diff --git a/config.def.h b/config.def.h
index bcdf40b..2d5e173 100644
--- a/config.def.h
+++ b/config.def.h
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ int word_wrap = False;
 int line_height = 0;   /* if line height < font height, it will be raised to font height */
 
 int separator_enabled = False;
-float separator_total_height = 1; /* height of the complete separator */
 float separator_width = 0.7; /* width in relation to window width */
 float separator_height = 0.1; /* height in relation to line_height */
 enum separator_color sep_color = AUTO; /* AUTO or FOREGROUND */
diff --git a/dunst.c b/dunst.c
index 3d08baa..e37db52 100644
--- a/dunst.c
+++ b/dunst.c
@@ -573,6 +573,12 @@ void draw_win(void)
                 line_cnt += n->draw_txt_buf.line_count;
         }
 
+        if (separator_enabled) {
+                line_cnt += l_length(displayed_notifications) - 1;
+                if (indicate_hidden && !l_is_empty(notification_queue))
+                        line_cnt++;
+        }
+
         /* if we have a dynamic width, calculate the actual width */
         if (width == 0) {
                 for (l_node * iter = displayed_notifications->head; iter;
@@ -595,10 +601,6 @@ void draw_win(void)
                 height = MAX(geometry.h, (line_cnt * line_height));
         }
 
-        int separator_total_pix_height = separator_total_height * line_height;
-        if (separator_enabled)
-                height += (line_cnt - 1) * separator_total_pix_height;
-
         /* add "(x more)" */
         draw_txt x_more;
         x_more.txt = NULL;
@@ -664,7 +666,7 @@ void draw_win(void)
                 /* draw separator */
                 if (separator_enabled && line_cnt > 1) {
                         dc->x = 0;
-                        drawrect(dc, 0, 0, width, separator_total_pix_height, True, n->colors->BG);
+                        drawrect(dc, 0, 0, width, line_height, True, n->colors->BG);
 
                         double color;
                         if (sep_color == AUTO)
@@ -672,17 +674,13 @@ void draw_win(void)
                         else
                                 color = n->colors->FG;
 
-                        int new_y = dc->y + separator_total_pix_height;
-                        int sep_pix_height = line_height * separator_height;
-
-                        sep_pix_height = sep_pix_height < 1 ? 1 : sep_pix_height;
-                        if (sep_pix_height > separator_total_pix_height)
-                                sep_pix_height = separator_total_pix_height;
-
-                        int sep_pix_width = width * separator_width;
-                        dc->y = dc->y + (separator_total_pix_height - sep_pix_height) / 2;
-                        dc->x = (width - sep_pix_width) / 2;
-                        drawrect(dc, 0, 0, sep_pix_width, sep_pix_height, True, color);
+                        int new_y = dc->y + line_height;
+                        int sep_height = line_height * separator_height;
+                        sep_height = sep_height < 1 ? 1 : sep_height;
+                        int sep_width = width * separator_width;
+                        dc->y = dc->y + (line_height - sep_height) / 2;
+                        dc->x = (width - sep_width) / 2;
+                        drawrect(dc, 0, 0, sep_width, sep_height, True, color);
                         dc->y = new_y;
                 }
         }
@@ -1582,8 +1580,6 @@ dunst_ini_handle(void *user_data, const char *section,
                         separator_width = strtod(value, NULL);
                 if (strcmp(name, "height") == 0)
                         separator_height = strtod(value, NULL);
-                if (strcmp(name, "total_height") == 0)
-                        separator_total_height = strtod(value, NULL);
                 if (strcmp(name, "color") == 0) {
                         char *str = dunst_ini_get_string(value);
                         if (strcmp(str, "auto") == 0)
diff --git a/dunstrc b/dunstrc
index e5e3875..2532cdd 100644
--- a/dunstrc
+++ b/dunstrc
@@ -68,18 +68,13 @@
 
 [separator]
 
-    # Draw a separator between notifications?
+    #enable drawing of separator line
     enable = no
 
-    # total height of the separator in relation to line height
-    total_height = 0.3
-
-    # width of the separator decoration
+    #width of separator line in relation to window width
     width = 0.8
-
-    # height of the separator decoration
-    height = 0.8
-
+    #height of separator line in relation to line height
+    height = 0.3
 
     # color can either be "foreground" to use the foreground color or
     # "auto" to generate a fitting color depending on the background color