diff --git a/docs/i3bar-protocol b/docs/i3bar-protocol
index 10ee795b..76c51d80 100644
--- a/docs/i3bar-protocol
+++ b/docs/i3bar-protocol
@@ -141,6 +141,18 @@ background::
 	Overrides the background color for this particular block.
 border::
 	Overrides the border color for this particular block.
+border_top::
+        Defines the width (in pixels) of the top border of this block. Defaults
+        to 1.
+border_right::
+        Defines the width (in pixels) of the right border of this block. Defaults
+        to 1.
+border_bottom::
+        Defines the width (in pixels) of the bottom border of this block. Defaults
+        to 1.
+border_left::
+        Defines the width (in pixels) of the left border of this block. Defaults
+        to 1.
 min_width::
 	The minimum width (in pixels) of the block. If the content of the
 	+full_text+ key take less space than the specified min_width, the block
@@ -215,6 +227,10 @@ An example of a block which uses all possible entries follows:
  "color": "#00ff00",
  "background": "#1c1c1c",
  "border": "#ee0000",
+ "border_top": 1,
+ "border_right": 0,
+ "border_bottom": 3,
+ "border_left": 1,
  "min_width": 300,
  "align": "right",
  "urgent": false,
diff --git a/i3bar/include/common.h b/i3bar/include/common.h
index 77be3182..fe7444a3 100644
--- a/i3bar/include/common.h
+++ b/i3bar/include/common.h
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@ struct status_block {
 
     bool urgent;
     bool no_separator;
+    uint32_t border_top;
+    uint32_t border_right;
+    uint32_t border_bottom;
+    uint32_t border_left;
     bool pango_markup;
 
     /* The amount of pixels necessary to render a separater after the block. */
diff --git a/i3bar/src/child.c b/i3bar/src/child.c
index 549a2f70..83ee26b4 100644
--- a/i3bar/src/child.c
+++ b/i3bar/src/child.c
@@ -176,6 +176,12 @@ static int stdin_start_map(void *context) {
     else
         ctx->block.sep_block_width = logical_px(8) + separator_symbol_width;
 
+    /* By default we draw all four borders if a border is set. */
+    ctx->block.border_top = 1;
+    ctx->block.border_right = 1;
+    ctx->block.border_bottom = 1;
+    ctx->block.border_left = 1;
+
     return 1;
 }
 
@@ -262,6 +268,22 @@ static int stdin_integer(void *context, long long val) {
         ctx->block.sep_block_width = (uint32_t)val;
         return 1;
     }
+    if (strcasecmp(ctx->last_map_key, "border_top") == 0) {
+        ctx->block.border_top = (uint32_t)val;
+        return 1;
+    }
+    if (strcasecmp(ctx->last_map_key, "border_right") == 0) {
+        ctx->block.border_right = (uint32_t)val;
+        return 1;
+    }
+    if (strcasecmp(ctx->last_map_key, "border_bottom") == 0) {
+        ctx->block.border_bottom = (uint32_t)val;
+        return 1;
+    }
+    if (strcasecmp(ctx->last_map_key, "border_left") == 0) {
+        ctx->block.border_left = (uint32_t)val;
+        return 1;
+    }
 
     return 1;
 }
diff --git a/i3bar/src/xcb.c b/i3bar/src/xcb.c
index 33e13c1b..412981bc 100644
--- a/i3bar/src/xcb.c
+++ b/i3bar/src/xcb.c
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ static uint32_t predict_statusline_length(bool use_short_text) {
 
         render->width = predict_text_width(text);
         if (block->border)
-            render->width += logical_px(2);
+            render->width += logical_px(block->border_left + block->border_right);
 
         /* Compute offset and append for text aligment in min_width. */
         if (block->min_width <= render->width) {
@@ -287,8 +287,8 @@ static void draw_statusline(i3_output *output, uint32_t clip_left, bool use_focu
 
         color_t bg_color = bar_color;
 
-        int border_width = (block->border) ? logical_px(1) : 0;
         int full_render_width = render->width + render->x_offset + render->x_append;
+        int has_border = block->border ? 1 : 0;
         if (block->border || block->background || block->urgent) {
             /* Let's determine the colors first. */
             color_t border_color = bar_color;
@@ -310,15 +310,16 @@ static void draw_statusline(i3_output *output, uint32_t clip_left, bool use_focu
 
             /* Draw the background. */
             draw_util_rectangle(&output->statusline_buffer, bg_color,
-                                x + border_width,
-                                logical_px(1) + border_width,
-                                full_render_width - 2 * border_width,
-                                bar_height - 2 * border_width - logical_px(2));
+                                x + has_border * logical_px(block->border_left),
+                                logical_px(1) + has_border * logical_px(block->border_top),
+                                full_render_width - has_border * logical_px(block->border_right + block->border_left),
+                                bar_height - has_border * logical_px(block->border_bottom + block->border_top) - logical_px(2));
         }
 
         draw_util_text(text, &output->statusline_buffer, fg_color, bg_color,
-                       x + render->x_offset + border_width, logical_px(ws_voff_px),
-                       render->width - 2 * border_width);
+                       x + render->x_offset + has_border * logical_px(block->border_left),
+                       bar_height / 2 - font.height / 2,
+                       render->width - has_border * logical_px(block->border_left + block->border_right));
         x += full_render_width;
 
         /* If this is not the last block, draw a separator. */