diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6d89adea..3c289064 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -284,6 +284,10 @@ The options for the `battery` segment are:
 - `always_show_percentage`: If true, show percentage when fully charged on AC.
 - `low_threshold`: Threshold percentage for low-battery indicator color.
 
+The options for the `time` segment are:
+
+- `format`: Format string as used by strftime function, e.g. `%H:%M`.
+
 ### Contributing new types of segments
 
 The `powerline_shell/segments` directory contains python scripts which are
diff --git a/powerline_shell/segments/time.py b/powerline_shell/segments/time.py
index deafd49f..686b1dd8 100644
--- a/powerline_shell/segments/time.py
+++ b/powerline_shell/segments/time.py
@@ -6,7 +6,10 @@
 class Segment(BasicSegment):
     def add_to_powerline(self):
         powerline = self.powerline
-        if powerline.args.shell == 'bash':
+        format = powerline.segment_conf('time', 'format')
+        if format:
+            time_ = ' %s ' % time.strftime(format)
+        elif powerline.args.shell == 'bash':
             time_ = ' \\t '
         elif powerline.args.shell == 'zsh':
             time_ = ' %* '