diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index d0d1cd3cd..ae9413dec 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -534,6 +534,7 @@ config_parse(const char *confpatharg)
         CFG_STR((char *) "fg", (char *) NULL, CFGF_NONE),
         CFG_STR((char *) "bg", (char *) NULL, CFGF_NONE),
         CFG_STR((char *) "font", (char *) NULL, CFGF_NONE),
+        CFG_STR((char *) "align", (char *) "center", CFGF_NONE),
         CFG_END()
     };
     static cfg_opt_t widget_focustitle_opts[] =
diff --git a/widgets/textbox.c b/widgets/textbox.c
index 030a72cce..d8a3ab570 100644
--- a/widgets/textbox.c
+++ b/widgets/textbox.c
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ typedef struct
 {
     char *text;
     int width;
+    int align;
     XColor fg;
     XColor bg;
 } Data;
@@ -51,7 +52,7 @@ textbox_draw(Widget *widget, DrawCtx *ctx, int offset,
                                                widget->alignment);
 
     draw_text(ctx, widget->location, 0, widget->width, widget->statusbar->height,
-              AlignCenter, 0, widget->font, d->text, d->fg, d->bg);
+              d->align, 0, widget->font, d->text, d->fg, d->bg);
 
     return widget->width;
 }
@@ -90,6 +91,7 @@ textbox_new(Statusbar *statusbar, cfg_t *config)
         d->bg = globalconf.screens[statusbar->screen].colors_normal[ColBG];
 
     d->width = cfg_getint(config, "width");
+    d->align = draw_get_align(cfg_getstr(config, "align"));
 
     if((buf = cfg_getstr(config, "font")))
         w->font = XftFontOpenName(globalconf.display, get_phys_screen(statusbar->screen), buf);