diff --git a/config.def.h b/config.def.h
index 1412417..ff43265 100644
--- a/config.def.h
+++ b/config.def.h
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ char *format = "%s %b";         /* default format */
 
 int timeouts[] = { 10, 10, 0 }; /* low, normal, critical */
 
+unsigned int transparency = 1;  /* transparency */
 char *geom = "0x0";             /* geometry */
 int sort = True;                /* sort messages by urgency */
 int indicate_hidden = True;     /* show count of hidden messages */
diff --git a/draw.c b/draw.c
index d55db09..66ea483 100644
--- a/draw.c
+++ b/draw.c
@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@ DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <X11/Xlib.h>
+#include <X11/X.h>
+#include <X11/Xatom.h>
+
 #include "draw.h"
 
 #define MAX(a, b)  ((a) > (b) ? (a) : (b))
@@ -231,6 +234,14 @@ void initfont(DC * dc, const char *fontstr)
         return;
 }
 
+void
+setopacity(DC *dc, Window win, unsigned long opacity)
+{
+	Atom _NET_WM_WINDOW_OPACITY = XInternAtom(dc->dpy, "_NET_WM_WINDOW_OPACITY", False);
+	XChangeProperty(dc->dpy, win, _NET_WM_WINDOW_OPACITY, XA_CARDINAL, 32, PropModeReplace,
+			(unsigned char *)&opacity, 1L);
+}
+
 void mapdc(DC * dc, Window win, unsigned int w, unsigned int h)
 {
         XCopyArea(dc->dpy, dc->canvas, win, dc->gc, 0, 0, w, h, 0, 0);
diff --git a/draw.h b/draw.h
index 84f1cfe..645f86c 100644
--- a/draw.h
+++ b/draw.h
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ unsigned long getcolor(DC * dc, const char *colstr);
 ColorSet *initcolor(DC * dc, const char *foreground, const char *background);
 DC *initdc(void);
 void initfont(DC * dc, const char *fontstr);
+void setopacity(DC *dc, Window win, unsigned long opacity);
 void mapdc(DC * dc, Window win, unsigned int w, unsigned int h);
 void resizedc(DC * dc, unsigned int w, unsigned int h);
 int textnw(DC * dc, const char *text, size_t len);
diff --git a/dunst.c b/dunst.c
index 2e17b5b..9632b8c 100644
--- a/dunst.c
+++ b/dunst.c
@@ -1270,7 +1270,7 @@ void setup(void)
                           CopyFromParent, DefaultVisual(dc->dpy,
                                                         DefaultScreen(dc->dpy)),
                           CWOverrideRedirect | CWBackPixmap | CWEventMask, &wa);
-
+	setopacity(dc, win, (unsigned long)(transparency * (0xffffffff/100)));
         grab_key(&history_ks);
 }
 
@@ -1565,6 +1565,8 @@ dunst_ini_handle(void *user_data, const char *section,
                         sticky_history = dunst_ini_get_boolean(value);
                 else if (strcmp(name, "separator_height") == 0)
                         separator_height = atoi(value);
+                else if (strcmp(name, "transparency") == 0)
+                        transparency = (100 - atoi(value));
                 if (strcmp(name, "separator_color") == 0) {
                         char *str = dunst_ini_get_string(value);
                         if (strcmp(str, "auto") == 0)
diff --git a/dunstrc b/dunstrc
index db3bf4a..af86f06 100644
--- a/dunstrc
+++ b/dunstrc
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@
     # right side of the screen.  Y is measured from the top and down respectevly.
     geometry = "0x3-30+20"
 
+	# the transparency of the window. range: [0; 100]
+	transparency = 25
+
     # Don't remove messages, if the user is idle (no mouse or keyboard input)
     # for longer than idle_threshold seconds.
     # Set to 0 to disable.