diff --git a/terminator b/terminator
index 3ffb1a09..2af3cedb 100755
--- a/terminator
+++ b/terminator
@@ -97,6 +97,8 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
 inside the terminal")
   parser.add_option ("--working-directory", metavar="DIR",
       dest="working_directory", help="Set the terminal's working directory")
+  parser.add_option ("-r", "--role", dest="role",
+      help="Set custom WM_WINDOW_ROLE property")
   for item in ['--sm-client-id', '--sm-config-prefix', '--screen']:
     parser.add_option (item, dest="dummy", action="store", help=SUPPRESS_HELP)
 
@@ -160,7 +162,7 @@ See the following bug report for more details:
   dbg ('profile_cb: settled on profile: "%s"' % options.profile)
   term = Terminator (options.profile, command, options.fullscreen, 
                      options.maximise, options.borderless, options.no_gconf, 
-                     options.geometry, options.hidden, options.forcedtitle)
+                     options.geometry, options.hidden, options.forcedtitle, options.role)
 
   term.origcwd = origcwd
   
diff --git a/terminatorlib/terminator.py b/terminatorlib/terminator.py
index 60c43b0b..2dad6357 100755
--- a/terminatorlib/terminator.py
+++ b/terminatorlib/terminator.py
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ class TerminatorWindowTitle:
   _window = None
   text = None
   _forced = False
+  _role = None
 
   def __init__ (self, window):
     self._window = window
@@ -168,7 +169,7 @@ class Terminator:
 
   def __init__ (self, profile = None, command = None, fullscreen = False,
                 maximise = False, borderless = False, no_gconf = False,
-                geometry = None, hidden = False, forcedtitle = None):
+                geometry = None, hidden = False, forcedtitle = None, role=None):
     self.profile = profile
     self.command = command
 
@@ -267,6 +268,9 @@ class Terminator:
     self.set_closebutton_style ()
 
     self.window = gtk.Window ()
+    if role:
+        self.window.set_role(role)
+
     self.windowtitle = TerminatorWindowTitle (self.window)
     if forcedtitle:
       self.windowtitle.force_title (forcedtitle)