diff --git a/sql-edition/servers/Idler.py b/sql-edition/servers/Idler.py
index d11fe90db5686293d6528518ad565088c5d23964..22285ded9a56d20c32976720efbb4ec8589725e7 100755
--- a/sql-edition/servers/Idler.py
+++ b/sql-edition/servers/Idler.py
@@ -240,7 +240,9 @@ class ClockIdler(Idler):
 		self.last = None
 
 	def next(self):
-		output = time.strftime("%H:%M:%S")
+		colonchar = ':'
+		if int(time.time()*2) & 1: colonchar = ' '
+		output = time.strftime("%%H%c%%M%c%%S"%(colonchar,colonchar))
 		if output != self.last:
 			self.v.display(" %8.8s " % (output))
 			self.last = output