diff --git a/src/pretix/base/settings.py b/src/pretix/base/settings.py
index 6215a5c7f5..d9ea658956 100644
--- a/src/pretix/base/settings.py
+++ b/src/pretix/base/settings.py
@@ -486,7 +486,15 @@ Your {event} team"""))
     'update_check_id': {
         'default': None,
         'type': str
-    }
+    },
+    'banner_message': {
+        'default': '',
+        'type': LazyI18nString
+    },
+    'banner_message_detail': {
+        'default': '',
+        'type': LazyI18nString
+    },
 }
 
 settings_hierarkey = Hierarkey(attribute_name='settings')
diff --git a/src/pretix/control/context.py b/src/pretix/control/context.py
index 42fe70b280..1aa21026dd 100644
--- a/src/pretix/control/context.py
+++ b/src/pretix/control/context.py
@@ -91,8 +91,9 @@ def contextprocessor(request):
 
     ctx['warning_update_available'] = False
     ctx['warning_update_check_active'] = False
+    gs = GlobalSettingsObject()
+    ctx['global_settings'] = gs.settings
     if request.user.is_superuser:
-        gs = GlobalSettingsObject()
         if gs.settings.update_check_result_warning:
             ctx['warning_update_available'] = True
         if not gs.settings.update_check_ack and 'runserver' not in sys.argv:
diff --git a/src/pretix/control/forms/global_settings.py b/src/pretix/control/forms/global_settings.py
index 63c3d34bbd..80c551f8bc 100644
--- a/src/pretix/control/forms/global_settings.py
+++ b/src/pretix/control/forms/global_settings.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ from collections import OrderedDict
 
 from django import forms
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext_lazy as _
-from i18nfield.forms import I18nFormField, I18nTextInput
+from i18nfield.forms import I18nFormField, I18nTextarea, I18nTextInput
 
 from pretix.base.forms import SettingsForm
 from pretix.base.settings import GlobalSettingsObject
@@ -26,7 +26,17 @@ class GlobalSettingsForm(SettingsForm):
                 required=False,
                 label=_("Additional footer link"),
                 help_text=_("Will be included as the link in the additional footer text.")
-            ))
+            )),
+            ('banner_message', I18nFormField(
+                widget=I18nTextarea,
+                required=False,
+                label=_("Global message banner"),
+            )),
+            ('banner_message_detail', I18nFormField(
+                widget=I18nTextarea,
+                required=False,
+                label=_("Global message banner detail text"),
+            )),
         ])
         responses = register_global_settings.send(self)
         for r, response in sorted(responses, key=lambda r: str(r[0])):
@@ -34,6 +44,9 @@ class GlobalSettingsForm(SettingsForm):
                 # We need to be this explicit, since OrderedDict.update does not retain ordering
                 self.fields[key] = value
 
+        self.fields['banner_message'].widget.attrs['rows'] = '2'
+        self.fields['banner_message_detail'].widget.attrs['rows'] = '3'
+
 
 class UpdateSettingsForm(SettingsForm):
     update_check_perform = forms.BooleanField(
diff --git a/src/pretix/control/templates/pretixcontrol/base.html b/src/pretix/control/templates/pretixcontrol/base.html
index dcd47d7eaf..b956916dd0 100644
--- a/src/pretix/control/templates/pretixcontrol/base.html
+++ b/src/pretix/control/templates/pretixcontrol/base.html
@@ -272,6 +272,17 @@
                     </form>
                 </div>
             {% endif %}
+            {% if global_settings.banner_message %}
+                <div class="impersonate-warning">
+                    <span class="fa fa-bell"></span>
+                    {{ global_settings.banner_message }}
+                    {% if global_settings.banner_message %}
+                        <a href="{% url 'control:global.message' %}">
+                            {% trans "Read more" %}
+                        </a>
+                    {% endif %}
+                </div>
+            {% endif %}
             <div id="page-wrapper">
                 <div class="container-fluid">
                     {% if messages %}
diff --git a/src/pretix/control/templates/pretixcontrol/global_message.html b/src/pretix/control/templates/pretixcontrol/global_message.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ff89235932
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/pretix/control/templates/pretixcontrol/global_message.html
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+{% extends "pretixcontrol/base.html" %}
+{% load i18n %}
+{% load rich_text %}
+
+{% block title %}{% trans "System message" %}{% endblock %}
+{% block content %}
+    <h1>{% trans "System message" %}</h1>
+    {{ global_settings.banner_message_detail|rich_text }}
+{% endblock %}
diff --git a/src/pretix/control/urls.py b/src/pretix/control/urls.py
index 77fc34053f..05407d9287 100644
--- a/src/pretix/control/urls.py
+++ b/src/pretix/control/urls.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ urlpatterns = [
     url(r'^$', dashboards.user_index, name='index'),
     url(r'^global/settings/$', global_settings.GlobalSettingsView.as_view(), name='global.settings'),
     url(r'^global/update/$', global_settings.UpdateCheckView.as_view(), name='global.update'),
+    url(r'^global/message/$', global_settings.MessageView.as_view(), name='global.message'),
     url(r'^reauth/$', user.ReauthView.as_view(), name='user.reauth'),
     url(r'^users/$', users.UserListView.as_view(), name='users'),
     url(r'^users/select2$', typeahead.users_select2, name='users.select2'),
diff --git a/src/pretix/control/views/global_settings.py b/src/pretix/control/views/global_settings.py
index a143c241f4..9108cad51d 100644
--- a/src/pretix/control/views/global_settings.py
+++ b/src/pretix/control/views/global_settings.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 from django.contrib import messages
 from django.shortcuts import redirect, reverse
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext_lazy as _
-from django.views.generic import FormView
+from django.views.generic import FormView, TemplateView
 
 from pretix.base.services.update_check import check_result_table, update_check
 from pretix.base.settings import GlobalSettingsObject
@@ -56,3 +56,7 @@ class UpdateCheckView(AdministratorPermissionRequiredMixin, FormView):
 
     def get_success_url(self):
         return reverse('control:global.update')
+
+
+class MessageView(TemplateView):
+    template_name = 'pretixcontrol/global_message.html'