diff --git a/swaybar/main.c b/swaybar/main.c
index cbedb200..34c54287 100644
--- a/swaybar/main.c
+++ b/swaybar/main.c
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ struct registry *registry;
 struct window *window;
 bool dirty = true;
 char *separator_symbol = NULL;
+bool strip_workspace_numbers = false;
 typedef enum {UNDEF, TEXT, I3BAR} command_protocol;
 command_protocol protocol = UNDEF;
 
@@ -289,7 +290,7 @@ void bar_ipc_init(int outputi, const char *bar_id) {
 
 	json_object *bar_config = json_tokener_parse(res);
 	json_object *tray_output, *mode, *hidden_state, *position, *_status_command;
-	json_object *font, *bar_height, *workspace_buttons, *strip_workspace_numbers;
+	json_object *font, *bar_height, *workspace_buttons, *_strip_workspace_numbers;
 	json_object *binding_mode_indicator, *verbose, *_colors, *sep_symbol;
 	json_object_object_get_ex(bar_config, "tray_output", &tray_output);
 	json_object_object_get_ex(bar_config, "mode", &mode);
@@ -299,7 +300,7 @@ void bar_ipc_init(int outputi, const char *bar_id) {
 	json_object_object_get_ex(bar_config, "font", &font);
 	json_object_object_get_ex(bar_config, "bar_height", &bar_height);
 	json_object_object_get_ex(bar_config, "workspace_buttons", &workspace_buttons);
-	json_object_object_get_ex(bar_config, "strip_workspace_numbers", &strip_workspace_numbers);
+	json_object_object_get_ex(bar_config, "strip_workspace_numbers", &_strip_workspace_numbers);
 	json_object_object_get_ex(bar_config, "binding_mode_indicator", &binding_mode_indicator);
 	json_object_object_get_ex(bar_config, "verbose", &verbose);
 	json_object_object_get_ex(bar_config, "separator_symbol", &sep_symbol);
@@ -323,6 +324,10 @@ void bar_ipc_init(int outputi, const char *bar_id) {
 		separator_symbol = strdup(json_object_get_string(sep_symbol));
 	}
 
+	if (_strip_workspace_numbers) {
+		strip_workspace_numbers = json_object_get_boolean(_strip_workspace_numbers);
+	}
+
 	if (bar_height) {
 		int width, height;
 		get_text_size(window, &width, &height, "Test string for measuring purposes");
@@ -567,9 +572,36 @@ void render_block(struct status_block *block, double *x, bool edge) {
 
 }
 
+char *handle_workspace_number(bool strip_num, const char *ws_name) {
+	bool strip = false;
+	int i;
+
+	if (strip_num) {
+		int len = strlen(ws_name);
+		for (i = 0; i < len; ++i) {
+			if (!('0' <= ws_name[i] && ws_name[i] <= '9')) {
+				if (':' == ws_name[i] && i < len-1) {
+					strip = true;
+					++i;
+				}
+				break;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (strip) {
+		return strdup(ws_name + i);
+	}
+
+	return strdup(ws_name);
+}
+
 void render_workspace_button(struct workspace *ws, double *x) {
+	// strip workspace numbers if required
+	char *name = handle_workspace_number(strip_workspace_numbers, ws->name);
+
 	int width, height;
-	get_text_size(window, &width, &height, "%s", ws->name);
+	get_text_size(window, &width, &height, "%s", name);
 	struct box_colors box_colors;
 	if (ws->urgent) {
 		box_colors = colors.urgent_workspace;
@@ -596,9 +628,11 @@ void render_workspace_button(struct workspace *ws, double *x) {
 	// text
 	cairo_set_source_u32(window->cairo, box_colors.text);
 	cairo_move_to(window->cairo, (int)*x + ws_hor_padding, margin);
-	pango_printf(window, "%s", ws->name);
+	pango_printf(window, "%s", name);
 
 	*x += width + ws_hor_padding * 2 + ws_spacing;
+
+	free(name);
 }
 
 void render() {