diff --git a/tracks/app/views/layouts/standard.rhtml b/tracks/app/views/layouts/standard.rhtml
index e59ab075..64240da3 100644
--- a/tracks/app/views/layouts/standard.rhtml
+++ b/tracks/app/views/layouts/standard.rhtml
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@
 
 <script type="text/javascript">
 window.onload=function(){
-Nifty("div#todo_new_action_container","normal");
+  Nifty("div#todo_new_action_container","normal");
+  if ($('flash').visible()) { new Effect.Fade("flash",{duration:5.0}); }
 }
 </script>
 
diff --git a/tracks/test/selenium/login/login_success.rsel b/tracks/test/selenium/login/login_success.rsel
index b63074a9..bad10df4 100644
--- a/tracks/test/selenium/login/login_success.rsel
+++ b/tracks/test/selenium/login/login_success.rsel
@@ -5,4 +5,8 @@ assert_title 'exact:TRACKS::Login'
 type "user_login", "admin"
 type "user_password", "abracadabra"
 click_and_wait "login"
-assert_title 'exact:TRACKS::List tasks' 
\ No newline at end of file
+assert_title 'exact:TRACKS::List tasks'
+wait_for_visible "flash"
+wait_for_text "flash", "Login successful: session will not expire."
+#next line slows down the test unacceptably, but is useful in ensuring that the message disappears.
+#wait_for_not_visible "flash"
\ No newline at end of file