diff --git a/libs/gtkmm2ext/gtkmm2ext/persistent_tooltip.h b/libs/gtkmm2ext/gtkmm2ext/persistent_tooltip.h
index 7e8fae47d0..9df2614095 100644
--- a/libs/gtkmm2ext/gtkmm2ext/persistent_tooltip.h
+++ b/libs/gtkmm2ext/gtkmm2ext/persistent_tooltip.h
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ namespace Gtkmm2ext {
 class LIBGTKMM2EXT_API PersistentTooltip : public sigc::trackable
 {
   public:
-	PersistentTooltip (Gtk::Widget *, bool draggable = false);
+	PersistentTooltip (Gtk::Widget *, bool draggable = false, int margin_y = 0);
 	virtual ~PersistentTooltip ();
 	
 	void set_tip (std::string);
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ class LIBGTKMM2EXT_API PersistentTooltip : public sigc::trackable
 	std::string _tip;
 	Pango::FontDescription _font;
 	bool _align_to_center;
+	int _margin_y;
 };
 
 }
diff --git a/libs/gtkmm2ext/persistent_tooltip.cc b/libs/gtkmm2ext/persistent_tooltip.cc
index 44cb953588..367175f3dc 100644
--- a/libs/gtkmm2ext/persistent_tooltip.cc
+++ b/libs/gtkmm2ext/persistent_tooltip.cc
@@ -30,13 +30,14 @@ using namespace Gtk;
 using namespace Gtkmm2ext;
 
 /** @param target The widget to provide the tooltip for */
-PersistentTooltip::PersistentTooltip (Gtk::Widget* target, bool draggable)
+PersistentTooltip::PersistentTooltip (Gtk::Widget* target, bool  draggable, int margin_y)
 	: _target (target)
 	, _window (0)
 	, _label (0)
 	, _draggable (draggable)
 	, _maybe_dragging (false)
 	, _align_to_center (true)
+	, _margin_y (margin_y)
 {
 	target->signal_enter_notify_event().connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &PersistentTooltip::enter), false);
 	target->signal_leave_notify_event().connect (sigc::mem_fun (*this, &PersistentTooltip::leave), false);
@@ -157,7 +158,7 @@ PersistentTooltip::show ()
 			   the screen, so don't show it in the usual place.
 			*/
 			rx = sw - _window->get_width();
-			_window->move (rx, ry + _target->get_height());
+			_window->move (rx, ry + _target->get_height() + _margin_y);
 		} else {
 			if (_align_to_center) {
 				_window->move (rx + (_target->get_width () - _window->get_width ()) / 2, ry + _target->get_height());