+        '<span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-info">[INFO]</span>',
         '@@@@@@'
     ];
 
diff --git a/public/css/common.less b/public/css/common.less
index 1bb85b0d..d8d9a483 100644
--- a/public/css/common.less
+++ b/public/css/common.less
@@ -13,6 +13,12 @@
 .plugin-output {
   .monospace();
   word-break: break-word;
+
+  .state-ball {
+    color: transparent;
+    overflow: hidden;
+    white-space: nowrap;
+  }
 }
 
 div.show-more {
diff --git a/test/php/library/Icingadb/Util/PluginOutputTest.php b/test/php/library/Icingadb/Util/PluginOutputTest.php
index e9159636..9d7aeaf8 100644
--- a/test/php/library/Icingadb/Util/PluginOutputTest.php
+++ b/test/php/library/Icingadb/Util/PluginOutputTest.php
@@ -38,9 +38,9 @@ class PluginOutputTest extends TestCase
 INPUT;
 
         $expectedOutput = <<<'EXPECTED_OUTPUT'
-<span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-ok"></span> Dummy state
-    \_ <span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-ok"></span> Fake &quot;state&quot;
-    \_ <span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-warning"></span> Fake state again
+<span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-ok">[OK]</span> Dummy state
+    \_ <span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-ok">[OK]</span> Fake &quot;state&quot;
+    \_ <span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-warning">[WARNING]</span> Fake state again
 EXPECTED_OUTPUT;
 
         $this->checkOutput($expectedOutput, $input);
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ EXPECTED_OUTPUT;
 INPUT;
 
         $expectedOutput = <<<'EXPECTED_OUTPUT'
-<span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-ok"></span> Dummy
+<span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-ok">[OK]</span> Dummy
 EXPECTED_OUTPUT;
 
         $this->checkOutput($expectedOutput, $input, 10);
@@ -86,9 +86,9 @@ INPUT;
 
         $expectedOutput = <<<'EXPECTED_OUTPUT'
 Hello <h3>World</h3>, this "is" a <strong>test</strong>.
-<span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-ok"></span> Dummy state
-    \_ <span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-ok"></span> Fake "state"
-    \_ <span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-warning"></span> Fake state again
+<span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-ok">[OK]</span> Dummy state
+    \_ <span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-ok">[OK]</span> Fake "state"
+    \_ <span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-warning">[WARNING]</span> Fake state again
 text <span> ends </span> here
 EXPECTED_OUTPUT;
 
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ INPUT;
 
         $expectedOutput = <<<'EXPECTED_OUTPUT'
 Hello <h3>World</h3>, this "is" a <strong>test</strong>.
-<span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-ok"></span> Dummy state
+<span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-ok">[OK]</span> Dummy state
     special chars: !@#$%^&amp;*()_+{}|:"&lt;&gt;?`-=[]\;',&#8203;./
 text <span> ends </span> here
 EXPECTED_OUTPUT;
@@ -149,7 +149,11 @@ EXPECTED_OUTPUT;
             $l = strtolower($s);
 
             $input = sprintf('[%s] Test', $s);
-            $expectedOutput = sprintf('<span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-%s"></span> Test', $l);
+            $expectedOutput = sprintf(
+                '<span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-%s">[%s]</span> Test',
+                $l,
+                $s
+            );
 
             $this->checkOutput($expectedOutput, $input);
 
@@ -167,7 +171,12 @@ EXPECTED_OUTPUT;
             $l = strtolower($s);
 
             $input = sprintf('%s [%s] Test', $dummyHtml, $s);
-            $expectedOutput = sprintf('%s <span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-%s"></span> Test', $dummyHtml, $l);
+            $expectedOutput = sprintf(
+                '%s <span class="state-ball ball-size-m state-%s">[%s]</span> Test',
+                $dummyHtml,
+                $l,
+                $s
+            );
 
             $this->checkOutput($expectedOutput, $input);