diff --git a/static/directives/quay-message-bar.html b/static/directives/quay-message-bar.html
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f5b512511
--- /dev/null
+++ b/static/directives/quay-message-bar.html
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+<div class="announcement inline" ng-show="messages.length">
+  <div ng-repeat="message in messages">
+      <a ng-href="" class="quay-service-status-description">{{ message.content }}</a>
+  </div>
+</div>
diff --git a/static/js/directives/quay-message-bar.js b/static/js/directives/quay-message-bar.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..55d4b1b8a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/static/js/directives/quay-message-bar.js
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+/**
+ * An element which displays a message for users to read.
+ */
+angular.module('quay').directive('quayMessageBar', function () {
+  return {
+    priority: 0,
+    templateUrl: '/static/directives/quay-message-bar.html',
+    replace: false,
+    transclude: false,
+    restrict: 'C',
+    scope: {},
+    controller: function ($scope, $element, ApiService) {
+      $scope.messages = [];
+      // ApiService.getMessages().then(function(data){ $scope.messages = data['messages'] || []; });
+    }
+  };
+});
diff --git a/templates/base.html b/templates/base.html
index c67835a93..f860cef37 100644
--- a/templates/base.html
+++ b/templates/base.html
@@ -229,6 +229,7 @@ mixpanel.init("{{ mixpanel_key }}", { track_pageview : false, debug: {{ is_debug
       {% endif %}
 
       <nav class="navbar navbar-default header-bar co-m-navbar co-fx-box-shadow" role="navigation"></nav>
+      <div class="quay-message-bar"></div>
       <div class="quay-service-status-bar" quay-require="['BILLING']"></div>
       <div id="padding-container">
         <div id="co-l-view-container">