diff --git a/config.h b/config.h
index 557702b..a4455d9 100644
--- a/config.h
+++ b/config.h
@@ -12,8 +12,6 @@ static const char *url_regex = "(ftp|http)s?://[-a-zA-Z0-9.?$%&/=_~#.,:;+]*";
 // 0.0: opaque, 1.0: transparent
 //#define TRANSPARENCY 0.2
 
-static const long scrollback_lines = 1000;
-
 static const char *foreground_color = "#dcdccc";
 static const char *background_color = "#3f3f3f";
 static const char *cursor_color = "#dcdccc";
diff --git a/termite.c b/termite.c
index dc27dc6..298b774 100644
--- a/termite.c
+++ b/termite.c
@@ -288,6 +288,11 @@ static void load_config(GtkWindow *window, VteTerminal *vte) {
         IGNORE_ON_ERROR(error) {
             vte_terminal_set_font_from_string(vte, font);
         }
+
+        gint scrollback_lines = g_key_file_get_integer(config, "options", "scrollback_lines", &error);
+        IGNORE_ON_ERROR(error) {
+            vte_terminal_set_scrollback_lines(vte, scrollback_lines);
+        }
     }
     g_key_file_free(config);
 }
@@ -381,7 +386,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 
     load_config(GTK_WINDOW(window), VTE_TERMINAL(vte));
 
-    vte_terminal_set_scrollback_lines(VTE_TERMINAL(vte), scrollback_lines);
     vte_terminal_set_cursor_shape(VTE_TERMINAL(vte), CONCAT2(VTE_CURSOR_SHAPE_, CURSOR_SHAPE));
     vte_terminal_set_cursor_blink_mode(VTE_TERMINAL(vte), CONCAT2(VTE_CURSOR_BLINK_, CURSOR_BLINK));
 
diff --git a/termite.cfg b/termite.cfg
index 6310c8d..cc17844 100644
--- a/termite.cfg
+++ b/termite.cfg
@@ -6,3 +6,4 @@ audible_bell = false
 visible_bell = false
 mouse_autohide = false
 font = Monospace 9
+scrollback_lines = 1000