diff --git a/include/sway/commands.h b/include/sway/commands.h
index 3212c2cf..ceea1638 100644
--- a/include/sway/commands.h
+++ b/include/sway/commands.h
@@ -244,6 +244,7 @@ sway_cmd bar_colors_cmd_focused_separator;
 sway_cmd bar_colors_cmd_statusline;
 sway_cmd bar_colors_cmd_focused_statusline;
 sway_cmd bar_colors_cmd_urgent_workspace;
+sway_cmd bar_colors_cmd_empty_workspace;
 
 sway_cmd input_cmd_seat;
 sway_cmd input_cmd_accel_profile;
diff --git a/include/sway/config.h b/include/sway/config.h
index aa58da53..8a104b16 100644
--- a/include/sway/config.h
+++ b/include/sway/config.h
@@ -387,6 +387,9 @@ struct bar_config {
 		char *urgent_workspace_border;
 		char *urgent_workspace_bg;
 		char *urgent_workspace_text;
+		char *empty_workspace_border;
+		char *empty_workspace_bg;
+		char *empty_workspace_text;
 		char *binding_mode_border;
 		char *binding_mode_bg;
 		char *binding_mode_text;
diff --git a/include/swaybar/bar.h b/include/swaybar/bar.h
index 3ad0bdf3..95b60a8f 100644
--- a/include/swaybar/bar.h
+++ b/include/swaybar/bar.h
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ struct swaybar_workspace {
 	bool focused;
 	bool visible;
 	bool urgent;
+	bool empty;
 };
 
 bool bar_setup(struct swaybar *bar, const char *socket_path);
diff --git a/include/swaybar/config.h b/include/swaybar/config.h
index 361acd99..b2d74fa3 100644
--- a/include/swaybar/config.h
+++ b/include/swaybar/config.h
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ struct swaybar_config {
 		struct box_colors active_workspace;
 		struct box_colors inactive_workspace;
 		struct box_colors urgent_workspace;
+		struct box_colors empty_workspace;
 		struct box_colors binding_mode;
 	} colors;
 
diff --git a/sway/commands/bar/colors.c b/sway/commands/bar/colors.c
index 275fa3c6..01427f72 100644
--- a/sway/commands/bar/colors.c
+++ b/sway/commands/bar/colors.c
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ static const struct cmd_handler bar_colors_handlers[] = {
 	{ "active_workspace", bar_colors_cmd_active_workspace },
 	{ "background", bar_colors_cmd_background },
 	{ "binding_mode", bar_colors_cmd_binding_mode },
+	{ "empty_workspace", bar_colors_cmd_empty_workspace },
 	{ "focused_background", bar_colors_cmd_focused_background },
 	{ "focused_separator", bar_colors_cmd_focused_separator },
 	{ "focused_statusline", bar_colors_cmd_focused_statusline },
@@ -150,3 +151,12 @@ struct cmd_results *bar_colors_cmd_urgent_workspace(int argc, char **argv) {
 	};
 	return parse_three_colors(colors, "urgent_workspace", argc, argv);
 }
+
+struct cmd_results *bar_colors_cmd_empty_workspace(int argc, char **argv) {
+	char **colors[3] = {
+		&(config->current_bar->colors.empty_workspace_border),
+		&(config->current_bar->colors.empty_workspace_bg),
+		&(config->current_bar->colors.empty_workspace_text)
+	};
+	return parse_three_colors(colors, "empty_workspace", argc, argv);
+}
diff --git a/sway/config/bar.c b/sway/config/bar.c
index a8389244..04e2190d 100644
--- a/sway/config/bar.c
+++ b/sway/config/bar.c
@@ -67,6 +67,9 @@ void free_bar_config(struct bar_config *bar) {
 	free(bar->colors.urgent_workspace_border);
 	free(bar->colors.urgent_workspace_bg);
 	free(bar->colors.urgent_workspace_text);
+	free(bar->colors.empty_workspace_border);
+	free(bar->colors.empty_workspace_bg);
+	free(bar->colors.empty_workspace_text);
 	free(bar->colors.binding_mode_border);
 	free(bar->colors.binding_mode_bg);
 	free(bar->colors.binding_mode_text);
@@ -161,6 +164,15 @@ struct bar_config *default_bar_config(void) {
 	if (!(bar->colors.urgent_workspace_text = strndup("#ffffffff", 9))) {
 		goto cleanup;
 	}
+	if (!(bar->colors.empty_workspace_border = strndup("#000000ff", 9))) {
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+	if (!(bar->colors.empty_workspace_bg = strndup("#000000ff", 9))) {
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
+	if (!(bar->colors.empty_workspace_text = strndup("#666666FF", 9))) {
+		goto cleanup;
+	}
 	// if the following colors stay undefined, they fall back to background,
 	// statusline, separator and urgent_workspace_*.
 	bar->colors.focused_background = NULL;
diff --git a/sway/ipc-json.c b/sway/ipc-json.c
index f770e984..fb3d4085 100644
--- a/sway/ipc-json.c
+++ b/sway/ipc-json.c
@@ -1307,6 +1307,13 @@ json_object *ipc_json_describe_bar_config(struct bar_config *bar) {
 	json_object_object_add(colors, "urgent_workspace_text",
 			json_object_new_string(bar->colors.urgent_workspace_text));
 
+	json_object_object_add(colors, "empty_workspace_border",
+			json_object_new_string(bar->colors.empty_workspace_border));
+	json_object_object_add(colors, "empty_workspace_bg",
+			json_object_new_string(bar->colors.empty_workspace_bg));
+	json_object_object_add(colors, "empty_workspace_text",
+			json_object_new_string(bar->colors.empty_workspace_text));
+
 	if (bar->colors.binding_mode_border) {
 		json_object_object_add(colors, "binding_mode_border",
 				json_object_new_string(bar->colors.binding_mode_border));
diff --git a/swaybar/config.c b/swaybar/config.c
index 5e828773..572501e8 100644
--- a/swaybar/config.c
+++ b/swaybar/config.c
@@ -73,6 +73,10 @@ struct swaybar_config *init_config(void) {
 	config->colors.urgent_workspace.background = 0x900000FF;
 	config->colors.urgent_workspace.text = 0xFFFFFFFF;
 
+	config->colors.empty_workspace.border = 0x000000FF;
+	config->colors.empty_workspace.background = 0x000000FF;
+	config->colors.empty_workspace.text = 0x666666FF;
+
 	config->colors.binding_mode.border = 0x2F343AFF;
 	config->colors.binding_mode.background = 0x900000FF;
 	config->colors.binding_mode.text = 0xFFFFFFFF;
diff --git a/swaybar/ipc.c b/swaybar/ipc.c
index 18dfd7ad..10a136d0 100644
--- a/swaybar/ipc.c
+++ b/swaybar/ipc.c
@@ -77,6 +77,9 @@ static void ipc_parse_colors(
 		{ "urgent_workspace_border", &config->colors.urgent_workspace.border },
 		{ "urgent_workspace_bg", &config->colors.urgent_workspace.background },
 		{ "urgent_workspace_text", &config->colors.urgent_workspace.text },
+		{ "empty_workspace_border", &config->colors.empty_workspace.border },
+		{ "empty_workspace_bg", &config->colors.empty_workspace.background },
+		{ "empty_workspace_text", &config->colors.empty_workspace.text },
 		{ "binding_mode_border", &config->colors.binding_mode.border },
 		{ "binding_mode_bg", &config->colors.binding_mode.background },
 		{ "binding_mode_text", &config->colors.binding_mode.text },
diff --git a/swaybar/render.c b/swaybar/render.c
index 1113ca44..b814621f 100644
--- a/swaybar/render.c
+++ b/swaybar/render.c
@@ -623,6 +623,8 @@ static uint32_t render_workspace_button(struct render_context *ctx,
 		box_colors = config->colors.focused_workspace;
 	} else if (ws->visible) {
 		box_colors = config->colors.active_workspace;
+	} else if (ws->empty) {
+		box_colors = config->colors.empty_workspace;
 	} else {
 		box_colors = config->colors.inactive_workspace;
 	}