diff --git a/common/CMakeLists.txt b/common/CMakeLists.txt
index f7d44ec54..a40f096d2 100644
--- a/common/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/common/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ add_library(sway-common
 	ipc-client.c
 	list.c
 	log.c
+	util.c
 	readline.c
 	stringop.c
 	)
diff --git a/common/util.c b/common/util.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ed6d033fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/util.c
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+#include "util.h"
+
+int wrap(int i, int max) {
+	return ((i % max) + max) % max;
+}
+
+int numlen(int n) {
+	if (n >= 1000000) return 7;
+	if (n >= 100000) return 6;
+	if (n >= 10000) return 5;
+	if (n >= 1000) return 4;
+	if (n >= 100) return 3;
+	if (n >= 10) return 2;
+	return 1;
+}
diff --git a/include/config.h b/include/config.h
index 04528e270..0f3ce5506 100644
--- a/include/config.h
+++ b/include/config.h
@@ -72,6 +72,13 @@ struct bar_config {
 	 * In "show" mode, it will always be shown on top of the active workspace.
 	 */
 	char *hidden_state;
+	/**
+	 * Id name used to identify the bar through IPC.
+	 *
+	 * Defaults to bar-x, where x corresponds to the position of the
+	 * embedding bar block in the config file (bar-0, bar-1, ...).
+	 */
+	char *id;
 	uint32_t modifier;
 	enum desktop_shell_panel_position position;
 	char *status_command;
diff --git a/include/util.h b/include/util.h
index 8e65e6d61..9cb861dd9 100644
--- a/include/util.h
+++ b/include/util.h
@@ -6,4 +6,9 @@
  */
 int wrap(int i, int max);
 
+/**
+ * Count number of digits in int
+ */
+int numlen(int n);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/sway/CMakeLists.txt b/sway/CMakeLists.txt
index aa553492d..894163b86 100644
--- a/sway/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/sway/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ add_executable(sway
 	main.c
 	output.c
 	resize.c
-	util.c
 	workspace.c
 )
 
diff --git a/sway/commands.c b/sway/commands.c
index 604e10aa5..c565adbb7 100644
--- a/sway/commands.c
+++ b/sway/commands.c
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 #include "layout.h"
 #include "focus.h"
 #include "log.h"
+#include "util.h"
 #include "workspace.h"
 #include "commands.h"
 #include "container.h"
@@ -1124,9 +1125,20 @@ static struct cmd_results *cmd_bar(int argc, char **argv) {
 	bar->tray_padding = config->bar.tray_padding;
 	list_add(config->bars, bar);
 
+	// set bar id
+	int i;
+	for (i = 0; i < config->bars->length; ++i) {
+		if (bar == config->bars->items[i]) {
+			const int len = 5 + numlen(i); // "bar-" + i + \0
+			bar->id = malloc(len * sizeof(char));
+			snprintf(bar->id, len, "bar-%d", i);
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+
 	// Set current bar
 	config->current_bar = bar;
-	sway_log(L_DEBUG, "Configuring bar");
+	sway_log(L_DEBUG, "Configuring bar %s", bar->id);
 	return cmd_results_new(CMD_BLOCK_BAR, NULL, NULL);
 }
 
@@ -1534,7 +1546,7 @@ static struct cmd_results *bar_cmd_position(int argc, char **argv) {
 		return error;
 	}
 
-	sway_log(L_DEBUG, "Setting bar position '%s'", argv[0]);
+	sway_log(L_DEBUG, "Setting bar position '%s' for bar: %s", argv[0], config->current_bar->id);
 	return cmd_results_new(CMD_SUCCESS, NULL, NULL);
 }
 
@@ -1550,10 +1562,10 @@ static struct cmd_results *bar_cmd_strip_workspace_numbers(int argc, char **argv
 
 	if (strcasecmp("yes", argv[0]) == 0) {
 		config->current_bar->strip_workspace_numbers = true;
-		sway_log(L_DEBUG, "Stripping workspace numbers on bar");
+		sway_log(L_DEBUG, "Stripping workspace numbers on bar: %s", config->current_bar->id);
 	} else if (strcasecmp("no", argv[0]) == 0) {
 		config->current_bar->strip_workspace_numbers = false;
-		sway_log(L_DEBUG, "Enabling workspace numbers on bar");
+		sway_log(L_DEBUG, "Enabling workspace numbers on bar: %s", config->current_bar->id);
 	} else {
 		error = cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "strip_workspace_numbers", "Invalid value %s", argv[0]);
 		return error;
@@ -1587,7 +1599,7 @@ static struct cmd_results *bar_cmd_tray_padding(int argc, char **argv) {
 				"Unknown unit %s", argv[1]);
 	}
 	config->current_bar->tray_padding = padding;
-	sway_log(L_DEBUG, "Enabling tray padding of %d px", padding);
+	sway_log(L_DEBUG, "Enabling tray padding of %d px on bar: %s", padding, config->current_bar->id);
 	return cmd_results_new(CMD_SUCCESS, NULL, NULL);
 }
 
@@ -1603,10 +1615,10 @@ static struct cmd_results *bar_cmd_workspace_buttons(int argc, char **argv) {
 
 	if (strcasecmp("yes", argv[0]) == 0) {
 		config->current_bar->workspace_buttons = true;
-		sway_log(L_DEBUG, "Enabling workspace buttons on bar");
+		sway_log(L_DEBUG, "Enabling workspace buttons on bar: %s", config->current_bar->id);
 	} else if (strcasecmp("no", argv[0]) == 0) {
 		config->current_bar->workspace_buttons = false;
-		sway_log(L_DEBUG, "Disabling workspace buttons on bar");
+		sway_log(L_DEBUG, "Disabling workspace buttons on bar: %s", config->current_bar->id);
 	} else {
 		error = cmd_results_new(CMD_INVALID, "workspace_buttons", "Invalid value %s", argv[0]);
 		return error;
diff --git a/sway/util.c b/sway/util.c
deleted file mode 100644
index 9a59ddf91..000000000
--- a/sway/util.c
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-#include "util.h"
-
-int wrap(int i, int max) {
-	return ((i % max) + max) % max;
-}
diff --git a/swaygrab/main.c b/swaygrab/main.c
index 681a6da42..2c6cf2dd6 100644
--- a/swaygrab/main.c
+++ b/swaygrab/main.c
@@ -8,21 +8,12 @@
 #include <time.h>
 #include "log.h"
 #include "ipc-client.h"
+#include "util.h"
 
 void sway_terminate(void) {
 	exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 }
 
-int numlen(int n) {
-	if (n >= 1000000) return 7;
-	if (n >= 100000) return 6;
-	if (n >= 10000) return 5;
-	if (n >= 1000) return 4;
-	if (n >= 100) return 3;
-	if (n >= 10) return 2;
-	return 1;
-}
-
 void grab_and_apply_magick(const char *file, const char *output,
 		int socketfd, int raw) {
 	uint32_t len = strlen(output);