diff --git a/bumblebee/output.py b/bumblebee/output.py
index de80d90..e582d34 100644
--- a/bumblebee/output.py
+++ b/bumblebee/output.py
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ class Widget(object):
         pass in the module name in every concrete module implementation"""
         self.module = module.name
 
+    def state(self):
+        return "state-default"
+
     def full_text(self):
         """Retrieve the full text to display in the widget"""
         if callable(self._full_text):
diff --git a/bumblebee/theme.py b/bumblebee/theme.py
index 196a574..ddcd249 100644
--- a/bumblebee/theme.py
+++ b/bumblebee/theme.py
@@ -113,10 +113,16 @@ class Theme(object):
                 self._cycle = self._cycles[self._cycle_idx]
 
         module_theme = self._theme.get(widget.module, {})
+        if name != widget.state():
+            # avoid infinite recursion
+            state_theme = self._get(widget, widget.state(), {})
+        else:
+            state_theme = {}
 
         value = self._defaults.get(name, default)
         value = self._cycle.get(name, value)
         value = module_theme.get(name, value)
+        value = state_theme.get(name, value)
 
         return value
 
diff --git a/tests/test_theme.py b/tests/test_theme.py
index d2220cd..75e7bc6 100644
--- a/tests/test_theme.py
+++ b/tests/test_theme.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ class TestTheme(unittest.TestCase):
         self.nonexistentThemeName = "no-such-theme"
         self.invalidThemeName = "invalid"
         self.validThemeName = "test"
-        self.themedWidget = MockWidget("foo")
+        self.themedWidget = MockWidget("bla")
         self.theme = Theme(self.validThemeName)
         self.cycleTheme = Theme("test_cycle")
         self.anyWidget = MockWidget("bla")
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ class TestTheme(unittest.TestCase):
 
         data = self.theme.data()
         self.widgetTheme = "test-widget"
+        self.themedWidget.module = self.widgetTheme
         self.defaultColor = data["defaults"]["fg"]
         self.defaultBgColor = data["defaults"]["bg"]
         self.widgetColor = data[self.widgetTheme]["fg"]
@@ -42,24 +43,23 @@ class TestTheme(unittest.TestCase):
             Theme(self.invalidThemeName)
 
     def test_default_prefix(self):
-        self.assertEquals(self.theme.prefix(self.themedWidget), self.defaultPrefix)
+        self.assertEquals(self.theme.prefix(self.anyWidget), self.defaultPrefix)
 
     def test_default_suffix(self):
-        self.assertEquals(self.theme.suffix(self.themedWidget), self.defaultSuffix)
+        self.assertEquals(self.theme.suffix(self.anyWidget), self.defaultSuffix)
 
     def test_widget_prefix(self):
-        self.themedWidget.module = self.widgetTheme
         self.assertEquals(self.theme.prefix(self.themedWidget), self.widgetPrefix)
 
     def test_widget_fg(self):
-        self.assertEquals(self.theme.fg(self.themedWidget), self.defaultColor)
-        self.themedWidget.module = self.widgetTheme
-        self.assertEquals(self.theme.fg(self.themedWidget), self.widgetColor)
+        self.assertEquals(self.theme.fg(self.anyWidget), self.defaultColor)
+        self.anyWidget.module = self.widgetTheme
+        self.assertEquals(self.theme.fg(self.anyWidget), self.widgetColor)
 
     def test_widget_bg(self):
-        self.assertEquals(self.theme.bg(self.themedWidget), self.defaultBgColor)
-        self.themedWidget.module = self.widgetTheme
-        self.assertEquals(self.theme.bg(self.themedWidget), self.widgetBgColor)
+        self.assertEquals(self.theme.bg(self.anyWidget), self.defaultBgColor)
+        self.anyWidget.module = self.widgetTheme
+        self.assertEquals(self.theme.bg(self.anyWidget), self.widgetBgColor)
 
     def test_absent_cycle(self):
         theme = self.theme
@@ -94,4 +94,21 @@ class TestTheme(unittest.TestCase):
             self.assertEquals(theme.separator_fg(self.anotherWidget), theme.bg(self.anotherWidget))
             self.assertEquals(theme.separator_bg(self.anotherWidget), prev_bg)
 
+    def test_state(self):
+        theme = self.theme
+        data = theme.data()
+
+        self.assertEquals(theme.fg(self.anyWidget), data["defaults"]["fg"])
+        self.assertEquals(theme.bg(self.anyWidget), data["defaults"]["bg"])
+
+        self.anyWidget.attr_state = "critical"
+        self.assertEquals(theme.fg(self.anyWidget), data["defaults"]["critical"]["fg"])
+        self.assertEquals(theme.bg(self.anyWidget), data["defaults"]["critical"]["bg"])
+
+        self.themedWidget.attr_state = "critical"
+        self.assertEquals(theme.fg(self.themedWidget), data[self.widgetTheme]["critical"]["fg"])
+        # if elements are missing in the state theme, they are taken from the
+        # widget theme instead (i.e. no fallback to a more general state theme)
+        self.assertEquals(theme.bg(self.themedWidget), data[self.widgetTheme]["bg"])
+
 # vim: tabstop=8 expandtab shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
diff --git a/tests/util.py b/tests/util.py
index 314cfa0..ff9249d 100644
--- a/tests/util.py
+++ b/tests/util.py
@@ -28,10 +28,14 @@ class MockOutput(object):
     def end(self):
         pass
 
-class MockWidget(object):
+class MockWidget(Widget):
     def __init__(self, text):
         self._text = text
         self.module = None
+        self.attr_state = "state-default"
+
+    def state(self):
+        return self.attr_state
 
     def update(self, widgets):
         pass
diff --git a/themes/test.json b/themes/test.json
index 4640634..401a234 100644
--- a/themes/test.json
+++ b/themes/test.json
@@ -6,10 +6,17 @@
 		"fg": "#000000",
 		"bg": "#111111",
 		"separator": " * ",
-		"separator-block-width": 10
+		"separator-block-width": 10,
+		"critical": {
+			"fg": "#ffffff",
+			"bg": "#010101"
+		}
 	},
 	"test-widget": {
 		"fg": "#ababab",
-		"bg": "#222222"
+		"bg": "#222222",
+		"critical": {
+			"fg": "#bababa"
+		}
 	}
 }