diff --git a/src/components/bar/layout/BarLayout.tsx b/src/components/bar/layout/BarLayout.tsx
index 6e97ddfd0..a998de2c1 100644
--- a/src/components/bar/layout/BarLayout.tsx
+++ b/src/components/bar/layout/BarLayout.tsx
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ export class BarLayout {
     private _widgetRegistry: WidgetRegistry;
 
     private _visibilityVar: Variable<boolean>;
+    private _exclusivityVar: Variable<Astal.Exclusivity>;
     private _classNameVar: Variable<string>;
     private _anchorVar: Variable<Astal.WindowAnchor>;
     private _layerVar: Variable<Astal.Layer>;
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ export class BarLayout {
         this._widgetRegistry = widgetRegistry;
 
         this._visibilityVar = Variable(true);
+        this._exclusivityVar = Variable(Astal.Exclusivity.EXCLUSIVE);
         this._classNameVar = Variable('bar');
         this._anchorVar = Variable(
             Astal.WindowAnchor.TOP | Astal.WindowAnchor.LEFT | Astal.WindowAnchor.RIGHT,
@@ -79,9 +81,7 @@ export class BarLayout {
                 visible={this._visibilityVar()}
                 anchor={this._anchorVar()}
                 layer={this._layerVar()}
-                exclusivity={bind(this._visibilityVar).as((visible) =>
-                    visible ? Astal.Exclusivity.EXCLUSIVE : Astal.Exclusivity.NORMAL,
-                )}
+                exclusivity={this._exclusivityVar()}
                 onDestroy={() => this._cleanup()}
             >
                 <box className="bar-panel-container">
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ export class BarLayout {
      * Initialize variables related to bar positioning
      */
     private _initializePositionVariables(): void {
-        const { location } = options.theme.bar;
+        const { location, exclusive } = options.theme.bar;
 
         this._anchorVar = Variable.derive([bind(location)], (loc) => {
             if (loc === 'bottom') {
@@ -138,6 +138,9 @@ export class BarLayout {
             }
             return Astal.WindowAnchor.TOP | Astal.WindowAnchor.LEFT | Astal.WindowAnchor.RIGHT;
         });
+        this._exclusivityVar = Variable.derive([bind(exclusive)], (isExclusive: boolean) => {
+            return isExclusive ? Astal.Exclusivity.EXCLUSIVE : Astal.Exclusivity.NORMAL;
+        });
     }
 
     private _initializeAppearanceVariables(): void {
diff --git a/src/components/settings/pages/config/bar/index.tsx b/src/components/settings/pages/config/bar/index.tsx
index 8bba498e1..6f31aa3e1 100644
--- a/src/components/settings/pages/config/bar/index.tsx
+++ b/src/components/settings/pages/config/bar/index.tsx
@@ -29,6 +29,12 @@ export const BarSettings = (): JSX.Element => {
                     type="enum"
                     enums={['top', 'bottom']}
                 />
+                <Option
+                    opt={options.theme.bar.exclusive}
+                    title="Exclusivity"
+                    type="boolean"
+                    subtitle="An exclusive bar will have a reserved space on your display"
+                />
 
                 <Option
                     opt={options.bar.autoHide}
diff --git a/src/configuration/modules/theme/bar/index.ts b/src/configuration/modules/theme/bar/index.ts
index 3f6cb72db..6b9c2ba75 100644
--- a/src/configuration/modules/theme/bar/index.ts
+++ b/src/configuration/modules/theme/bar/index.ts
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ export default {
     layer: opt<WindowLayer>('top'),
     margin_top: opt('0.5em'),
     opacity: opt(100),
+    exclusive: opt(true),
     enableShadow: opt(false),
     shadow: opt('0px 1px 2px 1px #16161e'),
     shadowMargins: opt('0px 0px 4px 0px'),