diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 80e0e868..1dd6652f 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -172,6 +172,19 @@ parse_section_main(const char *key, const char *value, struct config *conf,
         conf->height = height;
     }
 
+    else if (strcmp(key, "pad") == 0) {
+        unsigned x, y;
+        if (sscanf(value, "%ux%u", &x, &y) != 2) {
+            LOG_ERR(
+                "%s: %d: expected PAD_XxPAD_Y, where both are positive integers: %s",
+                path, lineno, value);
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        conf->pad_x = x;
+        conf->pad_y = y;
+    }
+
     else if (strcmp(key, "font") == 0) {
         char *copy = strdup(value);
         for (const char *font = strtok(copy, ","); font != NULL; font = strtok(NULL, ",")) {
@@ -472,6 +485,8 @@ config_load(struct config *conf, const char *conf_path)
         .shell = get_shell(),
         .width = -1,
         .height = -1,
+        .pad_x = 2,
+        .pad_y = 2,
         .fonts = tll_init(),
         .scrollback_lines = 1000,
 
diff --git a/config.h b/config.h
index 2fb82151..90376fc0 100644
--- a/config.h
+++ b/config.h
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ struct config {
     char *shell;
     unsigned width;
     unsigned height;
+    unsigned pad_x;
+    unsigned pad_y;
 
     tll(char *) fonts;
 
diff --git a/doc/foot.5.scd b/doc/foot.5.scd
index a2394ea4..c11404fc 100644
--- a/doc/foot.5.scd
+++ b/doc/foot.5.scd
@@ -33,7 +33,12 @@ in this order:
 	Default: _monospace_.
 
 *geometry*
-	Initial window width and height, on the form _WIDTHxHEIGHT_.
+	Initial window width and height in pixels, on the form
+	_WIDTHxHEIGHT_.
+
+*pad*
+	Padding between border and glyphs, in pixels, on the form
+	_X-PADxY-PAD_.
 
 *shell*
 	Executable to launch. Typically a shell. Default: the user's
diff --git a/footrc b/footrc
index 966b975f..d001e644 100644
--- a/footrc
+++ b/footrc
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
+# -*- conf -*-
+
 # font=monospace
 # scrollback=1000
 # geometry=500x300
+# pad=2x2
 # shell=<user's default shell (from /etc/passwd)> (you may need to override if you need a login shell)
 # term=foot
 # workers=<number of logical CPUs>
diff --git a/render.c b/render.c
index b78e6454..a9305752 100644
--- a/render.c
+++ b/render.c
@@ -1122,16 +1122,30 @@ maybe_resize(struct terminal *term, int width, int height, bool force)
 
     const int scrollback_lines = term->render.scrollback_lines;
 
+    /* Screen rows/cols before resize */
     const int old_cols = term->cols;
     const int old_rows = term->rows;
+
+    /* Grid rows/cols before resize */
     const int old_normal_grid_rows = term->normal.num_rows;
     const int old_alt_grid_rows = term->alt.num_rows;
 
-    const int new_cols = term->width / term->cell_width;
-    const int new_rows = term->height / term->cell_height;
+    /* Padding */
+    const int pad_x = term->width > 2 * scale * term->conf->pad_x ? scale * term->conf->pad_x : 0;
+    const int pad_y = term->height > 2 * scale * term->conf->pad_y ? scale * term->conf->pad_y : 0;
+
+    /* Screen rows/cols after resize */
+    const int new_cols = max((term->width - 2 * pad_x) / term->cell_width, 1);
+    const int new_rows = max((term->height - 2 * pad_y) / term->cell_height, 1);
+
+    /* Grid rows/cols after resize */
     const int new_normal_grid_rows = 1 << (32 - __builtin_clz(new_rows + scrollback_lines - 1));
     const int new_alt_grid_rows = 1 << (32  - __builtin_clz(new_rows));
 
+    assert(new_cols >= 1);
+    assert(new_rows >= 1);
+
+    /* Margins */
     term->x_margin = (term->width - new_cols * term->cell_width) / 2;
     term->y_margin = (term->height - new_rows * term->cell_height) / 2;