diff --git a/message_aggregator.qrc.in b/message_aggregator.qrc.in
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..792aa4464
--- /dev/null
+++ b/message_aggregator.qrc.in
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+<!DOCTYPE RCC>
+<RCC version="1.0">
+  <qresource>@message_aggregator_RESOURCES@
+  </qresource>
+</RCC>
diff --git a/qss/default.qss b/qss/default.qss
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f5571d5c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/qss/default.qss
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+/* default stylesheet for the message aggregator application */
+
+[transmitting="true"] {
+       background-color: yellow
+}