diff --git a/src/config.h b/src/config.h
index 3c48349..70bda28 100644
--- a/src/config.h
+++ b/src/config.h
@@ -8,10 +8,11 @@
 static const unsigned int borderpx	= 1;		/* border pixel of windows */
 static const unsigned int snap		= 16;		/* snap pixel (32)*/
 static const unsigned int gappx		= 0;
-static const unsigned int gapmodes[] 	= { 0, 64 };
-static const int showbar		= 1;		/* 0 means no bar */
-static const int topbar			= 1;		/* 0 means bottom bar */
-static const int usealtbar		= 0;		/* 1 means use non-dwm status bar */
+static const unsigned int gapmodes[] = { 0, 64 };
+static const int showbar			= 1;		/* 0 means no bar */
+static const int topbar				= 1;		/* 0 means bottom bar */
+static const int barverticalpadding = 6; /* Vertical bar padding  */
+static const int usealtbar			= 0; /* 1 means use non-dwm status bar */
 
 static const char *altbarclass		= "Polybar"; /* Alternate bar class name */
 static const char *alttrayname		= "tray";	 /* Polybar tray instance name */
diff --git a/src/dwm.c b/src/dwm.c
index b5ca23f..740a57c 100644
--- a/src/dwm.c
+++ b/src/dwm.c
@@ -2072,7 +2072,7 @@ setup(void)
 	if (!drw_fontset_create(drw, fonts, LENGTH(fonts)))
 		die("no fonts could be loaded.");
 	lrpad = drw->fonts->h;
-	bh = usealtbar ? 0 : drw->fonts->h + 5;
+	bh = usealtbar ? 0 : drw->fonts->h + barverticalpadding;
 	updategeom();
 	/* init atoms */
 	utf8string = XInternAtom(dpy, "UTF8_STRING", False);