diff --git a/xfce4-notifyd/xfce-notify-window.c b/xfce4-notifyd/xfce-notify-window.c
index 557b9c2..ef45015 100644
--- a/xfce4-notifyd/xfce-notify-window.c
+++ b/xfce4-notifyd/xfce-notify-window.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 #define FADE_CHANGE_TIMEOUT    50
 #define DEFAULT_RADIUS         10.0
 #define DEFAULT_BORDER_WIDTH   2.0
+#define DEFAULT_PADDING        14.0
 #define BORDER                 6
 
 struct _XfceNotifyWindow
@@ -175,6 +176,13 @@ xfce_notify_window_class_init(XfceNotifyWindowClass *klass)
                                                                 0.0, 8.0,
                                                                 DEFAULT_BORDER_WIDTH,
                                                                 G_PARAM_READABLE));
+    gtk_widget_class_install_style_property(widget_class,
+                                            g_param_spec_double("padding",
+                                                                "padding",
+                                                                "the padding of the text/icon to the notification's border",
+                                                                0.0, 30.0,
+                                                                DEFAULT_PADDING,
+                                                                G_PARAM_READABLE));
 }
 
 static void
@@ -182,7 +190,7 @@ xfce_notify_window_init(XfceNotifyWindow *window)
 {
     GdkScreen *screen;
     GtkWidget *tophbox, *align, *vbox;
-    gdouble border_radius = DEFAULT_RADIUS;
+    gdouble padding = DEFAULT_PADDING;
 
     window->expire_timeout = DEFAULT_EXPIRE_TIMEOUT;
     window->normal_opacity = DEFAULT_NORMAL_OPACITY;
@@ -211,11 +219,11 @@ xfce_notify_window_init(XfceNotifyWindow *window)
 
     gtk_widget_ensure_style(GTK_WIDGET(window));
     gtk_widget_style_get(GTK_WIDGET(window),
-                         "border-radius", &border_radius,
+                         "padding", &padding,
                          NULL);
 
     tophbox = gtk_hbox_new(FALSE, BORDER);
-    gtk_container_set_border_width(GTK_CONTAINER(tophbox), border_radius + 4);
+    gtk_container_set_border_width(GTK_CONTAINER(tophbox), padding);
     gtk_widget_show(tophbox);
     gtk_container_add(GTK_CONTAINER(window), tophbox);