diff --git a/doc/help/settings.asciidoc b/doc/help/settings.asciidoc
index 93d290e34..b774461b2 100644
--- a/doc/help/settings.asciidoc
+++ b/doc/help/settings.asciidoc
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 |Setting|Description
 |<<ui-zoom-levels,zoom-levels>>|The available zoom levels, separated by commas.
 |<<ui-default-zoom,default-zoom>>|The default zoom level.
+|<<ui-downloads-position,downloads-position>>|Where to show the downloaded files.
 |<<ui-message-timeout,message-timeout>>|Time (in ms) to show messages in the statusbar for.
 |<<ui-message-unfocused,message-unfocused>>|Whether to show messages in unfocused windows.
 |<<ui-confirm-quit,confirm-quit>>|Whether to confirm quitting the application.
@@ -441,6 +442,17 @@ The default zoom level.
 
 Default: +pass:[100%]+
 
+[[ui-downloads-position]]
+=== downloads-position
+Where to show the downloaded files.
+
+Valid values:
+
+ * +north+
+ * +south+
+
+Default: +pass:[north]+
+
 [[ui-message-timeout]]
 === message-timeout
 Time (in ms) to show messages in the statusbar for.
diff --git a/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py b/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
index 1d332e62a..96e146ada 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/config/configdata.py
@@ -235,6 +235,10 @@ def data(readonly=False):
              SettingValue(typ.Perc(), '100%'),
              "The default zoom level."),
 
+            ('downloads-position',
+             SettingValue(typ.VerticalPosition(), 'north'),
+             "Where to show the downloaded files."),
+
             ('message-timeout',
              SettingValue(typ.Int(), '2000'),
              "Time (in ms) to show messages in the statusbar for."),
diff --git a/qutebrowser/config/configtypes.py b/qutebrowser/config/configtypes.py
index b0523f5f4..55159d538 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/config/configtypes.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/config/configtypes.py
@@ -1264,6 +1264,13 @@ class Position(BaseType):
         return self.MAPPING[value]
 
 
+class VerticalPosition(BaseType):
+
+    """The position of the download bar."""
+
+    valid_values = ValidValues('north', 'south')
+
+
 class UrlList(List):
 
     """A list of URLs."""
diff --git a/qutebrowser/mainwindow/mainwindow.py b/qutebrowser/mainwindow/mainwindow.py
index dbcead867..c619a6f47 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/mainwindow/mainwindow.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/mainwindow/mainwindow.py
@@ -96,19 +96,18 @@ class MainWindow(QWidget):
                         window=self.win_id)
 
         self._downloadview = downloadview.DownloadView(self.win_id)
-        self._vbox.addWidget(self._downloadview)
         self._downloadview.show()
 
         self._tabbed_browser = tabbedbrowser.TabbedBrowser(self.win_id)
         objreg.register('tabbed-browser', self._tabbed_browser, scope='window',
                         window=self.win_id)
-        self._vbox.addWidget(self._tabbed_browser)
 
         # We need to set an explicit parent for StatusBar because it does some
         # show/hide magic immediately which would mean it'd show up as a
         # window.
         self.status = bar.StatusBar(self.win_id, parent=self)
-        self._vbox.addWidget(self.status)
+
+        self._add_widgets()
 
         self._completion = completionwidget.CompletionView(self.win_id, self)
 
@@ -141,6 +140,24 @@ class MainWindow(QWidget):
         """Resize the completion if related config options changed."""
         if section == 'completion' and option in ('height', 'shrink'):
             self.resize_completion()
+        elif section == 'ui' and option == 'downloads-position':
+            self._add_widgets()
+
+    def _add_widgets(self):
+        """Add or readd all widgets to the VBox."""
+        self._vbox.removeWidget(self._tabbed_browser)
+        self._vbox.removeWidget(self._downloadview)
+        self._vbox.removeWidget(self.status)
+        position = config.get('ui', 'downloads-position')
+        if position == 'north':
+            self._vbox.addWidget(self._downloadview)
+            self._vbox.addWidget(self._tabbed_browser)
+        elif position == 'south':
+            self._vbox.addWidget(self._tabbed_browser)
+            self._vbox.addWidget(self._downloadview)
+        else:
+            raise ValueError("Invalid position {}!".format(position))
+        self._vbox.addWidget(self.status)
 
     def _load_state_geometry(self):
         """Load the geometry from the state file."""