diff --git a/include/sway/config.h b/include/sway/config.h
index 2a1df2b6..254fbad0 100644
--- a/include/sway/config.h
+++ b/include/sway/config.h
@@ -292,6 +292,12 @@ struct workspace_config {
 	struct side_gaps gaps_outer;
 };
 
+enum pango_markup_config {
+	PANGO_MARKUP_DISABLED = false,
+	PANGO_MARKUP_ENABLED = true,
+	PANGO_MARKUP_DEFAULT // The default is font dependent ("pango:" prefix)
+};
+
 struct bar_config {
 	char *swaybar_command;
 	struct wl_client *client;
@@ -323,7 +329,7 @@ struct bar_config {
 	char *position;
 	list_t *bindings;
 	char *status_command;
-	bool pango_markup;
+	enum pango_markup_config pango_markup;
 	char *font;
 	int height; // -1 not defined
 	bool workspace_buttons;
diff --git a/sway/commands/bar/font.c b/sway/commands/bar/font.c
index 62987f3e..891c87af 100644
--- a/sway/commands/bar/font.c
+++ b/sway/commands/bar/font.c
@@ -11,7 +11,20 @@ struct cmd_results *bar_cmd_font(int argc, char **argv) {
 	}
 	char *font = join_args(argv, argc);
 	free(config->current_bar->font);
-	config->current_bar->font = font;
+
+	if (strncmp(font, "pango:", 6) == 0) {
+		if (config->current_bar->pango_markup == PANGO_MARKUP_DEFAULT) {
+			config->current_bar->pango_markup = true;
+		}
+		config->current_bar->font = strdup(font + 6);
+	} else {
+		if (config->current_bar->pango_markup == PANGO_MARKUP_DEFAULT) {
+			config->current_bar->pango_markup = false;
+		}
+		config->current_bar->font = strdup(font);
+	}
+
+	free(font);
 	sway_log(SWAY_DEBUG, "Settings font '%s' for bar: %s",
 			config->current_bar->font, config->current_bar->id);
 	return cmd_results_new(CMD_SUCCESS, NULL);
diff --git a/sway/config/bar.c b/sway/config/bar.c
index 767534a6..8970f3fd 100644
--- a/sway/config/bar.c
+++ b/sway/config/bar.c
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ struct bar_config *default_bar_config(void) {
 	}
 	bar->outputs = NULL;
 	bar->position = strdup("bottom");
-	bar->pango_markup = false;
+	bar->pango_markup = PANGO_MARKUP_DEFAULT;
 	bar->swaybar_command = NULL;
 	bar->font = NULL;
 	bar->height = 0;
diff --git a/sway/ipc-json.c b/sway/ipc-json.c
index 34adfc74..6c438424 100644
--- a/sway/ipc-json.c
+++ b/sway/ipc-json.c
@@ -1127,7 +1127,9 @@ json_object *ipc_json_describe_bar_config(struct bar_config *bar) {
 	json_object_object_add(json, "verbose",
 			json_object_new_boolean(bar->verbose));
 	json_object_object_add(json, "pango_markup",
-			json_object_new_boolean(bar->pango_markup));
+			json_object_new_boolean(bar->pango_markup == PANGO_MARKUP_DEFAULT
+											? config->pango_markup
+											: bar->pango_markup));
 
 	json_object *colors = json_object_new_object();
 	json_object_object_add(colors, "background",