diff --git a/doc/rofi-theme.5 b/doc/rofi-theme.5
index f396a755..c0a229c5 100644
--- a/doc/rofi-theme.5
+++ b/doc/rofi-theme.5
@@ -1501,6 +1501,8 @@ This option is only available on the \fB\fCelement-text\fR widget.
 .IP \(bu 2
 \fBplaceholder\fP:       Set the displayed text (String) when nothing is entered.
 .IP \(bu 2
+\fBplaceholder-markup\fP:       If true, placeholder text supports pango markup for stylizing.
+.IP \(bu 2
 \fBplaceholder-color\fP: Color of the placeholder text.
 .IP \(bu 2
 \fBblink\fP:             Enable/Disable blinking on an input textbox (Boolean).
diff --git a/doc/rofi-theme.5.markdown b/doc/rofi-theme.5.markdown
index a61a125f..bf0f3630 100644
--- a/doc/rofi-theme.5.markdown
+++ b/doc/rofi-theme.5.markdown
@@ -929,6 +929,7 @@ The following properties are currently supported:
 * **width**:             override the desired width for the textbox.
 * **content**:           Set the displayed text (String).
 * **placeholder**:       Set the displayed text (String) when nothing is entered.
+* **placeholder-markup**:       If true, placeholder text supports pango markup for stylizing.
 * **placeholder-color**: Color of the placeholder text.
 * **blink**:             Enable/Disable blinking on an input textbox (Boolean).
 * **markup**:            Force markup on, beware that only valid pango markup strings are shown.
diff --git a/include/widgets/textbox.h b/include/widgets/textbox.h
index b8b5ea20..7ec36ce1 100644
--- a/include/widgets/textbox.h
+++ b/include/widgets/textbox.h
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ typedef struct {
   unsigned long flags;
   short cursor;
   char *text;
-  const char *placeholder;
+  char *placeholder;
   int show_placeholder;
   PangoLayout *layout;
   int tbft;
diff --git a/source/widgets/textbox.c b/source/widgets/textbox.c
index 00ab1ac1..80e4be09 100644
--- a/source/widgets/textbox.c
+++ b/source/widgets/textbox.c
@@ -227,7 +227,11 @@ textbox *textbox_create(widget *parent, WidgetType type, const char *name,
   const char *placeholder =
       rofi_theme_get_string(WIDGET(tb), "placeholder", NULL);
   if (placeholder) {
-    tb->placeholder = placeholder;
+    if (rofi_theme_get_boolean(WIDGET(tb), "placeholder-markup", FALSE)) {
+      tb->placeholder = g_strdup(placeholder);
+    } else {
+      tb->placeholder = g_markup_escape_text(placeholder, -1);
+    }
   }
   textbox_text(tb, txt ? txt : "");
   textbox_cursor_end(tb);
@@ -310,7 +314,7 @@ static void __textbox_update_pango_text(textbox *tb) {
   pango_layout_set_attributes(tb->layout, NULL);
   if (tb->placeholder && (tb->text == NULL || tb->text[0] == 0)) {
     tb->show_placeholder = TRUE;
-    pango_layout_set_text(tb->layout, tb->placeholder, -1);
+    pango_layout_set_markup(tb->layout, tb->placeholder, -1);
     return;
   }
   tb->show_placeholder = FALSE;
@@ -442,6 +446,7 @@ static void textbox_free(widget *wid) {
   }
   g_free(tb->text);
 
+  g_free(tb->placeholder);
   if (tb->layout != NULL) {
     g_object_unref(tb->layout);
   }