diff --git a/book/src/configuration.md b/book/src/configuration.md
index 4eab4a48aa78..e8131fb4f4ba 100644
--- a/book/src/configuration.md
+++ b/book/src/configuration.md
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ hidden = false
 | `auto-info` | Whether to display infoboxes | `true` |
 | `true-color` | Set to `true` to override automatic detection of terminal truecolor support in the event of a false negative. | `false` |
 | `rulers` | List of column positions at which to display the rulers. Can be overridden by language specific `rulers` in `languages.toml` file. | `[]` |
+| `file-modification-indicator` | The string to be displayed in the statusbar when the file has been modified. | `"[+]"` |
 | `color-modes` | Whether to color the mode indicator with different colors depending on the mode itself | `false` |
 
 ### `[editor.statusline]` Section
diff --git a/helix-term/src/commands.rs b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
index 3ee75f6a392f..0e597a0c56df 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/commands.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ use grep_searcher::{sinks, BinaryDetection, SearcherBuilder};
 use ignore::{DirEntry, WalkBuilder, WalkState};
 use tokio_stream::wrappers::UnboundedReceiverStream;
 
+const DEFAULT_CURRENT_BUFFER_INDICATOR: &str = "*";
+
 pub struct Context<'a> {
     pub register: Option<char>,
     pub count: Option<NonZeroUsize>,
@@ -2208,6 +2210,8 @@ fn buffer_picker(cx: &mut Context) {
         path: Option<PathBuf>,
         is_modified: bool,
         is_current: bool,
+        modified_indicator: String,
+        current_indicator: String,
     }
 
     impl ui::menu::Item for BufferMeta {
@@ -2225,10 +2229,10 @@ fn buffer_picker(cx: &mut Context) {
 
             let mut flags = Vec::new();
             if self.is_modified {
-                flags.push("+");
+                flags.push(self.modified_indicator.to_string());
             }
             if self.is_current {
-                flags.push("*");
+                flags.push(self.current_indicator.to_string());
             }
 
             let flag = if flags.is_empty() {
@@ -2245,6 +2249,8 @@ fn buffer_picker(cx: &mut Context) {
         path: doc.path().cloned(),
         is_modified: doc.is_modified(),
         is_current: doc.id() == current,
+        modified_indicator: cx.editor.config().file_modification_indicator.clone(),
+        current_indicator: DEFAULT_CURRENT_BUFFER_INDICATOR.to_string(),
     };
 
     let picker = FilePicker::new(
diff --git a/helix-term/src/ui/statusline.rs b/helix-term/src/ui/statusline.rs
index 85992c602164..df9ab4970436 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/ui/statusline.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/ui/statusline.rs
@@ -325,10 +325,15 @@ where
             .as_ref()
             .map(|p| p.to_string_lossy())
             .unwrap_or_else(|| SCRATCH_BUFFER_NAME.into());
+        let file_modification_indicator = &context.editor.config().file_modification_indicator;
         format!(
-            " {}{} ",
+            "{}{}",
             path,
-            if context.doc.is_modified() { "[+]" } else { "" }
+            if context.doc.is_modified() {
+                file_modification_indicator
+            } else {
+                ""
+            }
         )
     };
 
diff --git a/helix-view/src/editor.rs b/helix-view/src/editor.rs
index 7ac52f505dc9..1d8e466f333e 100644
--- a/helix-view/src/editor.rs
+++ b/helix-view/src/editor.rs
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ use serde::{ser::SerializeMap, Deserialize, Deserializer, Serialize, Serializer}
 
 use arc_swap::access::{DynAccess, DynGuard};
 
+const DEFAULT_FILE_MODIFICATION_INDICATOR: &str = "[+]";
+
 fn deserialize_duration_millis<'de, D>(deserializer: D) -> Result<Duration, D::Error>
 where
     D: serde::Deserializer<'de>,
@@ -161,6 +163,8 @@ pub struct Config {
     pub rulers: Vec<u16>,
     #[serde(default)]
     pub whitespace: WhitespaceConfig,
+    /// String for file modification indicator
+    pub file_modification_indicator: String,
     /// Vertical indent width guides.
     pub indent_guides: IndentGuidesConfig,
     /// Whether to color modes with different colors. Defaults to `false`.
@@ -490,6 +494,7 @@ impl Default for Config {
             lsp: LspConfig::default(),
             rulers: Vec::new(),
             whitespace: WhitespaceConfig::default(),
+            file_modification_indicator: DEFAULT_FILE_MODIFICATION_INDICATOR.to_string(),
             indent_guides: IndentGuidesConfig::default(),
             color_modes: false,
         }