diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 64df2669..2efd37b2 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -375,6 +375,8 @@ config_parse_screen(cfg_t *cfg, int screen)
     virtscreen->statusbar->position = virtscreen->statusbar->dposition =
         statusbar_get_position_from_str(cfg_getstr(cfg_statusbar, "position"));
 
+    virtscreen->statusbar->height = cfg_getint(cfg_statusbar, "height");
+
     create_widgets(cfg_statusbar, virtscreen->statusbar);
 
     /* Layouts */
@@ -535,6 +537,7 @@ config_parse(const char *confpatharg)
     static cfg_opt_t statusbar_opts[] =
     {
         CFG_STR((char *) "position", (char *) "top", CFGF_NONE),
+        CFG_INT((char *) "height", 0, CFGF_NONE),
         CFG_SEC((char *) "textbox", widget_textbox_focus_opts, CFGF_TITLE | CFGF_MULTI | CFGF_NO_TITLE_DUPES),
         CFG_SEC((char *) "taglist", widget_taglist_opts, CFGF_TITLE | CFGF_MULTI | CFGF_NO_TITLE_DUPES),
         CFG_SEC((char *) "focustitle", widget_textbox_focus_opts, CFGF_TITLE | CFGF_MULTI | CFGF_NO_TITLE_DUPES),
diff --git a/statusbar.c b/statusbar.c
index eaf08bda..c57d4998 100644
--- a/statusbar.c
+++ b/statusbar.c
@@ -140,11 +140,15 @@ statusbar_init(int screen)
                                 &globalconf.screens[screen].padding);
     Statusbar *statusbar = globalconf.screens[screen].statusbar;
 
-    statusbar->height = globalconf.screens[screen].font->height * 1.5;
+    if(statusbar->height <= 0)
+    {
+        /* 1.5 as default factor, it fits nice but no one know why */
+        statusbar->height = globalconf.screens[screen].font->height * 1.5;
 
-    for(widget = statusbar->widgets; widget; widget = widget->next)
-        if(widget->font)
-            statusbar->height = MAX(statusbar->height, widget->font->height);
+        for(widget = statusbar->widgets; widget; widget = widget->next)
+            if(widget->font)
+                statusbar->height = MAX(statusbar->height, widget->font->height * 1.5);
+    }
 
     if(statusbar->position == BarRight || statusbar->position == BarLeft)
         statusbar->width = area.height;