diff --git a/powerline/config_files/colorschemes/shell/default.json b/powerline/config_files/colorschemes/shell/default.json
index 0320d807..639c1f9b 100644
--- a/powerline/config_files/colorschemes/shell/default.json
+++ b/powerline/config_files/colorschemes/shell/default.json
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 		"superuser": { "fg": "white", "bg": "brightred", "attr": ["bold"] },
 		"virtualenv": { "fg": "white", "bg": "darkcyan" },
 		"branch": { "fg": "gray9", "bg": "gray2" },
+		"branch_dirty": { "fg": "brightyellow", "bg": "gray2" },
+		"branch_clean": { "fg": "gray9", "bg": "gray2" },
 		"cwd": { "fg": "gray9", "bg": "gray4" },
 		"cwd:current_folder": { "fg": "gray10", "bg": "gray4", "attr": ["bold"] },
 		"cwd:divider": { "fg": "gray7", "bg": "gray4" },
diff --git a/powerline/config_files/colorschemes/shell/solarized.json b/powerline/config_files/colorschemes/shell/solarized.json
index d847cef6..5bf86723 100644
--- a/powerline/config_files/colorschemes/shell/solarized.json
+++ b/powerline/config_files/colorschemes/shell/solarized.json
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@
 		"superuser":          { "fg": "oldlace", "bg": "red", "attr": ["bold"] },
 		"virtualenv":         { "fg": "oldlace", "bg": "green" },
 		"branch":             { "fg": "gray61", "bg": "royalblue5" },
+		"branch_dirty":       { "fg": "yellow", "bg": "royalblue5" },
+		"branch_clean":       { "fg": "gray61", "bg": "royalblue5" },
 		"cwd":                { "fg": "lightyellow", "bg": "darkgreencopper" },
 		"cwd:current_folder": { "fg": "oldlace", "bg": "darkgreencopper", "attr": ["bold"] },
 		"cwd:divider":        { "fg": "gray61", "bg": "darkgreencopper" },
diff --git a/powerline/config_files/colorschemes/vim/default.json b/powerline/config_files/colorschemes/vim/default.json
index 14a3e780..ec158793 100644
--- a/powerline/config_files/colorschemes/vim/default.json
+++ b/powerline/config_files/colorschemes/vim/default.json
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 		"paste_indicator": { "fg": "white", "bg": "mediumorange", "attr": ["bold"] },
 		"readonly_indicator": { "fg": "brightestred", "bg": "gray4" },
 		"branch": { "fg": "gray9", "bg": "gray4" },
+		"branch_dirty": { "fg": "brightyellow", "bg": "gray4" },
+		"branch_clean": { "fg": "gray9", "bg": "gray4" },
 		"branch:divider": { "fg": "gray7", "bg": "gray4" },
 		"file_directory": { "fg": "gray9", "bg": "gray4" },
 		"file_name": { "fg": "white", "bg": "gray4", "attr": ["bold"] },
diff --git a/powerline/config_files/colorschemes/vim/solarized.json b/powerline/config_files/colorschemes/vim/solarized.json
index 0a441994..57f4bfb1 100644
--- a/powerline/config_files/colorschemes/vim/solarized.json
+++ b/powerline/config_files/colorschemes/vim/solarized.json
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 		"paste_indicator":        { "fg": "oldlace", "bg": "orange", "attr": ["bold"] },
 		"readonly_indicator":     { "fg": "red", "bg": "darkgreencopper" },
 		"branch":                 { "fg": "lightyellow", "bg": "darkgreencopper" },
+		"branch_dirty":           { "fg": "yellow", "bg": "darkgreencopper" },
+		"branch_clean":           { "fg": "lightyellow", "bg": "darkgreencopper" },
 		"branch:divider":         { "fg": "gray61", "bg": "darkgreencopper" },
 		"file_directory":         { "fg": "lightyellow", "bg": "darkgreencopper" },
 		"file_name":              { "fg": "oldlace", "bg": "darkgreencopper", "attr": ["bold"] },
diff --git a/powerline/segments/common.py b/powerline/segments/common.py
index df931ca8..106df1dd 100644
--- a/powerline/segments/common.py
+++ b/powerline/segments/common.py
@@ -41,11 +41,24 @@ def user():
 		}]
 
 
-def branch():
-	'''Return the current VCS branch.'''
+def branch(status_colors=True):
+	'''Return the current VCS branch.@
+
+	:param bool status_colors:
+		determines whether repository status will be used to determine highlighting. Default: True.
+
+	Highlight groups used: ``branch_clean``, ``branch_dirty``, ``branch``.
+	'''
 	repo = guess(path=os.path.abspath(os.getcwd()))
 	if repo:
-		return repo.branch()
+		branch = repo.branch()
+		if status_colors:
+			return [{
+				'contents': branch,
+				'highlight_group': ['branch_dirty' if repo.status().strip() else 'branch_clean', 'branch'],
+				}]
+		else:
+			return branch
 	return None
 
 
diff --git a/powerline/segments/vim.py b/powerline/segments/vim.py
index c70eb3a1..54dbad92 100644
--- a/powerline/segments/vim.py
+++ b/powerline/segments/vim.py
@@ -306,15 +306,21 @@ def modified_buffers(text='+ ', join_str=','):
 
 @requires_segment_info
 @memoize(2, cache_key=bufnr, cache_reg_func=purgeall_on_shell)
-def branch(segment_info):
+def branch(segment_info, status_colors=True):
 	'''Return the current working branch.
 
+	:param bool status_colors:
+		determines whether repository status will be used to determine highlighting. Default: True.
+
+	Highlight groups used: ``branch_clean``, ``branch_dirty``, ``branch``.
+
 	Divider highlight group used: ``branch:divider``.
 	'''
 	repo = guess(path=os.path.abspath(segment_info['buffer'].name or os.getcwd()))
 	if repo:
 		return [{
 			'contents': repo.branch(),
+			'highlight_group': (['branch_dirty' if repo.status().strip() else 'branch_clean'] if status_colors else []) + ['branch'],
 			'divider_highlight_group': 'branch:divider',
 		}]
 	return None
@@ -351,5 +357,5 @@ def repository_status(segment_info):
 	'''Return the status for the current repo.'''
 	repo = guess(path=os.path.abspath(segment_info['buffer'].name or os.getcwd()))
 	if repo:
-		return repo.status()
+		return repo.status().strip() or None
 	return None
diff --git a/tests/test_segments.py b/tests/test_segments.py
index d41c145e..5211fe01 100644
--- a/tests/test_segments.py
+++ b/tests/test_segments.py
@@ -46,8 +46,14 @@ class TestCommon(TestCase):
 			self.assertEqual(common.user(), [{'contents': 'def', 'highlight_group': ['superuser', 'user']}])
 
 	def test_branch(self):
-		with replace_module_attr(common, 'guess', lambda path: Args(branch=lambda: os.path.basename(path))):
-			self.assertEqual(common.branch(), 'tests')
+		with replace_module_attr(common, 'guess', lambda path: Args(branch=lambda: os.path.basename(path), status=lambda: '   ')):
+			self.assertEqual(common.branch(status_colors=False), 'tests')
+			self.assertEqual(common.branch(status_colors=True),
+					[{'contents': 'tests', 'highlight_group': ['branch_clean', 'branch']}])
+		with replace_module_attr(common, 'guess', lambda path: Args(branch=lambda: os.path.basename(path), status=lambda: 'D  ')):
+			self.assertEqual(common.branch(status_colors=False), 'tests')
+			self.assertEqual(common.branch(),
+					[{'contents': 'tests', 'highlight_group': ['branch_dirty', 'branch']}])
 		with replace_module_attr(common, 'guess', lambda path: None):
 			self.assertEqual(common.branch(), None)