diff --git a/docs/docs.md b/docs/docs.md
index 87c6a7b..047bcb2 100644
--- a/docs/docs.md
+++ b/docs/docs.md
@@ -106,6 +106,9 @@ in the config files.
 `-p, --prompt text`
 :   Set spmenu prompt text to text
 
+`-pt, --pretext text`
+:   Set spmenu pretext to text
+
 `-It, --input text`
 :   Set initial input text to text
 
diff --git a/libs/argv.c b/libs/argv.c
index 1d88320..a7e126e 100644
--- a/libs/argv.c
+++ b/libs/argv.c
@@ -352,6 +352,8 @@ void readargs(int argc, char *argv[]) {
             menuwidth = atoi(argv[++i]);
         else if (!strcmp(argv[i], "-p") || (!strcmp(argv[i], "--prompt")))   // adds prompt to left of input field
             prompt = argv[++i];
+        else if (!strcmp(argv[i], "-pt") || (!strcmp(argv[i], "--pretext")))   // adds pretext
+            pretext = argv[++i];
         else if (!strcmp(argv[i], "-It") || (!strcmp(argv[i], "--input")))   // specify initial text
             input = argv[++i];
         else if (!strcmp(argv[i], "-fn") || (!strcmp(argv[i], "--font")))  // font or font set
@@ -623,6 +625,7 @@ void usage(int status) {
             "spmenu -P,       --password                                  Hide characters\n"
             "spmenu -nP,      --no-password                               Don't hide characters\n"
             "spmenu -p,       --prompt <text>                             Set spmenu prompt text to <text>\n"
+            "spmenu -pt,      --pretext <text>                            Set spmenu pretext to <text>\n"
             "spmenu -It,      --input <text>                              Set initial input text to <text>\n"
             "spmenu -ip,      --indent                                    Indent items to prompt width\n"
             "spmenu -nip,     --no-indent                                 Don't indent items to prompt width\n"
diff --git a/scripts/spmenu_run b/scripts/spmenu_run
index f16779e..6ff8d51 100755
--- a/scripts/spmenu_run
+++ b/scripts/spmenu_run
@@ -53,6 +53,12 @@ RUNLAUNCHER_DESKTOP_ARGS=""
 RUNLAUNCHER_FM_ARGS="--lines 40 --columns 2"
 RUNLAUNCHER_HELP_ARGS=""
 
+RUNLAUNCHER_RUN_PRETEXT="Type in keywords to search for a program.."
+RUNLAUNCHER_BM_PRETEXT="Type in keywords to search for a bookmark.."
+RUNLAUNCHER_DESKTOP_PRETEXT="Type in keywords to search for a program.."
+RUNLAUNCHER_FM_PRETEXT="Type in keywords to search for a file or directory.."
+RUNLAUNCHER_HELP_PRETEXT=""
+
 DESKTOP_DIR="${DESKTOP_DIR:-${DESTDIR}${PREFIX}/share/applications ${HOME}/.local/share/applications}"
 ICON_DIR="${ICON_DIR:-${DESTDIR}${PREFIX}/share/icons/hicolor ${HOME}/.local/share/icons/hicolor ${DESTDIR}${PREFIX}/share/pixmaps}"
 IMAGE="${IMAGE:-true}"
@@ -211,6 +217,13 @@ RUNLAUNCHER_FM_ARGS="${RUNLAUCNHER_FM_ARGS}" # Extra arguments passed to \$RUNLA
 RUNLAUNCHER_HELP_ARGS="${RUNLAUNCHER_HELP_ARGS}" # Extra arguments passed to \$RUNLAUNCHER when using the help
 DMENU_COMPAT="$DMENU_COMPAT" # Enable dmenu compatibility (true/false)
 
+# Pretext
+RUNLAUNCHER_RUN_PRETEXT="$RUNLAUNCHER_RUN_PRETEXT" # Text to display when no input text
+RUNLAUNCHER_BM_PRETEXT="$RUNLAUNCHER_BM_PRETEXT" # Text to display when no input text
+RUNLAUNCHER_DESKTOP_PRETEXT="$RUNLAUNCHER_DESKTOP_PRETEXT" # Text to display when no input text
+RUNLAUNCHER_FM_PRETEXT="$RUNLAUNCHER_FM_PRETEXT" # Text to display when no input text
+RUNLAUNCHER_HELP_PRETEXT="$RUNLAUNCHER_HELP_PRETEXT" # Text to display when no input text
+
 # Sorting
 SORT_BY_NUMBER="$SORT_BY_NUMBER" # Sort by numbers
 SORT_IN_REVERSE="$SORT_IN_REVERSE" # Sort in reverse
@@ -379,7 +392,7 @@ main() {
     RUNLAUNCHER_FM_ARGS="--insert --lines 20 --columns 1 $HIST_ARG $RUNLAUNCHER_FM_ARGS $MARGS"
     RUNLAUNCHER_RUN_ARGS="--insert $HIST_ARG $RUNLAUNCHER_RUN_ARGS $MARGS"
     RUNLAUNCHER_BM_ARGS="--insert $HIST_ARG --prompt Bookmarks $RUNLAUNCHER_BM_ARGS $MARGS"
-    RUNLAUNCHER_DESKTOP_ARGS="--sgr1 $DESCRIPTION_COLOR --sgr2 $COMMENT_COLOR --lines 20 --columns 1 --image-size 100 --image-gaps 20 --display-icons $RUNLAUNCHER_DESKTOP_ARGS $MARGS"
+    RUNLAUNCHER_DESKTOP_ARGS="--insert --sgr1 $DESCRIPTION_COLOR --sgr2 $COMMENT_COLOR --lines 20 --columns 1 --image-size 100 --image-gaps 20 --display-icons $RUNLAUNCHER_DESKTOP_ARGS $MARGS"
     RUNLAUNCHER_HELP_ARGS="--insert $HIST_ARG $RUNLAUNCHER_HELP_ARGS $MARGS"
 
     # dmenu compatibility
@@ -411,6 +424,19 @@ main() {
     read -ra desktopdir <<< "${DESKTOP_DIR}"
     read -ra icondir <<< "${ICON_DIR}"
 
+    if [ "$DMENU_COMPAT" = "false" ]; then
+        rl_desktop+=("--pretext")
+        rl_fm+=("--pretext")
+        rl_run+=("--pretext")
+        rl_help+=("--pretext")
+        rl_bm+=("--pretext")
+        rl_desktop+=("$RUNLAUNCHER_DESKTOP_PRETEXT")
+        rl_fm+=("$RUNLAUNCHER_FM_PRETEXT")
+        rl_run+=("$RUNLAUNCHER_RUN_PRETEXT")
+        rl_help+=("$RUNLAUNCHER_HELP_PRETEXT")
+        rl_bm+=("$RUNLAUNCHER_BM_PRETEXT")
+    fi
+
     # $PATH listing
     case "$function" in
         "run")
diff --git a/spmenu.1 b/spmenu.1
index f4bc605..8384fa9 100644
--- a/spmenu.1
+++ b/spmenu.1
@@ -133,6 +133,9 @@ Don\[cq]t hide characters
 \f[V]-p, --prompt text\f[R]
 Set spmenu prompt text to text
 .TP
+\f[V]-pt, --pretext text\f[R]
+Set spmenu pretext to text
+.TP
 \f[V]-It, --input text\f[R]
 Set initial input text to text
 .TP