diff --git a/format.c b/format.c
index 52eb4642..2e4bceb5 100644
--- a/format.c
+++ b/format.c
@@ -1756,6 +1756,23 @@ format_cb_pane_dead(struct format_tree *ft)
 	return (NULL);
 }
 
+/* Callback for pane_dead_signal. */
+static void *
+format_cb_pane_dead_signal(struct format_tree *ft)
+{
+	struct window_pane	*wp = ft->wp;
+	const char		*name;
+
+	if (wp != NULL) {
+		if ((wp->flags & PANE_STATUSREADY) && WIFSIGNALED(wp->status)) {
+			name = sig2name(WTERMSIG(wp->status));
+			return (format_printf("%s", name));
+		}
+		return (NULL);
+	}
+	return (NULL);
+}
+
 /* Callback for pane_dead_status. */
 static void *
 format_cb_pane_dead_status(struct format_tree *ft)
@@ -1770,6 +1787,20 @@ format_cb_pane_dead_status(struct format_tree *ft)
 	return (NULL);
 }
 
+/* Callback for pane_dead_time. */
+static void *
+format_cb_pane_dead_time(struct format_tree *ft)
+{
+	struct window_pane	*wp = ft->wp;
+
+	if (wp != NULL) {
+		if (wp->flags & PANE_STATUSDRAWN)
+			return (&wp->dead_time);
+		return (NULL);
+	}
+	return (NULL);
+}
+
 /* Callback for pane_format. */
 static void *
 format_cb_pane_format(struct format_tree *ft)
@@ -2804,9 +2835,15 @@ static const struct format_table_entry format_table[] = {
 	{ "pane_dead", FORMAT_TABLE_STRING,
 	  format_cb_pane_dead
 	},
+	{ "pane_dead_signal", FORMAT_TABLE_STRING,
+	  format_cb_pane_dead_signal
+	},
 	{ "pane_dead_status", FORMAT_TABLE_STRING,
 	  format_cb_pane_dead_status
 	},
+	{ "pane_dead_time", FORMAT_TABLE_TIME,
+	  format_cb_pane_dead_time
+	},
 	{ "pane_fg", FORMAT_TABLE_STRING,
 	  format_cb_pane_fg
 	},
diff --git a/options-table.c b/options-table.c
index b8a5ccbb..31b0e372 100644
--- a/options-table.c
+++ b/options-table.c
@@ -1060,6 +1060,19 @@ const struct options_table_entry options_table[] = {
 		  "killed ('off' or 'failed') when the program inside exits."
 	},
 
+	{ .name = "remain-on-exit-format",
+	  .type = OPTIONS_TABLE_STRING,
+	  .scope = OPTIONS_TABLE_WINDOW|OPTIONS_TABLE_PANE,
+	  .default_str = "Pane is dead ("
+			 "#{?#{!=:#{pane_dead_status},},"
+	                 "status #{pane_dead_status},}"
+			 "#{?#{!=:#{pane_dead_signal},},"
+	                 "signal #{pane_dead_signal},}, "
+			 "#{t:pane_dead_time})",
+	  .text = "Message shown after the program in a pane has exited, if "
+	          "remain-on-exit is enabled."
+	},
+
 	{ .name = "synchronize-panes",
 	  .type = OPTIONS_TABLE_FLAG,
 	  .scope = OPTIONS_TABLE_WINDOW|OPTIONS_TABLE_PANE,
diff --git a/server-fn.c b/server-fn.c
index 92793093..2a79f3e3 100644
--- a/server-fn.c
+++ b/server-fn.c
@@ -310,9 +310,11 @@ server_destroy_pane(struct window_pane *wp, int notify)
 	struct window		*w = wp->window;
 	struct screen_write_ctx	 ctx;
 	struct grid_cell	 gc;
-	time_t			 t;
-	char			 tim[26];
 	int			 remain_on_exit;
+	const char		*s;
+	char			*expanded;
+	u_int			 sx = screen_size_x(&wp->base);
+	u_int			 sy = screen_size_y(&wp->base);
 
 	if (wp->fd != -1) {
 #ifdef HAVE_UTEMPTER
@@ -339,32 +341,26 @@ server_destroy_pane(struct window_pane *wp, int notify)
 			return;
 		wp->flags |= PANE_STATUSDRAWN;
 
+		gettimeofday(&wp->dead_time, NULL);
 		if (notify)
 			notify_pane("pane-died", wp);
 
-		screen_write_start_pane(&ctx, wp, &wp->base);
-		screen_write_scrollregion(&ctx, 0, screen_size_y(ctx.s) - 1);
-		screen_write_cursormove(&ctx, 0, screen_size_y(ctx.s) - 1, 0);
-		screen_write_linefeed(&ctx, 1, 8);
-		memcpy(&gc, &grid_default_cell, sizeof gc);
+		s = options_get_string(wp->options, "remain-on-exit-format");
+		if (*s != '\0') {
+			screen_write_start_pane(&ctx, wp, &wp->base);
+			screen_write_scrollregion(&ctx, 0, sy - 1);
+			screen_write_cursormove(&ctx, 0, sy - 1, 0);
+			screen_write_linefeed(&ctx, 1, 8);
+			memcpy(&gc, &grid_default_cell, sizeof gc);
 
-		time(&t);
-		ctime_r(&t, tim);
-		tim[strcspn(tim, "\n")] = '\0';
+			expanded = format_single(NULL, s, NULL, NULL, NULL, wp);
+			format_draw(&ctx, &gc, sx, expanded, NULL, 0);
+			free(expanded);
 
-		if (WIFEXITED(wp->status)) {
-			screen_write_nputs(&ctx, -1, &gc,
-			    "Pane is dead (status %d, %s)",
-			    WEXITSTATUS(wp->status),
-			    tim);
-		} else if (WIFSIGNALED(wp->status)) {
-			screen_write_nputs(&ctx, -1, &gc,
-			    "Pane is dead (signal %s, %s)",
-			    sig2name(WTERMSIG(wp->status)),
-			    tim);
+			screen_write_stop(&ctx);
 		}
+		wp->base.mode &= ~MODE_CURSOR;
 
-		screen_write_stop(&ctx);
 		wp->flags |= PANE_REDRAW;
 		return;
 	}
diff --git a/tmux.1 b/tmux.1
index 475ddfbb..a7a6846f 100644
--- a/tmux.1
+++ b/tmux.1
@@ -4471,6 +4471,11 @@ The pane may be reactivated with the
 .Ic respawn-pane
 command.
 .Pp
+.It Ic remain-on-exit-format Ar string
+Set the text shown at the bottom of exited panes when
+.Ic remain-on-exit
+is enabled.
+.Pp
 .It Xo Ic synchronize-panes
 .Op Ic on | off
 .Xc
@@ -5120,7 +5125,9 @@ The following variables are available, where appropriate:
 .It Li "pane_current_command" Ta "" Ta "Current command if available"
 .It Li "pane_current_path" Ta "" Ta "Current path if available"
 .It Li "pane_dead" Ta "" Ta "1 if pane is dead"
+.It Li "pane_dead_signal" Ta "" Ta "Exit signal of process in dead pane"
 .It Li "pane_dead_status" Ta "" Ta "Exit status of process in dead pane"
+.It Li "pane_dead_time" Ta "" Ta "Exit time of process in dead pane"
 .It Li "pane_fg" Ta "" Ta "Pane foreground colour"
 .It Li "pane_format" Ta "" Ta "1 if format is for a pane"
 .It Li "pane_height" Ta "" Ta "Height of pane"
diff --git a/tmux.h b/tmux.h
index 78283aa2..8a8535dd 100644
--- a/tmux.h
+++ b/tmux.h
@@ -1027,6 +1027,7 @@ struct window_pane {
 	pid_t		 pid;
 	char		 tty[TTY_NAME_MAX];
 	int		 status;
+	struct timeval	 dead_time;
 
 	int		 fd;
 	struct bufferevent *event;