diff --git a/bumblebee/config.py b/bumblebee/config.py
index c983ecc..4883fe1 100644
--- a/bumblebee/config.py
+++ b/bumblebee/config.py
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ def create_parser():
     parser.add_argument("-m", "--modules", nargs="+", action='append', default=[],
         help=MODULE_HELP)
     parser.add_argument("-t", "--theme", default="default", help=THEME_HELP)
+    parser.add_argument("--markup", default="none", help="Specify the markup type of the output")
     parser.add_argument("-p", "--parameters", nargs="+", action='append', default=[],
         help=PARAMETER_HELP)
     parser.add_argument("-l", "--list", choices=["modules", "themes"], action=print_usage,
@@ -115,4 +116,7 @@ class Config(bumblebee.store.Store):
     def autohide(self):
         return self._args.autohide
 
+    def markup(self):
+        return self._args.markup
+
 # vim: tabstop=8 expandtab shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
diff --git a/bumblebee/output.py b/bumblebee/output.py
index df69e3a..b5e2b26 100644
--- a/bumblebee/output.py
+++ b/bumblebee/output.py
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ class I3BarOutput(object):
             "align": self._theme.align(widget),
             "instance": widget.id,
             "name": module.id,
-            "markup": self._config.get("output.markup", "none"),
+            "markup": "none" if not self._config else self._config.markup(),
         })
 
     def begin(self):