diff --git a/cagebreak.c b/cagebreak.c
index a9852e5..164b4ea 100644
--- a/cagebreak.c
+++ b/cagebreak.c
@@ -307,7 +307,18 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 	}
 
 	server.nws = 1;
-	server.message_timeout = 2;
+	server.message_config.fg_color[0]=0.0;
+	server.message_config.fg_color[1]=0.0;
+	server.message_config.fg_color[2]=0.0;
+	server.message_config.fg_color[3]=1.0;
+
+	server.message_config.bg_color[0]=0.9;
+	server.message_config.bg_color[1]=0.85;
+	server.message_config.bg_color[2]=0.85;
+	server.message_config.bg_color[3]=1.0;
+
+	server.message_config.display_time = 2;
+	server.message_config.font=strdup("pango:Monospace 10");
 
 	event_loop = wl_display_get_event_loop(server.wl_display);
 	sigint_source =
diff --git a/keybinding.c b/keybinding.c
index 624a09f..c192e41 100644
--- a/keybinding.c
+++ b/keybinding.c
@@ -75,6 +75,12 @@ keybinding_free(struct keybinding *keybinding, bool recursive) {
 			free(keybinding->data.i_cfg->mapped_to_output);
 		}
 		free(keybinding->data.o_cfg);
+		break;
+	case KEYBINDING_CONFIGURE_MESSAGE:
+		if(keybinding->data.m_cfg->font!=NULL) {
+			free(keybinding->data.m_cfg->font);
+		}
+		break;
 	default:
 		break;
 	}
@@ -970,6 +976,29 @@ keybinding_configure_input(struct cg_server *server,
 	cg_input_apply_config(cfg, server);
 }
 
+void
+keybinding_configure_message(struct cg_server *server, struct cg_message_config *config) {
+	if(config->font!=NULL) {
+		free(server->message_config.font);
+		server->message_config.font=strdup(config->font);
+	}
+	if(config->display_time!=-1) {
+		server->message_config.display_time=config->display_time;
+	}
+	if(config->bg_color[0]!=-1) {
+		server->message_config.bg_color[0]=config->bg_color[0];
+		server->message_config.bg_color[1]=config->bg_color[1];
+		server->message_config.bg_color[2]=config->bg_color[2];
+		server->message_config.bg_color[3]=config->bg_color[3];
+	}
+	if(config->fg_color[0]!=-1) {
+		server->message_config.fg_color[0]=config->fg_color[0];
+		server->message_config.fg_color[1]=config->fg_color[1];
+		server->message_config.fg_color[2]=config->fg_color[2];
+		server->message_config.fg_color[3]=config->fg_color[3];
+	}
+}
+
 void
 keybinding_configure_input_dev(struct cg_server *server,
                                struct cg_input_config *cfg) {}
@@ -1109,6 +1138,9 @@ run_action(enum keybinding_action action, struct cg_server *server,
 	case KEYBINDING_CONFIGURE_OUTPUT:
 		keybinding_configure_output(server, data.o_cfg);
 		break;
+	case KEYBINDING_CONFIGURE_MESSAGE:
+		keybinding_configure_message(server, data.m_cfg);
+		break;
 	case KEYBINDING_CONFIGURE_INPUT:
 		keybinding_configure_input(server, data.i_cfg);
 		break;
diff --git a/keybinding.h b/keybinding.h
index 88378a1..fd9eefc 100644
--- a/keybinding.h
+++ b/keybinding.h
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ enum keybinding_action {
 	KEYBINDING_CYCLE_OUTPUT,     // data.b is 0 if forward, 1 if reverse
 	KEYBINDING_CONFIGURE_OUTPUT, // data.o_cfg is the desired output
 	                             // configuration
+	KEYBINDING_CONFIGURE_MESSAGE, // data.m_cfg is the desired config
 	KEYBINDING_CONFIGURE_INPUT,  // data.i_cfg is the desired input
 	                             // configuration
 	KEYBINDING_QUIT,
@@ -69,6 +70,7 @@ union keybinding_params {
 	struct keybinding *kb;
 	struct cg_output_config *o_cfg;
 	struct cg_input_config *i_cfg;
+	struct cg_message_config *m_cfg;
 };
 
 struct keybinding {
diff --git a/message.c b/message.c
index f05b175..291f6ef 100644
--- a/message.c
+++ b/message.c
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ struct wlr_texture *
 create_message_texture(const char *string, const struct cg_output *output) {
 	const int WIDTH_PADDING = 8;
 	const int HEIGHT_PADDING = 2;
-	const char *font = "pango:Monospace 10";
 
 	struct wlr_texture *texture;
 	double scale = output->wlr_output->scale;
@@ -60,7 +59,7 @@ create_message_texture(const char *string, const struct cg_output *output) {
 	cairo_font_options_set_subpixel_order(
 	    fo, to_cairo_subpixel_order(output->wlr_output->subpixel));
 	cairo_set_font_options(c, fo);
-	get_text_size(c, font, &width, &height, NULL, scale, "%s", string);
+	get_text_size(c, output->server->message_config.font, &width, &height, NULL, scale, "%s", string);
 	width += 2 * WIDTH_PADDING;
 	height += 2 * HEIGHT_PADDING;
 	cairo_surface_destroy(dummy_surface);
@@ -72,16 +71,18 @@ create_message_texture(const char *string, const struct cg_output *output) {
 	cairo_set_antialias(cairo, CAIRO_ANTIALIAS_BEST);
 	cairo_set_font_options(cairo, fo);
 	cairo_font_options_destroy(fo);
-	cairo_set_source_rgba(cairo, 0.9, 0.85, 0.85, 1.0);
+	float *bg_col=output->server->message_config.bg_color;
+	cairo_set_source_rgba(cairo, bg_col[0], bg_col[1], bg_col[2], bg_col[3]);
 	cairo_paint(cairo);
 	PangoContext *pango = pango_cairo_create_context(cairo);
-	cairo_set_source_rgba(cairo, 0, 0, 0, 1);
+	float *fg_col=output->server->message_config.fg_color;
+	cairo_set_source_rgba(cairo, fg_col[0], fg_col[1], fg_col[2], fg_col[3]);
 	cairo_set_line_width(cairo, 2);
 	cairo_rectangle(cairo, 0, 0, width, height);
 	cairo_stroke(cairo);
 	cairo_move_to(cairo, WIDTH_PADDING, HEIGHT_PADDING);
 
-	pango_printf(cairo, font, scale, "%s", string);
+	pango_printf(cairo, output->server->message_config.font, scale, "%s", string);
 
 	cairo_surface_flush(surface);
 	unsigned char *data = cairo_image_surface_get_data(surface);
@@ -176,7 +177,7 @@ message_printf(struct cg_output *output, const char *fmt, ...) {
 
 	message_set_output(output, buffer, box, CG_MESSAGE_TOP_RIGHT);
 	free(buffer);
-	alarm(output->server->message_timeout);
+	alarm(output->server->message_config.display_time);
 }
 #if CG_HAS_FANALYZE
 #pragma GCC diagnostic pop
@@ -195,7 +196,7 @@ message_printf_pos(struct cg_output *output, struct wlr_box *position,
 
 	message_set_output(output, buffer, position, align);
 	free(buffer);
-	alarm(output->server->message_timeout);
+	alarm(output->server->message_config.display_time);
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/message.h b/message.h
index 9a4e53e..b1081ab 100644
--- a/message.h
+++ b/message.h
@@ -16,6 +16,13 @@ enum cg_message_align {
 	CG_MESSAGE_CENTER,
 };
 
+struct cg_message_config {
+	char *font;
+	int display_time;
+	float bg_color[4];
+	float fg_color[4];
+};
+
 struct cg_message {
 	struct wlr_box *position;
 	struct wlr_texture *message;
diff --git a/parse.c b/parse.c
index 6164408..2a22e66 100644
--- a/parse.c
+++ b/parse.c
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ parse_input_config(char **saveptr, char **errstr) {
 	char *ident = NULL;
 	if(cfg == NULL) {
 		*errstr =
-		    log_error("Failed to allocate memory for output configuration");
+		    log_error("Failed to allocate memory for input configuration");
 		goto error;
 	}
 
@@ -340,6 +340,9 @@ parse_input_config(char **saveptr, char **errstr) {
 			    "Invalid option \"%s\" to setting \"tap_button_map\"", value);
 			goto error;
 		}
+	} else {
+		*errstr = log_error("Invalid option to command \"input\"");
+		goto error;
 	}
 
 	free(value);
@@ -625,6 +628,68 @@ error:
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+struct cg_message_config *parse_message_config(char **saveptr, char **errstr) {
+	struct cg_message_config *cfg = calloc(1, sizeof(struct cg_message_config));
+	if(cfg == NULL) {
+		*errstr =
+		    log_error("Failed to allocate memory for message configuration");
+		goto error;
+	}
+
+	cfg->bg_color[0]=-1;
+	cfg->fg_color[0]=-1;
+	cfg->display_time=-1;
+	cfg->font=NULL;
+
+	char *setting = strtok_r(NULL, " ", saveptr);
+	if(setting == NULL) {
+		*errstr =
+		    log_error("Expected setting to be set for message configuration, got none");
+		goto error;
+	}
+
+	if(strcmp(setting, "font") == 0) {
+		cfg->font=strdup(*saveptr);
+		if(cfg->font == NULL) {
+			*errstr = log_error( "Unable to allocate memory for font descrition in command \"message\"");
+			goto error;
+		}
+	} else if(strcmp(setting, "display_time") == 0) {
+		cfg->display_time=parse_uint(saveptr, " ");
+		if(cfg->display_time<0) {
+			*errstr = log_error("Error parsing command \"configure_message display_time\", expected a non-negative integer");
+			goto error;
+		}
+	} else if(strcmp(setting, "bg_color") == 0) {
+		for(int i = 0; i < 4; ++i) {
+			cfg->bg_color[i]=parse_float(saveptr, " ");
+			if(cfg->bg_color[i] == FLT_MIN) {
+				*errstr =
+				    log_error("Error parsing command \"configure_message bg_color\", expected 4 float values separated by spaces");
+				goto error;
+			}
+		}
+	} else if(strcmp(setting, "fg_color") == 0) {
+		for(int i = 0; i < 4; ++i) {
+			cfg->fg_color[i]=parse_float(saveptr, " ");
+			if(cfg->fg_color[i] == FLT_MIN) {
+				*errstr =
+				    log_error("Error parsing command \"configure_message bg_color\", expected 4 float values separated by spaces");
+				goto error;
+			}
+		}
+	} else {
+		*errstr = log_error("Invalid option to command \"configure_message\"");
+		goto error;
+	}
+	return cfg;
+
+error:
+	wlr_log(WLR_ERROR, "Message configuration must be of the form 'configure_message <setting> <value>'");
+	return NULL;
+
+}
+
 int
 parse_command(struct cg_server *server, struct keybinding *keybinding,
               char *saveptr, char **errstr) {
@@ -865,6 +930,12 @@ parse_command(struct cg_server *server, struct keybinding *keybinding,
 		if(keybinding->data.i_cfg == NULL) {
 			return -1;
 		}
+	} else if(strcmp(action, "configure_message") == 0) {
+		keybinding->action = KEYBINDING_CONFIGURE_MESSAGE;
+		keybinding->data.m_cfg = parse_message_config(&saveptr, errstr);
+		if(keybinding->data.m_cfg == NULL) {
+			return -1;
+		}
 	} else {
 		*errstr = log_error("Error, unsupported action \"%s\".", action);
 		return -1;
diff --git a/server.h b/server.h
index 54fbc17..22dfe32 100644
--- a/server.h
+++ b/server.h
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 #include "config.h"
 #include "ipc_server.h"
+#include "message.h"
 
 #include <wayland-server-core.h>
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_xdg_decoration_v1.h>
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ struct cg_server {
 	struct keybinding_list *keybindings;
 	struct wl_list output_config;
 	struct wl_list input_config;
+	struct cg_message_config message_config;
 
 	enum wl_output_transform output_transform;
 
@@ -51,7 +53,6 @@ struct cg_server {
 	bool running;
 	char **modes;
 	uint16_t nws;
-	uint16_t message_timeout;
 	float *bg_color;
 #ifdef DEBUG
 	bool debug_damage_tracking;