diff --git a/README.mkd b/README.mkd
index 696ec23..c694601 100644
--- a/README.mkd
+++ b/README.mkd
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ You can customise:
 
 * The sign column's colours
 * Whether or not the sign column is shown when there aren't any signs (defaults to no)
-* The signs' colours
+* The signs' colours and symbols
 * Line highlights
 * Whether or not vim-gitgutter is on initially (defaults to on)
 * Whether or not line highlighting is on initially (defaults to off)
@@ -101,9 +101,9 @@ To change your sign column's appearance, update your colorscheme or `~/.vimrc` l
 By default the sign column will appear when there are signs to show and disappear when there aren't.  If you would always like the sign column to be there, add `let g:gitgutter_sign_column_always = 1` to your `~/.vimrc`.
 
 
-#### Signs' colours
+#### Signs' colours and symbols
 
-To customise these, set up the following highlight groups in your colorscheme or `~/.vimrc`:
+To customise the colours, set up the following highlight groups in your colorscheme or `~/.vimrc`:
 
 ```viml
 GitGutterAdd          " an added line
@@ -114,6 +114,15 @@ GitGutterChangeDelete " a changed line followed by at least one removed line
 
 You can either set these with `highlight GitGutterAdd {key}={arg}...` or link them to existing highlight groups with, say, `highlight link GitGutterAdd DiffAdd`.
 
+To customise the symbols, add the following to your `~/.vimrc`:
+
+```viml
+let g:gitgutter_sign_added = 'xx'
+let g:gitgutter_sign_modified = 'yy'
+let g:gitgutter_sign_removed = 'zz'
+let g:gitgutter_sign_modified_removed = 'ww'
+```
+
 #### Line highlights
 
 Similarly to the signs' colours, set up the following highlight groups in your colorscheme or `~/.vimrc`:
diff --git a/doc/gitgutter.txt b/doc/gitgutter.txt
index 0339cc7..0de252c 100644
--- a/doc/gitgutter.txt
+++ b/doc/gitgutter.txt
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ Commands for jumping between marked hunks:
 You can customise:
 
 - The sign column's colours
-- The signs' colours
+- The signs' colours and symbols
 - Line highlights
 - Whether or not vim-gitgutter is on initially (defaults to on)
 - Whether or not line highlighting is on initially (defaults to off)
@@ -128,10 +128,10 @@ like this:
   User-defined (terminal Vim)         highlight SignColumn ctermbg={whatever}
   User-defined (graphical Vim)        highlight SignColumn guibg={whatever}
 
-SIGNS' COLOURS
+SIGNS' COLOURS AND SYMBOLS
 
-To customise these, set up the following highlight groups in your colorscheme
-or |vimrc|:
+To customise the colours, set up the following highlight groups in your
+colorscheme or |vimrc|:
 
 >
   GitGutterAdd          " an added line
@@ -146,6 +146,14 @@ them to existing highlight groups with, say:
   highlight link GitGutterAdd DiffAdd
 <
 
+To customise the symbols, add the following to your |vimrc|:
+>
+  let g:gitgutter_sign_added = 'xx'
+  let g:gitgutter_sign_modified = 'yy'
+  let g:gitgutter_sign_removed = 'zz'
+  let g:gitgutter_sign_modified_removed = 'ww'
+<
+
 LINE HIGHLIGHTS
 
 Similarly to the signs' colours, set up the following highlight groups in your
diff --git a/plugin/gitgutter.vim b/plugin/gitgutter.vim
index 57464cd..2bcfd65 100644
--- a/plugin/gitgutter.vim
+++ b/plugin/gitgutter.vim
@@ -26,6 +26,22 @@ if !exists('g:gitgutter_all_on_focusgained')
   let g:gitgutter_all_on_focusgained = 1
 endif
 
+if !exists('g:gitgutter_sign_added')
+  let g:gitgutter_sign_added = '+'
+endif
+
+if !exists('g:gitgutter_sign_modified')
+  let g:gitgutter_sign_modified = '~'
+endif
+
+if !exists('g:gitgutter_sign_removed')
+  let g:gitgutter_sign_removed = '_'
+endif
+
+if !exists('g:gitgutter_sign_modified_removed')
+  let g:gitgutter_sign_modified_removed = '~_'
+endif
+
 let s:file = ''
 
 function! s:init()
@@ -160,10 +176,10 @@ function! s:define_signs()
 endfunction
 
 function! s:define_sign_symbols()
-  sign define GitGutterLineAdded           text=+
-  sign define GitGutterLineModified        text=~
-  sign define GitGutterLineRemoved         text=_
-  sign define GitGutterLineModifiedRemoved text=~_
+  exe "sign define GitGutterLineAdded           text=" . g:gitgutter_sign_added
+  exe "sign define GitGutterLineModified        text=" . g:gitgutter_sign_modified
+  exe "sign define GitGutterLineRemoved         text=" . g:gitgutter_sign_removed
+  exe "sign define GitGutterLineModifiedRemoved text=" . g:gitgutter_sign_modified_removed
 endfunction
 
 function! s:define_sign_text_highlights()