diff --git a/cmd/micro/settings.go b/cmd/micro/settings.go
index db7d5b11..7283694d 100644
--- a/cmd/micro/settings.go
+++ b/cmd/micro/settings.go
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ func DefaultSettings() map[string]interface{} {
 	return map[string]interface{}{
 		"colorscheme":  "default",
 		"tabsize":      float64(4),
+		"indentchar":   " ",
 		"autoindent":   true,
 		"syntax":       true,
 		"tabsToSpaces": false,
diff --git a/cmd/micro/view.go b/cmd/micro/view.go
index cd6353d1..9fc300ae 100644
--- a/cmd/micro/view.go
+++ b/cmd/micro/view.go
@@ -547,7 +547,12 @@ func (v *View) DisplayView() {
 			}
 
 			if ch == '\t' {
-				screen.SetContent(x+tabchars, lineN, ' ', nil, lineStyle)
+				lineIndentStyle := defStyle
+				if style, ok := colorscheme["indent-char"]; ok {
+					lineIndentStyle = style
+				}
+				indentChar := []rune(settings["indentchar"].(string))
+				screen.SetContent(x+tabchars, lineN, indentChar[0], nil, lineIndentStyle)
 				tabSize := int(settings["tabsize"].(float64))
 				for i := 0; i < tabSize-1; i++ {
 					tabchars++
diff --git a/runtime/colorschemes/default.micro b/runtime/colorschemes/default.micro
index 24100871..a05315a9 100644
--- a/runtime/colorschemes/default.micro
+++ b/runtime/colorschemes/default.micro
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ color-link special "magenta"
 color-link ignore "default"
 color-link error ",brightred"
 color-link todo ",brightyellow"
+color-link indent-char "black"
 color-link line-number "yellow"
 color-link gutter-error ",red"
 color-link gutter-warning "red"
diff --git a/runtime/colorschemes/solarized-tc.micro b/runtime/colorschemes/solarized-tc.micro
index 8880745b..1cdb9f31 100644
--- a/runtime/colorschemes/solarized-tc.micro
+++ b/runtime/colorschemes/solarized-tc.micro
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ color-link underlined "#D33682,#002833"
 color-link error "bold #CB4B16,#002833"
 color-link todo "bold #D33682,#002833"
 color-link statusline "#003541,#839496"
+color-link indent-char "#586E75,#002833"
 color-link line-number "#586E75,#003541"
 color-link gutter-error "#003541,#CB4B16"
 color-link gutter-warning "#CB4B16,#002833"
diff --git a/runtime/colorschemes/solarized.micro b/runtime/colorschemes/solarized.micro
index c87de884..0edcfb4e 100644
--- a/runtime/colorschemes/solarized.micro
+++ b/runtime/colorschemes/solarized.micro
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ color-link underlined "magenta"
 color-link error "bold brightred"
 color-link todo "bold magenta"
 color-link statusline "black,brightblue"
+color-link indent-char "black"
 color-link line-number "brightgreen,black"
 color-link gutter-error "black,brightred"
 color-link gutter-warning "brightred,default"
diff --git a/runtime/help/help.md b/runtime/help/help.md
index b27be80f..746053b7 100644
--- a/runtime/help/help.md
+++ b/runtime/help/help.md
@@ -178,6 +178,10 @@ Here are the options that you can set:
 
 	default value: `4`
 
+* `indentchar`: sets the indentation character
+
+	default value: ` `
+
 * `syntax`: turns syntax on or off
 
 	default value: `on`