diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/notificationarea.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/notificationarea.js
index 120c5d9..948a281 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/notificationarea.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/notificationarea.js
@@ -75,12 +75,12 @@ var IPython = (function (IPython) {
         // Command/Edit mode
         $([IPython.events]).on('edit_mode.Notebook',function () {
             IPython.save_widget.update_document_title();
-            $modal_ind_icon.attr('class','icon-pencil').attr('title','Edit Mode');
+            $modal_ind_icon.attr('class','ipython-edit-mode').attr('title','Edit Mode');
         });
 
         $([IPython.events]).on('command_mode.Notebook',function () {
             IPython.save_widget.update_document_title();
-            $modal_ind_icon.attr('class','').attr('title','Command Mode');
+            $modal_ind_icon.attr('class','ipython-command-mode').attr('title','Command Mode');
         });
 
         // Kernel events
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/less/notificationarea.less b/IPython/html/static/notebook/less/notificationarea.less
index 634f31b..ad4f497 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/less/notificationarea.less
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/less/notificationarea.less
@@ -16,3 +16,11 @@
     margin-right: -16px;
 }
 
+.ipython-edit-mode:before {
+     .icon(@pencil);
+}
+
+.ipython-command-mode:before {
+     .icon(' ');
+}
+
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/style/style.min.css b/IPython/html/static/style/style.min.css
index e36a823..183b589 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/style/style.min.css
+++ b/IPython/html/static/style/style.min.css
@@ -1506,6 +1506,8 @@ ul#help_menu li a{overflow:hidden;padding-right:2.2em}ul#help_menu li a i{margin
 #notification_area{z-index:10}
 .indicator_area{color:#777;padding:4px 3px;margin:0;width:11px;z-index:10;text-align:center}
 #kernel_indicator{margin-right:-16px}
+.ipython-edit-mode:before{font-family:FontAwesome;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;text-decoration:inherit;-webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased;*margin-right:.3em;content:"\f040"}
+.ipython-command-mode:before{font-family:FontAwesome;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;text-decoration:inherit;-webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased;*margin-right:.3em;content:' '}
 .notification_widget{color:#777;padding:1px 12px;margin:2px 4px;z-index:10;border:1px solid #ccc;border-radius:4px;background:rgba(240,240,240,0.5)}.notification_widget.span{padding-right:2px}
 div#pager_splitter{height:8px}
 #pager-container{position:relative;padding:15px 0}