diff --git a/cmd-new-pane.c b/cmd-new-pane.c
index 1a7911e8..82a600e2 100644
--- a/cmd-new-pane.c
+++ b/cmd-new-pane.c
@@ -35,9 +35,10 @@ const struct cmd_entry cmd_new_pane_entry = {
 	.name = "new-pane",
 	.alias = "newp",
 
-	.args = { "bc:de:fF:h:Iklm:p:Ps:S:t:w:x:y:Z", 0, -1, NULL },
+	.args = { "bc:de:fF:h:Iklm:p:PR:s:S:t:w:x:y:Z", 0, -1, NULL },
 	.usage = "[-bdefhIklPvZ] [-c start-directory] [-e environment] "
-		 "[-F format] [-l size] [-m message] [-s style] [-S border-style] "
+		 "[-F format] [-l size] [-m message] "
+		 "[-R inactive-border-style] [-s style] [-S active-border-style] "
 		 CMD_TARGET_PANE_USAGE " [shell-command [argument ...]]",
 
 	.target = { 't', CMD_FIND_PANE, 0 },
@@ -217,13 +218,19 @@ cmd_new_pane_exec(struct cmd *self, struct cmdq_item *item)
 	}
 	style = args_get(args, 'S');
 	if (style != NULL) {
-		if (options_set_string(new_wp->options, "pane-border-style", 0,
-		    "%s", style) == NULL) {
-			cmdq_error(item, "bad border style: %s", style);
+		if (options_set_string(new_wp->options,
+		    "pane-active-border-style", 0, "%s", style) == NULL) {
+			cmdq_error(item, "bad active border style: %s", style);
+			return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
+		}
+	}
+	style = args_get(args, 'R');
+	if (style != NULL) {
+		if (options_set_string(new_wp->options, "pane-border-style", 0,
+		    "%s", style) == NULL) {
+			cmdq_error(item, "bad inactive border style: %s", style);
 			return (CMD_RETURN_ERROR);
 		}
-		options_set_string(new_wp->options, "pane-active-border-style",
-		    0, "%s", style);
 	}
 	if (args_has(args, 'k') || args_has(args, 'm')) {
 		options_set_number(new_wp->options, "remain-on-exit", 3);
diff --git a/tmux.1 b/tmux.1
index 0b52fd93..10daa5b6 100644
--- a/tmux.1
+++ b/tmux.1
@@ -3278,8 +3278,9 @@ but a different format may be specified with
 .Op Fl l Ar size
 .Op Fl m Ar message
 .Op Fl p Ar percentage
+.Op Fl R Ar inactive-border-style
 .Op Fl s Ar style
-.Op Fl S Ar border-style
+.Op Fl S Ar active-border-style
 .Op Fl t Ar target-pane
 .Op Fl w Ar width
 .Op Fl x Ar x-position
@@ -3337,9 +3338,11 @@ is not specified or empty)
 will create an empty pane and forward any output from stdin to it.
 .Pp
 .Fl s
-sets the style for the pane and
+sets the style for the pane content.
 .Fl S
-sets the style for the pane border (see
+sets the border style when the pane is active and
+.Fl R
+sets the border style when the pane is inactive (see
 .Sx STYLES ) .
 .Pp
 All other options have the same meaning as for the