diff --git a/config.example.toml b/config.example.toml
index f8632b74..64ede336 100644
--- a/config.example.toml
+++ b/config.example.toml
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ default_room = "#iamb-users:0x.badd.cafe"
 default_split = "vertical"
 external_edit_file_suffix = ".md"
 ignorecase = false
+input_prompt = "❯ "
 log_level = "warn"
 members_split = "vertical"
 message_shortcode_display = false
diff --git a/docs/iamb.5 b/docs/iamb.5
index 9873a539..46cd8970 100644
--- a/docs/iamb.5
+++ b/docs/iamb.5
@@ -166,6 +166,8 @@ Subsection for configuring image previews. See
 for more details.
 .It Sy ignorecase
 Defines whether searches ignore case. Defaults to false.
+.It Sy input_prompt
+Override the default message bar prompt.
 .It Sy log_level
 Specifies the lowest log level that should be shown.
 Possible values are:
diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index f797d4c5..898f68a8 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -832,6 +832,7 @@ pub struct TunableValues {
     pub user_gutter_width: usize,
     pub external_edit_file_suffix: String,
     pub tabstop: usize,
+    pub input_prompt: Option<String>,
     pub members_split: Option<SplitDirection>,
     pub default_split: SplitDirection,
     pub ssl_verify: bool,
@@ -883,6 +884,7 @@ pub struct Tunables {
     pub user_gutter_width: Option<usize>,
     pub external_edit_file_suffix: Option<String>,
     pub tabstop: Option<usize>,
+    pub input_prompt: Option<String>,
     pub members_split: Option<SplitDirection>,
     pub default_split: Option<SplitDirection>,
     pub ssl_verify: Option<bool>,
@@ -933,6 +935,7 @@ impl Tunables {
                 .external_edit_file_suffix
                 .or(other.external_edit_file_suffix),
             tabstop: self.tabstop.or(other.tabstop),
+            input_prompt: self.input_prompt.or(other.input_prompt),
             members_split: self.members_split.or(other.members_split),
             default_split: self.default_split.or(other.default_split),
             ssl_verify: self.ssl_verify.or(other.ssl_verify),
@@ -975,6 +978,7 @@ impl Tunables {
                 .external_edit_file_suffix
                 .unwrap_or_else(|| ".md".to_string()),
             tabstop: self.tabstop.unwrap_or(4),
+            input_prompt: self.input_prompt,
             members_split: self.members_split,
             default_split: self.default_split.unwrap_or_default(),
             ssl_verify: self.ssl_verify.unwrap_or(true),
diff --git a/src/tests.rs b/src/tests.rs
index dcf8533f..7a733132 100644
--- a/src/tests.rs
+++ b/src/tests.rs
@@ -170,6 +170,7 @@ pub fn mock_tunables() -> TunableValues {
         ignorecase: false,
         default_room: None,
         encryption: Encryption::default().values(),
+        input_prompt: None,
         log_level: "warn".into(),
         max_log_files: 7,
         message_shortcode_display: false,
diff --git a/src/windows/room/chat.rs b/src/windows/room/chat.rs
index a9e00fa5..b9136dc9 100644
--- a/src/windows/room/chat.rs
+++ b/src/windows/room/chat.rs
@@ -1177,10 +1177,12 @@ impl StatefulWidget for Chat<'_> {
         let encryption_settings = &settings.tunables.encryption;
         let encryption_indicator = encryption_settings
             .get_indicator(EncryptionIndicatorLocation::PROMPT, state.room().encryption_state());
-        let prompt = match (self.focused, encryption_indicator) {
-            (false, _) => Span::raw("  "),
-            (true, Some(i)) => i,
-            (true, None) => Span::raw("> "),
+        let input_prompt = settings.tunables.input_prompt.as_deref();
+        let prompt = match (self.focused, encryption_indicator, input_prompt) {
+            (false, _, _) => Span::raw("  "),
+            (true, Some(i), _) => i,
+            (true, None, None) => Span::raw("> "),
+            (true, None, Some(s)) => Span::raw(s),
         };
 
         let tbox = TextBox::new().prompt(prompt);