diff --git a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/shell/mainframe.cpp b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/shell/mainframe.cpp
index 41522813717..e22e3d94cd1 100644
--- a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/shell/mainframe.cpp
+++ b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/shell/mainframe.cpp
@@ -611,7 +611,7 @@ int MainFrame::Command(int id, int code)
 	  break;}
 
 	  case ID_WEB_WINDOW:
-		create_webchildwindow(_hmdiclient, WebChildWndInfo(TEXT("http://www.reactos.com")));	//@@
+		create_webchildwindow(_hmdiclient, WebChildWndInfo(TEXT("http://localhost")));	// http://www.reactos.com //@@
 		break;
 
 	///@todo There are even more menu items!
diff --git a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/shell/webchild.cpp b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/shell/webchild.cpp
index 03ef088b138..9ef483b64a9 100644
--- a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/shell/webchild.cpp
+++ b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/shell/webchild.cpp
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ WebChildWindow::WebChildWindow(HWND hwnd, const WebChildWndInfo& info)
 	_evt_handler1(NULL),
 	_evt_handler2(NULL)
 {
-	 // first try to create MS IE web control
+	 // first try to create a web control with MS IE's CLASSID
 	HRESULT hr = create_control(hwnd, CLSID_WebBrowser, IID_IWebBrowser2);
 
 	 // If this failed, try to use Mozilla's web control
@@ -220,3 +220,23 @@ WebChildWindow::~WebChildWindow()
 	delete _evt_handler2;
 	delete _evt_handler1;
 }
+
+LRESULT WebChildWindow::WndProc(UINT message, WPARAM wparam, LPARAM lparam)
+{
+	if (message == WM_ERASEBKGND) {
+		if (!_control) {
+			HDC hdc = (HDC)wparam;
+			ClientRect rect(_hwnd);
+
+			HBRUSH hbrush = CreateSolidBrush(RGB(200,200,235));
+			BkMode mode(hdc, TRANSPARENT);
+			TextColor color(hdc, RGB(200,40,40));
+			FillRect(hdc, &rect, hbrush);
+			DrawText(hdc, TEXT("Sorry - no web browser control could be loaded."), -1, &rect, DT_CENTER|DT_VCENTER|DT_SINGLELINE);
+			DeleteObject(hbrush);
+		}
+
+		return TRUE;
+	} else
+		return super::WndProc(message, wparam, lparam);
+}
diff --git a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/shell/webchild.h b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/shell/webchild.h
index c5b51d6e300..882ee566a94 100644
--- a/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/shell/webchild.h
+++ b/reactos/subsys/system/explorer/shell/webchild.h
@@ -1361,4 +1361,6 @@ struct WebChildWindow : public IPCtrlWindow<ChildWindow, SIfacePtr<IWebBrowser2>
 protected:
 	DWebBrowserEventsHandler* _evt_handler1;
 	DWebBrowserEvents2Handler* _evt_handler2;
+
+	LRESULT WndProc(UINT message, WPARAM wparam, LPARAM lparam);
 };