diff --git a/lib/naughty.lua.in b/lib/naughty.lua.in
index 021efec4..59f18e51 100644
--- a/lib/naughty.lua.in
+++ b/lib/naughty.lua.in
@@ -205,6 +205,7 @@ end
 -- @param ontop Target screen for the notification
 -- @param run Function to run on left click
 -- @param width The popup width
+-- @field hover_timeout Delay in seconds after which hovered popup disappears.
 -- @param replaces_id Replace the notification with the given ID
 -- @usage naughty.notify({ title = 'Achtung!', text = 'You\'re idling', timeout = 0 })
 -- @return The notification object
@@ -217,6 +218,7 @@ function notify(args)
     local screen = args.screen or config.screen
     local ontop = args.ontop or config.ontop
     local width = args.width or config.width
+    local hover_timeout = args.hover_timeout or config.hover_timeout
 
     -- beautiful
     local beautiful = bt.get()
@@ -260,8 +262,8 @@ function notify(args)
     local run = args.run or die
 
     local hover_destroy = function ()
-        if config.hover_timeout == 0 then die()
-          else hooks.timer.register(config.hover_timeout, die) end
+        if hover_timeout == 0 then die()
+          else hooks.timer.register(hover_timeout, die) end
     end
 
     -- create textbox
@@ -269,7 +271,7 @@ function notify(args)
     textbox:buttons({ button({ }, 1, run),
                       button({ }, 3, die) })
     textbox.text = string.format('<margin right="'..config.margin..'" left="'..config.margin..'"/><span font_desc="%s"><b>%s</b>%s</span>', font, title, text)
-    if config.hover_timeout then textbox.mouse_enter = hover_destroy end
+    if hover_timeout then textbox.mouse_enter = hover_destroy end
 
     -- create iconbox
     local iconbox = nil
@@ -287,7 +289,7 @@ function notify(args)
             end
             iconbox.resize = false
             iconbox.image = img
-            if config.hover_timeout then iconbox.mouse_enter = hover_destroy end
+            if hover_timeout then iconbox.mouse_enter = hover_destroy end
         end
     end