diff --git a/include/sway/config.h b/include/sway/config.h
index 405092e3f..0a9c45958 100644
--- a/include/sway/config.h
+++ b/include/sway/config.h
@@ -375,6 +375,7 @@ bool read_config(FILE *file, struct sway_config *config);
  * Free config struct
  */
 void free_config(struct sway_config *config);
+void free_sway_variable(struct sway_variable *var);
 /**
  * Does variable replacement for a string based on the config's currently loaded variables.
  */
diff --git a/sway/commands.c b/sway/commands.c
index c1c6dc5d1..f01329db9 100644
--- a/sway/commands.c
+++ b/sway/commands.c
@@ -138,6 +138,7 @@ static struct cmd_handler handlers[] = {
 	{ "input", cmd_input },
 	{ "output", cmd_output },
 	{ "seat", cmd_seat },
+	{ "set", cmd_set },
 };
 
 static int handler_compare(const void *_a, const void *_b) {
@@ -290,7 +291,7 @@ struct cmd_results *config_command(char *exec, enum cmd_status block) {
 	int i;
 	// Var replacement, for all but first argument of set
 	// TODO commands
-	for (i = /*handler->handle == cmd_set ? 2 :*/ 1; i < argc; ++i) {
+	for (i = handler->handle == cmd_set ? 2 : 1; i < argc; ++i) {
 		argv[i] = do_var_replacement(argv[i]);
 		unescape_string(argv[i]);
 	}
diff --git a/sway/commands/set.c b/sway/commands/set.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dcd928ba6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sway/commands/set.c
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+#define _XOPEN_SOURCE 700
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <string.h>
+#include <strings.h>
+#include "sway/commands.h"
+#include "sway/config.h"
+#include "list.h"
+#include "log.h"
+#include "stringop.h"
+
+// sort in order of longest->shortest
+static int compare_set_qsort(const void *_l, const void *_r) {
+	struct sway_variable const *l = *(void **)_l;
+	struct sway_variable const *r = *(void **)_r;
+	return strlen(r->name) - strlen(l->name);
+}
+
+void free_sway_variable(struct sway_variable *var) {
+	if (!var) {
+		return;
+	}
+	free(var->name);
+	free(var->value);
+	free(var);
+}
+
+struct cmd_results *cmd_set(int argc, char **argv) {
+	char *tmp;
+	struct cmd_results *error = NULL;
+	if (!config->reading) return cmd_results_new(CMD_FAILURE, "set", "Can only be used in config file.");
+	if ((error = checkarg(argc, "set", EXPECTED_AT_LEAST, 2))) {
+		return error;
+	}
+
+	if (argv[0][0] != '$') {
+		sway_log(L_INFO, "Warning: variable '%s' doesn't start with $", argv[0]);
+
+		size_t size = snprintf(NULL, 0, "$%s", argv[0]);
+		tmp = malloc(size + 1);
+		if (!tmp) {
+			return cmd_results_new(CMD_FAILURE, "set", "Not possible to create variable $'%s'", argv[0]);
+		}
+		snprintf(tmp, size+1, "$%s", argv[0]);
+
+		argv[0] = tmp;
+	}
+
+	struct sway_variable *var = NULL;
+	// Find old variable if it exists
+	int i;
+	for (i = 0; i < config->symbols->length; ++i) {
+		var = config->symbols->items[i];
+		if (strcmp(var->name, argv[0]) == 0) {
+			break;
+		}
+		var = NULL;
+	}
+	if (var) {
+		free(var->value);
+	} else {
+		var = malloc(sizeof(struct sway_variable));
+		if (!var) {
+			return cmd_results_new(CMD_FAILURE, "set", "Unable to allocate variable");
+		}
+		var->name = strdup(argv[0]);
+		list_add(config->symbols, var);
+		list_qsort(config->symbols, compare_set_qsort);
+	}
+	var->value = join_args(argv + 1, argc - 1);
+	return cmd_results_new(CMD_SUCCESS, NULL, NULL);
+}
diff --git a/sway/config.c b/sway/config.c
index 627ed94f5..e0a93e192 100644
--- a/sway/config.c
+++ b/sway/config.c
@@ -61,7 +61,12 @@ void free_config(struct sway_config *config) {
 	}
 
 	// TODO: handle all currently unhandled lists as we add implementations
-	list_free(config->symbols);
+	if (config->symbols) {
+		for (i = 0; i < config->symbols->length; i++) {
+			free_sway_variable(config->symbols->items[i]);
+		}
+		list_free(config->symbols);
+	}
 	if (config->modes) {
 		for (i = 0; i < config->modes->length; i++) {
 			free_mode(config->modes->items[i]);
diff --git a/sway/meson.build b/sway/meson.build
index 01d5ef36d..30ec166bd 100644
--- a/sway/meson.build
+++ b/sway/meson.build
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ sway_sources = files(
 	'commands/seat.c',
 	'commands/seat/attach.c',
 	'commands/seat/fallback.c',
+	'commands/set.c',
 	'commands/input/accel_profile.c',
 	'commands/input/click_method.c',
 	'commands/input/drag_lock.c',