diff --git a/i3.config b/i3.config
index 71511a50..b4c584fa 100644
--- a/i3.config
+++ b/i3.config
@@ -19,7 +19,13 @@ bindsym Mod1+Return exec /usr/bin/urxvt
 # Start dmenu (Mod1+p)
 bindsym Mod1+p exec /usr/bin/dmenu_run
 
+# Default orientation
+new_container_orientation horizontal
+
+# Horizontal orientation
 bindsym Mod1+h split h
+
+# Vertical orientation
 bindsym Mod1+v split v
 
 # Fullscreen (Mod1+f)
diff --git a/include/config.h b/include/config.h
index 32212e3d..f639df36 100644
--- a/include/config.h
+++ b/include/config.h
@@ -95,6 +95,9 @@ struct Config {
         int container_stack_limit;
         int container_stack_limit_value;
 
+        /** Default orientation for new containers */
+        int default_orientation;
+
         /** By default, focus follows mouse. If the user explicitly wants to
          * turn this off (and instead rely only on the keyboard for changing
          * focus), we allow him to do this with this relatively special option.
diff --git a/src/cfgparse.l b/src/cfgparse.l
index b8b1d73d..4776527b 100644
--- a/src/cfgparse.l
+++ b/src/cfgparse.l
@@ -92,6 +92,10 @@ set[^\n]*                       { return TOKCOMMENT; }
 ipc-socket                      { BEGIN(BIND_AWS_COND); return TOKIPCSOCKET; }
 ipc_socket                      { BEGIN(BIND_AWS_COND); return TOKIPCSOCKET; }
 restart_state                   { BEGIN(BIND_AWS_COND); return TOKRESTARTSTATE; }
+new_container_orientation       { return TOK_ORIENTATION; }
+horizontal                      { return TOK_HORIZ; }
+vertical                        { return TOK_VERT; }
+auto                            { return TOK_AUTO; }
 new_container                   { return TOKNEWCONTAINER; }
 new_window                      { return TOKNEWWINDOW; }
 normal                          { return TOK_NORMAL; }
diff --git a/src/cfgparse.y b/src/cfgparse.y
index 5ee6dfd4..50058680 100644
--- a/src/cfgparse.y
+++ b/src/cfgparse.y
@@ -224,6 +224,10 @@ void parse_file(const char *f) {
 %token TOKCOLOR
 %token TOKARROW "→"
 %token TOKMODE "mode"
+%token TOK_ORIENTATION "new_container_orientation"
+%token TOK_HORIZ "horizontal"
+%token TOK_VERT "vertical"
+%token TOK_AUTO "auto"
 %token TOKNEWCONTAINER "new_container"
 %token TOKNEWWINDOW "new_window"
 %token TOK_NORMAL "normal"
@@ -249,6 +253,7 @@ line:
         bindline
         | mode
         | floating_modifier
+        | orientation
         | new_container
         | new_window
         | focus_follows_mouse
@@ -373,6 +378,20 @@ floating_modifier:
         }
         ;
 
+orientation:
+        TOK_ORIENTATION WHITESPACE direction
+        {
+                DLOG("New containers should start with split direction %d\n", $<number>3);
+                config.default_orientation = $<number>3;
+        }
+        ;
+
+direction:
+        TOK_HORIZ       { $<number>$ = HORIZ; }
+        | TOK_VERT      { $<number>$ = VERT; }
+        | TOK_AUTO      { $<number>$ = NO_ORIENTATION; }
+        ;
+
 new_container:
         TOKNEWCONTAINER WHITESPACE TOKCONTAINERMODE
         {
diff --git a/src/con.c b/src/con.c
index 04db250b..e1359069 100644
--- a/src/con.c
+++ b/src/con.c
@@ -794,7 +794,11 @@ void con_set_layout(Con *con, int layout) {
         /* 3: While the layout is irrelevant in stacked/tabbed mode, it needs
          * to be set. Otherwise, this con will not be interpreted as a split
          * container. */
-        new->orientation = HORIZ;
+        if (config.default_orientation == NO_ORIENTATION) {
+            new->orientation = (con->rect.height > con->rect.width) ? VERT : HORIZ;
+        } else {
+            new->orientation = config.default_orientation;
+        }
 
         Con *old_focused = TAILQ_FIRST(&(con->focus_head));
         if (old_focused == TAILQ_END(&(con->focus_head)))
diff --git a/src/config.c b/src/config.c
index 80071d21..8f8790eb 100644
--- a/src/config.c
+++ b/src/config.c
@@ -331,6 +331,8 @@ void load_configuration(xcb_connection_t *conn, const char *override_configpath,
         INIT_COLOR(config.bar.urgent, "#2f343a", "#900000", "#ffffff");
 
         config.default_border = BS_NORMAL;
+        /* Set default_orientation to NO_ORIENTATION for auto orientation. */
+        config.default_orientation = NO_ORIENTATION;
 
         parse_configuration(override_configpath);
 
diff --git a/src/randr.c b/src/randr.c
index acac36ca..14b9085d 100644
--- a/src/randr.c
+++ b/src/randr.c
@@ -361,7 +361,17 @@ void output_init_con(Output *output) {
     free(name);
 
     ws->fullscreen_mode = CF_OUTPUT;
-    ws->orientation = HORIZ;
+
+    /* If default_orientation is set to NO_ORIENTATION we determine
+     * orientation depending on output resolution. */
+    if (config.default_orientation == NO_ORIENTATION) {
+        ws->orientation = (output->rect.height > output->rect.width) ? VERT : HORIZ;
+        DLOG("Auto orientation. Workspace size set to (%d,%d), setting orientation to %d.\n",
+             output->rect.width, output->rect.height, ws->orientation);
+    } else {
+        ws->orientation = config.default_orientation;
+    }
+
 
     /* TODO: Set focus in main.c */
     con_focus(ws);
@@ -384,6 +394,30 @@ static void output_change_mode(xcb_connection_t *conn, Output *output) {
     DLOG("Output mode changed, updating rect\n");
     assert(output->con != NULL);
     output->con->rect = output->rect;
+
+    Con *current,*workspace,*child;
+
+    /* Point current to the container of the workspaces */
+    current = output->con->nodes_head.tqh_first->nodes.tqe_next;
+
+    /* If default_orientation is NO_ORIENTATION, we change the orientation of
+     * the workspaces and their childs depending on output resolution. This is
+     * only done for workspaces with maximum one child. */
+    if (config.default_orientation == NO_ORIENTATION) {
+        TAILQ_FOREACH(workspace, &(current->nodes_head), nodes) {
+
+            /* Check if this workspace has <= 1 childs. */
+            child = workspace->nodes_head.tqh_first;
+            if (child != NULL)
+                if (child->nodes.tqe_next == NULL) {
+                    workspace->orientation = (output->rect.height > output->rect.width) ? VERT : HORIZ;
+                    DLOG("Setting workspace [%d,%s]'s orientation to %d.\n", workspace->num, workspace->name, workspace->orientation);
+                    child->orientation = workspace->orientation;
+                    DLOG("Setting child [%d,%s]'s orientation to %d.\n", child->num, child->name, child->orientation);
+                }
+        }
+    }
+
 #if 0
     Rect bar_rect = {output->rect.x,
                      output->rect.y + output->rect.height - (font->height + 6),
diff --git a/src/workspace.c b/src/workspace.c
index 77b5ceb2..4e93b92e 100644
--- a/src/workspace.c
+++ b/src/workspace.c
@@ -59,7 +59,18 @@ Con *workspace_get(const char *num, bool *created) {
             workspace->num = -1;
         else workspace->num = parsed_num;
         LOG("num = %d\n", workspace->num);
-        workspace->orientation = HORIZ;
+
+        /* If default_orientation is set to NO_ORIENTATION we
+         * determine workspace orientation from workspace size.
+         * Otherwise we just set the orientation to default_orientation. */
+        if (config.default_orientation == NO_ORIENTATION) {
+            workspace->orientation = (output->rect.height > output->rect.width) ? VERT : HORIZ;
+            DLOG("Auto orientation. Output resolution set to (%d,%d), setting orientation to %d.\n",
+                 workspace->rect.width, workspace->rect.height, workspace->orientation);
+        } else {
+            workspace->orientation = config.default_orientation;
+        }
+
         con_attach(workspace, content, false);
 
         ipc_send_event("workspace", I3_IPC_EVENT_WORKSPACE, "{\"change\":\"init\"}");