diff --git a/docs/source/installation/troubleshooting-common.rst b/docs/source/installation/troubleshooting-common.rst
index c42a4238..98abdd54 100644
--- a/docs/source/installation/troubleshooting-common.rst
+++ b/docs/source/installation/troubleshooting-common.rst
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ I’m using tmux/screen and Powerline is colorless
   to ``"tmux"`` or ``"screen"``. Note that it is known to work perfectly in 
   screen, but in tmux it may produce ugly spaces.
 
+
 After an update something stopped working
 -----------------------------------------
 
diff --git a/docs/source/overview.rst b/docs/source/overview.rst
index cc1dfbf2..f681e65b 100644
--- a/docs/source/overview.rst
+++ b/docs/source/overview.rst
@@ -164,13 +164,20 @@ is the absolute path to your Powerline installation directory:
    set fish_function_path $fish_function_path "{repository_root}/powerline/bindings/fish"
    powerline-setup
 
+.. _tmux-statusline:
+
 Tmux statusline
 ---------------
 
-Add the following line to your :file:`tmux.conf`, where ``{repository_root}`` is 
-the absolute path to your Powerline installation directory::
+Add the following lines to your :file:`.tmux.conf`, where ``{repository_root}`` 
+is the absolute path to your Powerline installation directory::
 
-   source '{repository_root}/powerline/bindings/tmux/powerline.conf'
+   source "{repository_root}/tmux/powerline.conf"
+
+.. note::
+    The availability of the ``powerline-config`` command is required for 
+    powerline support. You may specify location of this script via 
+    ``$POWERLINE_CONFIG_COMMAND`` environment variable.
 
 IPython prompt
 --------------
diff --git a/powerline/bindings/config.py b/powerline/bindings/config.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..83bab203
--- /dev/null
+++ b/powerline/bindings/config.py
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+# vim:fileencoding=utf-8:noet
+
+from __future__ import absolute_import, unicode_literals, print_function
+
+from collections import namedtuple
+import os
+import subprocess
+import re
+
+
+TmuxVersionInfo = namedtuple('TmuxVersionInfo', ('major', 'minor', 'suffix'))
+
+
+def get_tmux_executable_name():
+	'''Returns tmux executable name
+
+	It should be defined in POWERLINE_TMUX_EXE environment variable, otherwise 
+	it is simply “tmux”.
+	'''
+
+	return os.environ.get('POWERLINE_TMUX_EXE', 'tmux')
+
+
+def _run_tmux(runner, args):
+	return runner([get_tmux_executable_name()] + list(args))
+
+
+def run_tmux_command(*args):
+	'''Run tmux command, ignoring the output'''
+	_run_tmux(subprocess.check_call, args)
+
+
+def get_tmux_output(*args):
+	'''Run tmux command and return its output'''
+	return _run_tmux(subprocess.check_output, args)
+
+
+NON_DIGITS = re.compile('[^0-9]+')
+DIGITS = re.compile('[0-9]+')
+NON_LETTERS = re.compile('[^a-z]+')
+
+
+def get_tmux_version():
+	version_string = get_tmux_output('-V')
+	_, version_string = version_string.split(' ')
+	version_string = version_string.strip()
+	major, minor = version_string.split('.')
+	suffix = DIGITS.subn('', minor)[0] or None
+	minor = NON_DIGITS.subn('', minor)[0]
+	return TmuxVersionInfo(int(major), int(minor), suffix)
+
+
+CONFIG_FILE_NAME = re.compile(r'powerline_tmux_(?P<major>\d+)\.(?P<minor>\d+)(?P<suffix>[a-z]+)?(?:_(?P<mod>plus|minus))?\.conf')
+CONFIG_MATCHERS = {
+	None: (lambda a, b: a.major == b.major and a.minor == b.minor),
+	'plus': (lambda a, b: a[:2] <= b[:2]),
+	'minus': (lambda a, b: a[:2] >= b[:2]),
+}
+CONFIG_PRIORITY = {
+	None: 3,
+	'plus': 2,
+	'minus': 1,
+}
+
+
+def list_all_tmux_configs():
+	'''List all version-specific tmux configuration files'''
+	directory = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), 'tmux')
+	for root, dirs, files in os.walk(directory):
+		dirs[:] = ()
+		for fname in files:
+			match = CONFIG_FILE_NAME.match(fname)
+			if match:
+				assert match.group('suffix') is None
+				yield (
+					os.path.join(root, fname),
+					CONFIG_MATCHERS[match.group('mod')],
+					CONFIG_PRIORITY[match.group('mod')],
+					TmuxVersionInfo(
+						int(match.group('major')),
+						int(match.group('minor')),
+						match.group('suffix'),
+					),
+				)
+
+
+def get_tmux_configs(version):
+	'''Get tmux configuration suffix given parsed tmux version
+
+	:param TmuxVersionInfo version: Parsed tmux version.
+	'''
+	for fname, matcher, priority, file_version in list_all_tmux_configs():
+		if matcher(file_version, version):
+			yield (fname, priority + file_version.minor * 10 + file_version.major * 10000)
+
+
+def source_tmux_files():
+	'''Source relevant version-specific tmux configuration files
+
+	Files are sourced in the following order:
+	* First relevant files with older versions are sourced.
+	* If files for same versions are to be sourced then first _minus files are 
+	  sourced, then _plus files and then files without _minus or _plus suffixes.
+	'''
+	version = get_tmux_version()
+	for fname, priority in sorted(get_tmux_configs(version), key=(lambda v: v[1])):
+		run_tmux_command('source', fname)
diff --git a/powerline/bindings/tmux/powerline.conf b/powerline/bindings/tmux/powerline.conf
index 6facec9c..eb1176de 100644
--- a/powerline/bindings/tmux/powerline.conf
+++ b/powerline/bindings/tmux/powerline.conf
@@ -1,27 +1,22 @@
 if-shell 'test -z "$POWERLINE_COMMAND"' 'if-shell "which powerline-client" "set-environment -g POWERLINE_COMMAND powerline-client" "set-environment -g POWERLINE_COMMAND powerline"'
-run-shell "tmux set-environment -g TMUX_VERSION_MAJOR $(tmux -V | cut -d' ' -f2 | cut -d'.' -f1 | sed 's/[^0-9]*//g')"
-run-shell "tmux set-environment -g TMUX_VERSION_MINOR $(tmux -V | cut -d' ' -f2 | cut -d'.' -f2 | sed 's/[^0-9]*//g')"
+if-shell 'test -z "$POWERLINE_CONFIG_COMMAND"' 'set-environment -g POWERLINE_CONFIG_COMMAND powerline-config'
+
+# Don't version-check for this core functionality -- anything too old to
+# support these options likely won't work well with powerline
 set -g status on
 set -g status-utf8 on
 set -g status-interval 2
-set -g status-fg colour231
-set -g status-bg colour234
 set -g status-left-length 20
-# Version check for 'client_prefix' format functionality
-if-shell '[ $TMUX_VERSION_MAJOR -gt 1 -o \( $TMUX_VERSION_MAJOR -eq 1 -a $TMUX_VERSION_MINOR -ge 8 \) ]' \
-  "set -g status-left '#{?client_prefix,#[fg=colour254]#[bg=colour31]#[bold],#[fg=colour16]#[bg=colour254]#[bold]} #S #{?client_prefix,#[fg=colour31]#[bg=colour234]#[nobold],#[fg=colour254]#[bg=colour234]#[nobold]}#(eval $POWERLINE_COMMAND tmux left)'" \
-  "set -g status-left '#[fg=colour16,bg=colour254,bold] #S #[fg=colour254,bg=colour234,nobold]#(eval $POWERLINE_COMMAND tmux left)'"
 set -g status-right '#(eval $POWERLINE_COMMAND tmux right -R pane_id=`tmux display -p "#D"`)'
 set -g status-right-length 150
 set -g window-status-format "#[fg=colour244,bg=colour234]#I #[fg=colour240] #[default]#W "
 set -g window-status-current-format "#[fg=colour234,bg=colour31]#[fg=colour117,bg=colour31] #I  #[fg=colour231,bold]#W #[fg=colour31,bg=colour234,nobold]"
-# Version check for window-status-last-style and/or window-status-last-fg functionality
-if-shell '[ $TMUX_VERSION_MAJOR -gt 1 -o \( $TMUX_VERSION_MAJOR -eq 1 -a $TMUX_VERSION_MINOR -ge 9 \) ]' \
-  "set -g window-status-last-style fg=colour31" \
-  'if-shell "[ $TMUX_VERSION_MAJOR -eq 1 -a $TMUX_VERSION_MINOR -ge 8 ]" "set -g window-status-last-fg colour31"'
-set-window-option -g window-status-fg colour249
-set-window-option -g window-status-activity-attr none
-set-window-option -g window-status-bell-attr none
-set-window-option -g window-status-activity-fg yellow
-set-window-option -g window-status-bell-fg red
+
+# Legacy status-left definition to be overwritten for tmux Versions 1.8+
+set -g status-left '#[fg=colour16,bg=colour254,bold] #S #[fg=colour254,bg=colour234,nobold]#(eval $POWERLINE_COMMAND tmux left)'
+
+# Simplify tmux version checking by using multiple config files. Source these
+# config files based on the version in which tmux features were added and/or
+# deprecated. By splitting these configuration options into separate files,
+run-shell "eval $POWERLINE_CONFIG_COMMAND tmux source"
 # vim: ft=tmux
diff --git a/powerline/bindings/tmux/powerline_tmux_1.8.conf b/powerline/bindings/tmux/powerline_tmux_1.8.conf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d94daf39
--- /dev/null
+++ b/powerline/bindings/tmux/powerline_tmux_1.8.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# powerline_tmux_1.8.conf
+# tmux Version 1.8 introduces window-status-last-{attr,bg,fg}, which is
+# deprecated for versions 1.9+, thus only applicable to version 1.8.
+set -g window-status-last-fg colour31
+# vim: ft=tmux
diff --git a/powerline/bindings/tmux/powerline_tmux_1.8_minus.conf b/powerline/bindings/tmux/powerline_tmux_1.8_minus.conf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6baed844
--- /dev/null
+++ b/powerline/bindings/tmux/powerline_tmux_1.8_minus.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# powerline_tmux_legacy_common.conf
+# tmux Version 1.8 and earlier (legacy) common options. The foo-{attr,bg,fg}
+# options are deprecated starting with tmux Version 1.9.
+set -g status-fg colour231
+set -g status-bg colour234
+set-window-option -g window-status-fg colour249
+set-window-option -g window-status-activity-attr none
+set-window-option -g window-status-bell-attr none
+set-window-option -g window-status-activity-fg yellow
+set-window-option -g window-status-bell-fg red
+# vim: ft=tmux
diff --git a/powerline/bindings/tmux/powerline_tmux_1.8_plus.conf b/powerline/bindings/tmux/powerline_tmux_1.8_plus.conf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a31bacfe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/powerline/bindings/tmux/powerline_tmux_1.8_plus.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# powerline_tmux_1.8_plus.conf
+# tmux Version 1.8 introduces the 'client_prefix' format variable, applicable
+# for versions 1.8+
+set -g status-left '#{?client_prefix,#[fg=colour254]#[bg=colour31]#[bold],#[fg=colour16]#[bg=colour254]#[bold]} #S #{?client_prefix,#[fg=colour31]#[bg=colour234]#[nobold],#[fg=colour254]#[bg=colour234]#[nobold]}#(eval $POWERLINE_COMMAND tmux left)'
+# vim: ft=tmux
diff --git a/powerline/bindings/tmux/powerline_tmux_1.9_plus.conf b/powerline/bindings/tmux/powerline_tmux_1.9_plus.conf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..619b26d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/powerline/bindings/tmux/powerline_tmux_1.9_plus.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# powerline_tmux_1.9_plus.conf
+# Version 1.9 introduces the foo-style options, applicable to version 1.9+
+set -g status-style fg=colour231,bg=colour234
+set -g window-status-last-style fg=colour31
+set-window-option -g window-status-style fg=colour249
+set-window-option -g window-status-activity-style fg=yellow,none
+set-window-option -g window-status-bell-style fg=red,none
+# vim: ft=tmux
diff --git a/scripts/powerline-config b/scripts/powerline-config
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..151dc1d5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/powerline-config
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+# vim:fileencoding=utf-8:noet
+'''Script used to obtain powerline configuration'''
+
+import argparse
+
+try:
+	import powerline.bindings.config as config
+except ImportError:
+	sys.path.append(os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(os.path.realpath(__file__)))))
+	import powerline.bindings.config as config  # NOQA
+
+
+TMUX_ACTIONS = {
+	'source': (lambda args: config.source_tmux_files()),
+}
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+	parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description=__doc__)
+	subparsers = parser.add_subparsers()
+	tmux_parser = subparsers.add_parser('tmux', help='Tmux-specific commands')
+	tmux_parser.add_argument(
+		'function',
+		choices=tuple(TMUX_ACTIONS.values()),
+		metavar='action',
+		type=(lambda v: TMUX_ACTIONS.get(v)),
+		help='If action is "source" then version-specific tmux configuration files are sourced.'
+	)
+
+	args = parser.parse_args()
+
+	args.function(args)
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 0b449011..e341ceec 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ setup(
 	scripts=[
 		'scripts/powerline',
 		'scripts/powerline-lint',
+		'scripts/powerline-config',
 	],
 	keywords='',
 	packages=find_packages(exclude=('tests', 'tests.*')),