GNU screen doesn't report correct terminal size with hardstatus until resized

Binary package hint: screen

$ lsb_release -rd; echo; apt-cache policy screen; echo; screen --version
Description: Ubuntu 10.10
Release: 10.10

screen:
  Installed: 4.0.3-14ubuntu4
  Candidate: 4.0.3-14ubuntu4
  Version table:
 *** 4.0.3-14ubuntu4 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ maverick/main i386 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

Screen version 4.00.03jw4 (FAU) 2-May-06

When the hardstatus line is enabled in screen, the 'unusable' line is not deducted from the environment ($LINES, stty -a) until the window is resized. I can reproduce this in xterm and sakura (which uses the same terminal emulation lib, VTE, as gnome-terminal). It doesn't matter is the terminal is resized before screen is started. There are no termcapinfo lines in my .screenrc. My hardstatus line is:

hardstatus alwayslastline '%{= kG}[ %{G}%H %{g}][%= %{= kw}%?%-Lw%?%{r}(%{W}%n*%f%t%?(%u)%?%{r})%{w}%?%+Lw%?%?%= %{g}][%{B} %m/%d %{W}%c %{g}]'

Example:

Before resize, no screen:
$ echo $LINES; stty -a
24
speed 38400 baud; rows 24; columns 80; line = 0;
(...)

Before resize with screen:
$ echo $LINES; stty -a
24
speed 38400 baud; rows 24; columns 80; line = 0;
(...)
(in screen) CTRL-A i -> ...(80,23)...

After resize (maximize), with screen:
$ echo $LINES; stty -a
68
speed 38400 baud; rows 68; columns 182; line = 0;
(...)
(in screen) CTRL-A i -> ...(182,68)...

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10
Package: screen 4.0.3-14ubuntu4
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.35-27.48-generic 2.6.35.11
Uname: Linux 2.6.35-27-generic i686
NonfreeKernelModules: fglrx
Architecture: i386
Date: Tue Mar 8 19:18:47 2011
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.10 "Maverick Meerkat" - Release i386 (20101007)
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=en_US.utf8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: screen