diff --git a/metadata/panel.xml b/metadata/panel.xml
index 6508a9db..0315f5cd 100644
--- a/metadata/panel.xml
+++ b/metadata/panel.xml
@@ -33,6 +33,11 @@
 		<_short>Autohide Duration</_short>
 		<default>300</default>
 	</option>
+	<option name="outputs" type="string">
+		<_short>Outputs on which to show a panel instance</_short>
+		<_long>A comma separated list of output names on which to show panel instances. Set to * wildcard for all outputs.</_long>
+		<default>*</default>
+	</option>
 	<option name="position" type="string">
 		<_short>Panel Position</_short>
 		<default>top</default>
diff --git a/src/panel/panel.cpp b/src/panel/panel.cpp
index 0a7fccbf..6287d7b7 100644
--- a/src/panel/panel.cpp
+++ b/src/panel/panel.cpp
@@ -411,20 +411,109 @@ class WayfirePanelApp::impl
 {
   public:
     std::map<WayfireOutput*, std::unique_ptr<WayfirePanel>> panels;
+    WfOption<std::string> *panel_outputs = NULL;
 };
 
 void WayfirePanelApp::on_config_reload()
 {
+    if (!priv->panel_outputs)
+    {
+        priv->panel_outputs = new WfOption<std::string>("panel/outputs");
+    }
+
     for (auto& p : priv->panels)
     {
         p.second->handle_config_reload();
     }
 }
 
+bool WayfirePanelApp::panel_allowed_by_config(bool allowed, std::string output_name)
+{
+    if (allowed)
+    {
+        return std::string(*priv->panel_outputs).find("*") != std::string::npos ||
+               std::string(*priv->panel_outputs).find(output_name) != std::string::npos;
+    } else
+    {
+        return std::string(*priv->panel_outputs).find("*") == std::string::npos &&
+               std::string(*priv->panel_outputs).find(output_name) == std::string::npos;
+    }
+}
+
+void WayfirePanelApp::update_panels()
+{
+    for (auto& o : *get_wayfire_outputs())
+    {
+        auto output = o.get();
+        auto output_name = o->monitor->get_connector();
+
+        if (panel_allowed_by_config(false, output_name))
+        {
+            std::cout << "Removing panel from output: " << output_name << std::endl;
+            priv->panels.erase(output);
+        }
+
+        const auto it = std::find_if(priv->panels.begin(), priv->panels.end(),
+            [&output_name] (const auto& panel)
+        {
+            return panel.first->monitor->get_connector() == output_name;
+        });
+
+        if ((it == priv->panels.end()) && panel_allowed_by_config(true, output_name))
+        {
+            std::cout << "Adding panel for output: " << output_name << std::endl;
+            priv->panels[output] = std::unique_ptr<WayfirePanel>(
+                new WayfirePanel(output));
+
+            if (ipc_server)
+            {
+                priv->panels[output]->handle_config_reload();
+                priv->panels[output]->set_panel_app(this);
+                priv->panels[output]->init_widgets();
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 void WayfirePanelApp::on_activate()
 {
     WayfireShellApp::on_activate();
 
+    priv->panel_outputs->set_callback([=] ()
+    {
+        update_panels();
+    });
+
+    if (!ipc_server)
+    {
+        ipc_server = WayfireIPC::get_instance();
+    }
+
+    for (auto& p : priv->panels)
+    {
+        p.second->handle_config_reload();
+        p.second->set_panel_app(this);
+        p.second->init_widgets();
+    }
+
+    if (priv->panels.empty())
+    {
+        std::cout << std::endl <<
+            "WARNING: wf-panel outputs option did not match any outputs, " \
+            "so none were created. Set the [panel] outputs option to * " \
+            "wildcard character in wf-shell configuariton file to match " \
+            "all outputs, or set one or more of the following detected outputs:" <<
+            std::endl << std::endl;
+
+        for (auto& o : *get_wayfire_outputs())
+        {
+            std::cout << o->monitor->get_connector() << std::endl;
+        }
+
+        std::cout << std::endl << "Currently the [panel] outputs option is set to: " <<
+            std::string(*priv->panel_outputs) << std::endl;
+    }
+
     const static std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string>> icon_sizes_args =
     {
         {"panel/minimal_height", ""},
@@ -450,13 +539,6 @@ void WayfirePanelApp::on_activate()
     new CssFromConfigFont("panel/battery_font", ".battery {", "}");
     new CssFromConfigFont("panel/clock_font", ".clock {", "}");
     new CssFromConfigFont("panel/weather_font", ".weather {", "}");
-
-    ipc_server = WayfireIPC::get_instance();
-    for (auto& p : priv->panels)
-    {
-        p.second->set_panel_app(this);
-        p.second->init_widgets();
-    }
 }
 
 std::shared_ptr<WayfireIPC> WayfirePanelApp::get_ipc_server_instance()
@@ -466,8 +548,7 @@ std::shared_ptr<WayfireIPC> WayfirePanelApp::get_ipc_server_instance()
 
 void WayfirePanelApp::handle_new_output(WayfireOutput *output)
 {
-    priv->panels[output] = std::unique_ptr<WayfirePanel>(
-        new WayfirePanel(output));
+    update_panels();
 }
 
 WayfirePanel*WayfirePanelApp::panel_for_wl_output(wl_output *output)
diff --git a/src/panel/panel.hpp b/src/panel/panel.hpp
index 59ac66d6..a74fd3bf 100644
--- a/src/panel/panel.hpp
+++ b/src/panel/panel.hpp
@@ -45,10 +45,12 @@ class WayfirePanelApp : public WayfireShellApp
     void on_activate() override;
     void handle_new_output(WayfireOutput *output) override;
     void handle_output_removed(WayfireOutput *output) override;
+    bool panel_allowed_by_config(bool allowed, std::string output_name);
+    void update_panels();
     void on_config_reload() override;
     void reload_css();
     std::shared_ptr<WayfireIPC> get_ipc_server_instance();
-    std::shared_ptr<WayfireIPC> ipc_server;
+    std::shared_ptr<WayfireIPC> ipc_server = nullptr;
 
   private:
     WayfirePanelApp();
diff --git a/src/util/wf-shell-app.cpp b/src/util/wf-shell-app.cpp
index 8a90b18d..90e78d87 100644
--- a/src/util/wf-shell-app.cpp
+++ b/src/util/wf-shell-app.cpp
@@ -249,12 +249,16 @@ void WayfireShellApp::on_activate()
 
 void WayfireShellApp::output_list_updated(const int pos, const int rem, const int add)
 {
-    auto display  = Gdk::Display::get_default();
-    auto monitors = display->get_monitors();
-    for (int i = 0; i < add; i++)
+    auto display     = Gdk::Display::get_default();
+    auto monitors    = display->get_monitors();
+    int num_monitors = monitors->get_n_items();
+    for (int i = 0; i < num_monitors; i++)
     {
-        auto obj = std::dynamic_pointer_cast<Gdk::Monitor>(monitors->get_object(i + pos));
-        add_output(obj);
+        auto obj = std::dynamic_pointer_cast<Gdk::Monitor>(monitors->get_object(i));
+        if (obj && !obj->get_connector().empty())
+        {
+            add_output(obj);
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -297,6 +301,11 @@ Gio::Application::Flags WayfireShellApp::get_extra_application_flags()
     return Gio::Application::Flags::NONE;
 }
 
+std::vector<std::unique_ptr<WayfireOutput>>*WayfireShellApp::get_wayfire_outputs()
+{
+    return &monitors;
+}
+
 WayfireShellApp::WayfireShellApp()
 {}
 
diff --git a/src/util/wf-shell-app.hpp b/src/util/wf-shell-app.hpp
index e582fb06..6862f84c 100644
--- a/src/util/wf-shell-app.hpp
+++ b/src/util/wf-shell-app.hpp
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ class WayfireShellApp
     void add_css_file(std::string file, int priority);
     virtual Gio::Application::Flags get_extra_application_flags();
     virtual std::string get_application_name() = 0;
+    std::vector<std::unique_ptr<WayfireOutput>> *get_wayfire_outputs();
 
     /**
      * WayfireShellApp is a singleton class.