diff --git a/config.h b/config.h
index 14da2c411..17b7cbf6b 100644
--- a/config.h
+++ b/config.h
@@ -103,6 +103,10 @@ struct settings defaults = {
         .code = 0,.sym = NoSymbol,.is_valid = false
 },                              /* ignore this */
 
+.copy_ks = {.str = "none",
+        .code = 0,.sym = NoSymbol,.is_valid = false
+},                              /* ignore this */
+
 .mouse_left_click = MOUSE_CLOSE_CURRENT,
 
 .mouse_middle_click = MOUSE_DO_ACTION,
diff --git a/src/clipboard.c b/src/clipboard.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f260d7c81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/clipboard.c
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+/* copyright 2020 Sascha Kruse and contributors (see LICENSE for licensing information) */
+
+#include "clipboard.h"
+
+#include <errno.h>
+#include <glib.h>
+
+#include "log.h"
+#include "notification.h"
+#include "queues.h"
+#include "settings.h"
+#include "utils.h"
+
+struct notification_lock {
+        struct notification *n;
+        gint64 timeout;
+};
+static gpointer copy_alert_thread(gpointer data);
+
+/** Call xclip with the specified input. Blocks until xclip is finished.
+ *
+ * @param xclip_input The data to be copied by xclip
+ */
+void invoke_xclip(const char *xclip_input)
+{
+        if (!settings.xclip_cmd) {
+                LOG_C("Unable to open xclip: No xclip command set.");
+                return;
+        }
+
+        ASSERT_OR_RET(STR_FULL(xclip_input),);
+
+        gint dunst_to_xclip;
+        GError *err = NULL;
+
+        g_spawn_async_with_pipes(NULL,
+                                 settings.xclip_cmd,
+                                 NULL,
+                                 G_SPAWN_DEFAULT
+                                   | G_SPAWN_SEARCH_PATH,
+                                 NULL,
+                                 NULL,
+                                 NULL,
+                                 &dunst_to_xclip,
+                                 NULL,
+                                 NULL,
+                                 &err);
+
+        if (err) {
+                LOG_C("Cannot spawn xclip: %s", err->message);
+                g_error_free(err);
+        } else {
+                size_t wlen = strlen(xclip_input);
+                if (write(dunst_to_xclip, xclip_input, wlen) != wlen) {
+                        LOG_W("Cannot feed xclip with input: %s", strerror(errno));
+                }
+                close(dunst_to_xclip);
+        }
+}
+
+void copy_alert_contents()
+{
+        GError *err = NULL;
+        g_thread_unref(g_thread_try_new("xclip",
+                                        copy_alert_thread,
+                                        NULL,
+                                        &err));
+
+        if (err) {
+                LOG_C("Cannot start thread to call xclip: %s", err->message);
+                g_error_free(err);
+        }
+}
+
+static gpointer copy_alert_thread(gpointer data)
+{
+        char *xclip_input = NULL;
+        GList *locked_notifications = NULL;
+
+        for (const GList *iter = queues_get_displayed(); iter;
+             iter = iter->next) {
+                struct notification *n = iter->data;
+
+
+                // Reference and lock the notification if we need it
+		notification_ref(n);
+
+		struct notification_lock *nl =
+			g_malloc(sizeof(struct notification_lock));
+
+		nl->n = n;
+		nl->timeout = n->timeout;
+		n->timeout = 0;
+
+		locked_notifications = g_list_prepend(locked_notifications, nl);
+
+                xclip_input = string_append(xclip_input, n->clipboard_msg, "\n");
+        }
+
+        invoke_xclip(xclip_input);
+        g_free(xclip_input);
+
+        // unref all notifications
+        for (GList *iter = locked_notifications;
+                    iter;
+                    iter = iter->next) {
+
+                struct notification_lock *nl = iter->data;
+                struct notification *n = nl->n;
+
+                n->timeout = nl->timeout;
+
+                g_free(nl);
+                notification_unref(n);
+        }
+        g_list_free(locked_notifications);
+
+        return NULL;
+}
+/* vim: set tabstop=8 shiftwidth=8 expandtab textwidth=0: */
diff --git a/src/clipboard.h b/src/clipboard.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8eecdc04e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/clipboard.h
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+/* copyright 2020 Sascha Kruse and contributors (see LICENSE for licensing information) */
+#ifndef DUNST_CLIPBOARD_H
+#define DUNST_CLIPBOARD_H
+
+void copy_alert_contents();
+
+#endif
+/* vim: set tabstop=8 shiftwidth=8 expandtab textwidth=0: */
diff --git a/src/notification.c b/src/notification.c
index 6518b49ac..b480f94f3 100644
--- a/src/notification.c
+++ b/src/notification.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 
 static void notification_extract_urls(struct notification *n);
 static void notification_format_message(struct notification *n);
+static void notification_format_clipboard_message(struct notification *n);
 
 /* see notification.h */
 const char *enum_to_string_fullscreen(enum behavior_fullscreen in)
@@ -308,6 +309,7 @@ struct notification *notification_create(void)
         n->first_render = true;
         n->markup = settings.markup;
         n->format = settings.format;
+        n->clipboard_format = settings.clipboard_format;
 
         n->timestamp = time_monotonic_now();
 
@@ -389,6 +391,110 @@ void notification_init(struct notification *n)
         /* UPDATE derived fields */
         notification_extract_urls(n);
         notification_format_message(n);
+        notification_format_clipboard_message(n);
+}
+
+static void notification_format_clipboard_message(struct notification *n)
+{
+        g_clear_pointer(&n->clipboard_msg, g_free);
+
+        n->clipboard_msg = string_replace_all("\\n", "\n", g_strdup(n->clipboard_format));
+
+        /* replace all formatter */
+        for(char *substr = strchr(n->clipboard_msg, '%');
+                  substr && *substr;
+                  substr = strchr(substr, '%')) {
+
+                char pg[16];
+                char *icon_tmp;
+
+                switch(substr[1]) {
+                case 'a':
+                        notification_replace_single_field(
+                                &n->clipboard_msg,
+                                &substr,
+                                n->appname,
+                                MARKUP_NO);
+                        break;
+                case 's':
+                        notification_replace_single_field(
+                                &n->clipboard_msg,
+                                &substr,
+                                n->summary,
+                                MARKUP_NO);
+                        break;
+                case 'b':
+                        notification_replace_single_field(
+                                &n->clipboard_msg,
+                                &substr,
+                                n->body,
+                                n->markup);
+                        break;
+                case 'I':
+                        icon_tmp = g_strdup(n->iconname);
+                        notification_replace_single_field(
+                                &n->clipboard_msg,
+                                &substr,
+                                icon_tmp ? basename(icon_tmp) : "",
+                                MARKUP_NO);
+                        g_free(icon_tmp);
+                        break;
+                case 'i':
+                        notification_replace_single_field(
+                                &n->clipboard_msg,
+                                &substr,
+                                n->iconname ? n->iconname : "",
+                                MARKUP_NO);
+                        break;
+                case 'p':
+                        if (n->progress != -1)
+                                sprintf(pg, "[%3d%%]", n->progress);
+
+                        notification_replace_single_field(
+                                &n->clipboard_msg,
+                                &substr,
+                                n->progress != -1 ? pg : "",
+                                MARKUP_NO);
+                        break;
+                case 'n':
+                        if (n->progress != -1)
+                                sprintf(pg, "%d", n->progress);
+
+                        notification_replace_single_field(
+                                &n->clipboard_msg,
+                                &substr,
+                                n->progress != -1 ? pg : "",
+                                MARKUP_NO);
+                        break;
+                case '%':
+                        notification_replace_single_field(
+                                &n->clipboard_msg,
+                                &substr,
+                                "%",
+                                MARKUP_NO);
+                        break;
+                case '\0':
+                        LOG_W("format_string has trailing %% character. "
+                              "To escape it use %%%%.");
+                        substr++;
+                        break;
+                default:
+                        LOG_W("format_string %%%c is unknown.", substr[1]);
+                        // shift substr pointer forward,
+                        // as we can't interpret the format string
+                        substr++;
+                        break;
+                }
+        }
+
+        n->clipboard_msg = g_strchomp(n->clipboard_msg);
+
+        /* truncate overlong messages */
+        if (strnlen(n->clipboard_msg, DUNST_NOTIF_MAX_CHARS + 1) > DUNST_NOTIF_MAX_CHARS) {
+                char * buffer = g_strndup(n->clipboard_msg, DUNST_NOTIF_MAX_CHARS);
+                g_free(n->clipboard_msg);
+                n->clipboard_msg = buffer;
+        }
 }
 
 static void notification_format_message(struct notification *n)
diff --git a/src/notification.h b/src/notification.h
index d78d5f96f..c08c8c61d 100644
--- a/src/notification.h
+++ b/src/notification.h
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ struct notification {
 
         enum markup_mode markup;
         const char *format;
+        const char *clipboard_format;
         const char *script;
         struct notification_colors colors;
 
@@ -83,6 +84,7 @@ struct notification {
 
         /* derived fields */
         char *msg;            /**< formatted message */
+        char *clipboard_msg;  /**< formatted message (in the manner the user prefers for the clipboard) */
         char *text_to_render; /**< formatted message (with age and action indicators) */
         char *urls;           /**< urllist delimited by '\\n' */
 };
diff --git a/src/rules.c b/src/rules.c
index 70a15f041..2b2fa0438 100644
--- a/src/rules.c
+++ b/src/rules.c
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ void rule_apply(struct rule *r, struct notification *n)
         }
         if (r->format)
                 n->format = r->format;
+        if (r->clipboard_format)
+                n->clipboard_format = r->clipboard_format;
         if (r->script)
                 n->script = r->script;
         if (r->set_stack_tag) {
diff --git a/src/rules.h b/src/rules.h
index 6b2d7b290..41c8e7dba 100644
--- a/src/rules.h
+++ b/src/rules.h
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ struct rule {
         char *bg;
         char *fc;
         const char *format;
+        const char *clipboard_format;
         const char *script;
         enum behavior_fullscreen fullscreen;
         char *set_stack_tag;
diff --git a/src/settings.c b/src/settings.c
index a3dbf1e9f..b14b15cfc 100644
--- a/src/settings.c
+++ b/src/settings.c
@@ -159,6 +159,12 @@ void load_settings(char *cmdline_config_path)
                 "The format template for the notifications"
         );
 
+        settings.clipboard_format = option_get_string(
+                "global",
+                "clipboard_format", "-clipboard_format", defaults.clipboard_format,
+                "The format template for how the notification will look if copied to the clipboard"
+        );
+
         settings.sort = option_get_bool(
                 "global",
                 "sort", "-sort", defaults.sort,
@@ -391,6 +397,21 @@ void load_settings(char *cmdline_config_path)
                 }
         }
 
+        settings.xclip = option_get_path(
+                "global",
+                "xclip", "-xclip", defaults.xclip,
+                "path to xclip"
+        );
+
+        {
+                GError *error = NULL;
+                if (!g_shell_parse_argv(settings.xclip, NULL, &settings.xclip_cmd, &error)) {
+                        LOG_W("Unable to parse xclip command: '%s'."
+                              "xclip functionality will be disabled.", error->message);
+                        g_error_free(error);
+                        settings.xclip_cmd = NULL;
+                }
+        }
 
         settings.browser = option_get_path(
                 "global",
@@ -687,6 +708,12 @@ void load_settings(char *cmdline_config_path)
                 "Shortcut for context menu"
         );
 
+        settings.copy_ks.str = option_get_string(
+                "shortcuts",
+                "copy", "-copy_key", defaults.copy_ks.str,
+                "Shortcut to copy the contents of the notification to the clipboard"
+        );
+
         settings.print_notifications = cmdline_get_bool(
                 "-print", false,
                 "Print notifications to cmdline (DEBUG)"
@@ -759,6 +786,7 @@ void load_settings(char *cmdline_config_path)
                 r->bg = ini_get_string(cur_section, "background", r->bg);
                 r->fc = ini_get_string(cur_section, "frame_color", r->fc);
                 r->format = ini_get_string(cur_section, "format", r->format);
+                r->clipboard_format = ini_get_string(cur_section, "clipboard_format", r->clipboard_format);
                 r->new_icon = ini_get_string(cur_section, "new_icon", r->new_icon);
                 r->history_ignore = ini_get_bool(cur_section, "history_ignore", r->history_ignore);
                 r->match_transient = ini_get_bool(cur_section, "match_transient", r->match_transient);
diff --git a/src/settings.h b/src/settings.h
index 011074587..e1552fe06 100644
--- a/src/settings.h
+++ b/src/settings.h
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ struct settings {
         struct notification_colors colors_norm;
         struct notification_colors colors_crit;
         char *format;
+        char *clipboard_format;
         gint64 timeouts[3];
         char *icons[3];
         unsigned int transparency;
@@ -75,6 +76,8 @@ struct settings {
         char **dmenu_cmd;
         char *browser;
         char **browser_cmd;
+        char *xclip;
+        char **xclip_cmd;
         enum icon_position icon_position;
         enum vertical_alignment vertical_alignment;
         int min_icon_size;
@@ -86,6 +89,7 @@ struct settings {
         struct keyboard_shortcut close_all_ks;
         struct keyboard_shortcut history_ks;
         struct keyboard_shortcut context_ks;
+        struct keyboard_shortcut copy_ks;
         bool force_xinerama;
         int corner_radius;
         enum mouse_action mouse_left_click;
diff --git a/src/x11/x.c b/src/x11/x.c
index 060473531..be0cfe953 100644
--- a/src/x11/x.c
+++ b/src/x11/x.c
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include <X11/Xresource.h>
 #include <X11/Xutil.h>
 
+#include "../clipboard.h"
 #include "../dbus.h"
 #include "../draw.h"
 #include "../dunst.h"
@@ -329,6 +330,13 @@ gboolean x_mainloop_fd_dispatch(GSource *source, GSourceFunc callback, gpointer
                                 context_menu();
                                 wake_up();
                         }
+                        if (settings.copy_ks.str
+                            && XLookupKeysym(&ev.xkey,
+                                             0) == settings.copy_ks.sym
+                            && settings.copy_ks.mask == state) {
+                                copy_alert_contents();
+                                wake_up();
+                        }
                         break;
                 case CreateNotify:
                         LOG_D("XEvent: processing 'CreateNotify'");
@@ -514,6 +522,7 @@ void x_setup(void)
         x_shortcut_init(&settings.close_all_ks);
         x_shortcut_init(&settings.history_ks);
         x_shortcut_init(&settings.context_ks);
+        x_shortcut_init(&settings.copy_ks);
 
         x_shortcut_grab(&settings.close_ks);
         x_shortcut_ungrab(&settings.close_ks);
@@ -523,6 +532,8 @@ void x_setup(void)
         x_shortcut_ungrab(&settings.history_ks);
         x_shortcut_grab(&settings.context_ks);
         x_shortcut_ungrab(&settings.context_ks);
+        x_shortcut_grab(&settings.copy_ks);
+        x_shortcut_ungrab(&settings.copy_ks);
 
         xctx.screensaver_info = XScreenSaverAllocInfo();
 
@@ -718,6 +729,7 @@ void x_win_show(struct window_x11 *win)
         x_shortcut_grab(&settings.close_ks);
         x_shortcut_grab(&settings.close_all_ks);
         x_shortcut_grab(&settings.context_ks);
+        x_shortcut_grab(&settings.copy_ks);
 
         x_shortcut_setup_error_handler();
         XGrabButton(xctx.dpy,
@@ -748,6 +760,7 @@ void x_win_hide(struct window_x11 *win)
         x_shortcut_ungrab(&settings.close_ks);
         x_shortcut_ungrab(&settings.close_all_ks);
         x_shortcut_ungrab(&settings.context_ks);
+        x_shortcut_ungrab(&settings.copy_ks);
 
         XUngrabButton(xctx.dpy, AnyButton, AnyModifier, win->xwin);
         XUnmapWindow(xctx.dpy, win->xwin);