diff --git a/Gruntfile.js b/Gruntfile.js
index cbbfd7b84..a7e40acd8 100644
--- a/Gruntfile.js
+++ b/Gruntfile.js
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ module.exports = function(grunt) {
           cwd: 'sass',
           src: ['*.sass'],
           dest: 'sphinx_rtd_theme/static/css',
-          ext: '.css'
+          ext: '.css_t'
         }]
       },
       build: {
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ module.exports = function(grunt) {
           cwd: 'sass',
           src: ['*.sass'],
           dest: 'sphinx_rtd_theme/static/css',
-          ext: '.css'
+          ext: '.css_t'
         }]
       }
     },
diff --git a/MANIFEST.in b/MANIFEST.in
index 1e6a2ebd3..2dfcf18f2 100644
--- a/MANIFEST.in
+++ b/MANIFEST.in
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 include *.txt
 include LICENSE
 recursive-include sphinx_rtd_theme *.conf
-recursive-include sphinx_rtd_theme *.css
+recursive-include sphinx_rtd_theme *.css_t
 recursive-include sphinx_rtd_theme *.eot
 recursive-include sphinx_rtd_theme *.html
 recursive-include sphinx_rtd_theme *.js
diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index be882b226..a0f5863a3 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ file of this repository, and can be defined in your project's ``conf.py`` via
 .. code:: python
 
     html_theme_options = {
+        # Base Options
         'typekit_id': '',
         'canonical_url': '',
         'analytics_id': '',
@@ -94,6 +95,8 @@ file of this repository, and can be defined in your project's ``conf.py`` via
         'display_version': True,
         'prev_next_buttons_location': bottom,
         'style_external_links': False,
+         # CSS Options
+        'nav_search_background_color': #2980B9,
         # Toc options
         'collapse_navigation': False,
         'sticky_navigation': True,
@@ -117,6 +120,11 @@ Base options
   and will display the "Next" and "Previous" buttons accordingly
 * ``style_external_links`` Add an icon next to external links. Defaults to ``False``.
 
+CSS Options
+~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+* ``nav_search_background_color`` Color. Defines the color for the navigation search area.
+
 TOC Options
 ~~~~~~~~~~~
 
diff --git a/sass/_theme_layout.sass b/sass/_theme_layout.sass
index 626d1f45e..283267652 100644
--- a/sass/_theme_layout.sass
+++ b/sass/_theme_layout.sass
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@
   padding: $gutter / 2
   margin-bottom: $gutter / 2
   z-index: $z-index-popover
-  background-color: $nav-search-background-color
+  background-color: #{$nav-search-background-color}
   text-align: center
   padding: $gutter / 2
   display: block
diff --git a/sass/_theme_variables.sass b/sass/_theme_variables.sass
index 349ea50e7..df60dd9f5 100644
--- a/sass/_theme_variables.sass
+++ b/sass/_theme_variables.sass
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ $menu-link-active:                    $white
 
 // Navigation colors
 $nav-background-color:                $menu-background-color
-$nav-search-background-color:         $blue
+$nav-search-background-color:         "{{ theme_nav_search_background_color }}"
 $nav-search-color:                    $section-background-color
 $nav-link-color:                      $blue
 $nav-link-color-visited:              $purple
diff --git a/sphinx_rtd_theme/theme.conf b/sphinx_rtd_theme/theme.conf
index 47c4dae5c..56a3490f1 100644
--- a/sphinx_rtd_theme/theme.conf
+++ b/sphinx_rtd_theme/theme.conf
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@ inherit = basic
 stylesheet = css/theme.css
 pygments_style = default
 
+[colors]
+nav_search_background_color = #2980B9
+
 [options]
 typekit_id = hiw1hhg
 canonical_url =