diff --git a/r2/example.ini b/r2/example.ini
index ff166844dd..10276f99fb 100644
--- a/r2/example.ini
+++ b/r2/example.ini
@@ -574,6 +574,8 @@ frontpage_dart = false
 fastlane_links =
 # a message placed in the infobar
 announcement_message =
+# an info message placed in the sidebar
+sidebar_message =
 # spotlight links for subreddit discovery
 sr_discovery_links = 
 # probability of the subreddit suggester showing up in the spotlight box
diff --git a/r2/r2/lib/app_globals.py b/r2/r2/lib/app_globals.py
index e772b85a8f..9ff6ce6d45 100755
--- a/r2/r2/lib/app_globals.py
+++ b/r2/r2/lib/app_globals.py
@@ -228,6 +228,7 @@ class Globals(object):
             'goldvertisement_blurbs',
             'goldvertisement_has_gold_blurbs',
             'welcomebar_messages',
+            'sidebar_message',
         ],
     }
 
diff --git a/r2/r2/lib/pages/pages.py b/r2/r2/lib/pages/pages.py
index 9c175353e9..47688ea4ce 100755
--- a/r2/r2/lib/pages/pages.py
+++ b/r2/r2/lib/pages/pages.py
@@ -328,6 +328,10 @@ def rightbox(self):
         if self.searchbox:
             ps.append(SearchForm())
 
+        sidebar_message = g.live_config.get("sidebar_message")
+        if sidebar_message and isinstance(c.site, DefaultSR):
+            ps.append(SidebarMessage(sidebar_message[0]))
+
         if not c.user_is_loggedin and self.loginbox and not g.read_only_mode:
             ps.append(LoginFormWide())
 
@@ -1624,6 +1628,11 @@ def __init__(self, client, *args, **kwargs):
         InfoBar.__init__(self, *args, **kwargs)
         self.client = client
 
+class SidebarMessage(Templated):
+    """An info message box on the sidebar."""
+    def __init__(self, message):
+        Templated.__init__(self, message=message)
+
 class RedditError(BoringPage):
     site_tracking = False
     def __init__(self, title, message, image=None, sr_description=None,
diff --git a/r2/r2/public/static/css/reddit.less b/r2/r2/public/static/css/reddit.less
index 1a3be95dae..08c9ef1362 100755
--- a/r2/r2/public/static/css/reddit.less
+++ b/r2/r2/public/static/css/reddit.less
@@ -400,6 +400,36 @@ ul.flat-vert {text-align: left;}
     margin: 7px 0 12px 0;
  }
 
+.side .side-message {
+    background: lighten(@info-bg, 10%) no-repeat 10px 10px;
+    border: 1px solid darken(@info-bg, 20%);
+    border-radius: 2px;
+    padding: 10px;
+    line-height: 1.75em;
+
+    &:before {
+        content: '';
+        display: inline-block;
+        float: left;
+        background-image: url(../icon-info.png);  /* SPRITE */
+        width: 16px;
+        height: 16px;
+        margin-right: 7px;
+    }
+
+    p {
+        font-size: .9em;
+        margin: 0;
+
+        strong {
+            display: block;
+            font-weight: normal;
+            font-size: 1.25em;
+            margin-bottom: .25em;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 .morelink {
     display:block;
     text-align: center;
@@ -1176,11 +1206,13 @@ a.author { margin-right: 0.5em; }
     overflow: auto;
 }
 
+@info-bg: #f6e69f;
+@info-border: orange;
 .infobar {
-    background-color: #f6e69f;
+    background-color: @info-bg;
     padding: 5px 10px;
     margin: 5px 305px 5px 0px;
-    border: 1px solid orange;
+    border: 1px solid @info-border;
     font-size: small;
 }
 
diff --git a/r2/r2/templates/sidebarmessage.html b/r2/r2/templates/sidebarmessage.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..76d9680a2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/r2/r2/templates/sidebarmessage.html
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+## The contents of this file are subject to the Common Public Attribution
+## License Version 1.0. (the "License"); you may not use this file except in
+## compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at
+## http://code.reddit.com/LICENSE. The License is based on the Mozilla Public
+## License Version 1.1, but Sections 14 and 15 have been added to cover use of
+## software over a computer network and provide for limited attribution for the
+## Original Developer. In addition, Exhibit A has been modified to be
+## consistent with Exhibit B.
+##
+## Software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" basis,
+## WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for
+## the specific language governing rights and limitations under the License.
+##
+## The Original Code is reddit.
+##
+## The Original Developer is the Initial Developer.  The Initial Developer of
+## the Original Code is reddit Inc.
+##
+## All portions of the code written by reddit are Copyright (c) 2006-2013
+## reddit Inc. All Rights Reserved.
+###############################################################################
+
+<%!
+   from r2.lib.filters import safemarkdown
+%>
+
+<div class="side-message">
+  ${unsafe(safemarkdown(thing.message))}
+</div>