diff --git a/config.def.h b/config.def.h
index 6b0a32704d..a7bf4863b3 100644
--- a/config.def.h
+++ b/config.def.h
@@ -25,3 +25,6 @@
  * for example: " /?\"&[]"
  */
 static const char worddelimiters[] = " ";
+
+/* Size of the window border */
+static unsigned int border_width = 0;
diff --git a/dmenu.c b/dmenu.c
index bafda5af1f..9f9dfb6e27 100644
--- a/dmenu.c
+++ b/dmenu.c
@@ -715,9 +715,11 @@
 	swa.override_redirect = True;
 	swa.background_pixel = scheme[SchemeNorm][ColBg].pixel;
 	swa.event_mask = ExposureMask | KeyPressMask | VisibilityChangeMask;
-	win = XCreateWindow(dpy, root, x, y, mw, mh, 0,
+	win = XCreateWindow(dpy, root, x, y, mw, mh, border_width,
 	                    CopyFromParent, CopyFromParent, CopyFromParent,
 	                    CWOverrideRedirect | CWBackPixel | CWEventMask, &swa);
+	if (border_width)
+		XSetWindowBorder(dpy, win, scheme[SchemeSel][ColBg].pixel);
 	XSetClassHint(dpy, win, &ch);
 
 	/* input methods */
@@ -792,6 +794,8 @@
 			colors[SchemeSel][ColFg] = argv[++i];
 		else if (!strcmp(argv[i], "-w"))   /* embedding window id */
 			embed = argv[++i];
+		else if (!strcmp(argv[i], "-bw"))
+			border_width = atoi(argv[++i]); /* border width */
 		else
 			usage();