diff --git a/lib/wibox/drawable.lua b/lib/wibox/drawable.lua
index c9d0a483d..a1e83a22b 100644
--- a/lib/wibox/drawable.lua
+++ b/lib/wibox/drawable.lua
@@ -59,7 +59,17 @@ local function do_redraw(self)
     self._widget_geometries = {}
     if self.widget and self.widget.visible then
         cr:set_source(self.foreground_color)
+
+        if self.widget.opacity ~= 1 then
+            cr:push_group()
+        end
         self.widget:draw(self.widget_arg, cr, width, height)
+        if self.widget.opacity ~= 1 then
+            cr:pop_group_to_source()
+            cr.operator = cairo.Operator.OVER
+            cr:paint_with_alpha(self.widget.opacity)
+        end
+
         self:widget_at(self.widget, 0, 0, width, height)
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/wibox/layout/base.lua b/lib/wibox/layout/base.lua
index 97e939661..36ebc61bb 100644
--- a/lib/wibox/layout/base.lua
+++ b/lib/wibox/layout/base.lua
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ local pcall = pcall
 local print = print
 local min = math.min
 local max = math.max
+local cairo = require("lgi").cairo
 
 local base = {}
 
@@ -66,8 +67,16 @@ function base.draw_widget(wibox, cr, widget, x, y, width, height)
     cr:rectangle(0, 0, width, height)
     cr:clip()
 
+    if widget.opacity ~= 1 then
+        cr:push_group()
+    end
     -- Let the widget draw itself
     local success, msg = pcall(widget.draw, widget, wibox, cr, width, height)
+    if widget.opacity ~= 1 then
+        cr:pop_group_to_source()
+        cr.operator = cairo.Operator.OVER
+        cr:paint_with_alpha(widget.opacity)
+    end
     if not success then
         print("Error while drawing widget: " .. msg)
     end
diff --git a/lib/wibox/widget/base.lua b/lib/wibox/widget/base.lua
index f57c01f56..dd37d5c0b 100644
--- a/lib/wibox/widget/base.lua
+++ b/lib/wibox/widget/base.lua
@@ -116,6 +116,15 @@ function base.make_widget(proxy, widget_name)
         end
     end
 
+    -- Add opacity property and setter.
+    ret.opacity = 1
+    function ret:set_opacity(b)
+        if b ~= self.opacity then
+            self.opacity = b
+            self:emit_signal("widget::updated")
+        end
+    end
+
     -- Add __tostring method to metatable.
     ret.widget_name = widget_name or object.modulename(3)
     local mt = {}