diff --git a/autoload/ale/cursor.vim b/autoload/ale/cursor.vim
index 5a1d7789..abe3c5a0 100644
--- a/autoload/ale/cursor.vim
+++ b/autoload/ale/cursor.vim
@@ -69,10 +69,12 @@ function! s:EchoImpl() abort
         return
     endif
 
+    let l:buffer = bufnr('')
     let [l:info, l:loc] = s:FindItemAtCursor()
 
     if !empty(l:loc)
-        let l:msg = ale#GetLocItemMessage(l:loc, g:ale_echo_msg_format)
+        let l:format = ale#Var(l:buffer, 'echo_msg_format')
+        let l:msg = ale#GetLocItemMessage(l:loc, l:format)
         call ale#cursor#TruncatedEcho(l:msg)
         let l:info.echoed = 1
     elseif get(l:info, 'echoed')
diff --git a/autoload/ale/list.vim b/autoload/ale/list.vim
index fbc71efc..b1a8d4a7 100644
--- a/autoload/ale/list.vim
+++ b/autoload/ale/list.vim
@@ -37,16 +37,14 @@ function! ale#list#GetCombinedList() abort
     return l:list
 endfunction
 
-function! s:FixList(list) abort
+function! s:FixList(buffer, list) abort
+    let l:format = ale#Var(a:buffer, 'loclist_msg_format')
     let l:new_list = []
 
     for l:item in a:list
         let l:fixed_item = copy(l:item)
 
-        let l:fixed_item.text = ale#GetLocItemMessage(
-        \   l:item,
-        \   g:ale_loclist_msg_format,
-        \)
+        let l:fixed_item.text = ale#GetLocItemMessage(l:item, l:format)
 
         if l:item.bufnr == -1
             " If the buffer number is invalid, remove it.
@@ -70,22 +68,22 @@ function! s:SetListsImpl(timer_id, buffer, loclist) abort
         let l:quickfix_list = ale#list#GetCombinedList()
 
         if has('nvim')
-            call setqflist(s:FixList(l:quickfix_list), ' ', l:title)
+            call setqflist(s:FixList(a:buffer, l:quickfix_list), ' ', l:title)
         else
-            call setqflist(s:FixList(l:quickfix_list))
+            call setqflist(s:FixList(a:buffer, l:quickfix_list))
             call setqflist([], 'r', {'title': l:title})
         endif
     elseif g:ale_set_loclist
         " If windows support is off, bufwinid() may not exist.
         " We'll set result in the current window, which might not be correct,
-        " but is better than nothing.
-        let l:win_id = s:BufWinId(a:buffer)
+        " but it's better than nothing.
+        let l:id = s:BufWinId(a:buffer)
 
         if has('nvim')
-            call setloclist(l:win_id, s:FixList(a:loclist), ' ', l:title)
+            call setloclist(l:id, s:FixList(a:buffer, a:loclist), ' ', l:title)
         else
-            call setloclist(l:win_id, s:FixList(a:loclist))
-            call setloclist(l:win_id, [], 'r', {'title': l:title})
+            call setloclist(l:id, s:FixList(a:buffer, a:loclist))
+            call setloclist(l:id, [], 'r', {'title': l:title})
         endif
     endif
 
diff --git a/doc/ale.txt b/doc/ale.txt
index ec201b13..223f16c9 100644
--- a/doc/ale.txt
+++ b/doc/ale.txt
@@ -646,6 +646,7 @@ g:ale_echo_msg_error_str                             *g:ale_echo_msg_error_str*
 
 
 g:ale_echo_msg_format                                   *g:ale_echo_msg_format*
+b:ale_echo_msg_format                                   *b:ale_echo_msg_format*
 
   Type: |String|
   Default: `'%code: %%s'`
@@ -672,6 +673,10 @@ g:ale_echo_msg_format                                   *g:ale_echo_msg_format*
 
   |g:ale_echo_cursor| needs to be set to 1 for messages to be displayed.
 
+  The echo message format can also be configured separately for each buffer,
+  so different formats can be used for differnt languages. (Say in ftplugin
+  files.)
+
 
 g:ale_echo_msg_info_str                               *g:ale_echo_msg_info_str*
 
@@ -1017,6 +1022,7 @@ g:ale_linters_explicit                                 *g:ale_linters_explicit*
 
 
 g:ale_loclist_msg_format                             *g:ale_loclist_msg_format*
+b:ale_loclist_msg_format                             *b:ale_loclist_msg_format*
 
   Type: |String|
   Default: `g:ale_echo_msg_format`
diff --git a/test/test_cursor_warnings.vader b/test/test_cursor_warnings.vader
index c6dc5269..f112d8dc 100644
--- a/test/test_cursor_warnings.vader
+++ b/test/test_cursor_warnings.vader
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ After:
   let g:ale_buffer_info = {}
 
   unlet! g:output
+  unlet! b:ale_loclist_msg_format
 
   delfunction GetLastMessage
 
@@ -212,3 +213,12 @@ Execute(The %code% and %ifcode% should be removed when there's no code):
   call ale#cursor#EchoCursorWarning()
 
   AssertEqual 'Some information', GetLastMessage()
+
+Execute(The buffer message format option should take precedence):
+  let g:ale_echo_msg_format = '%(code) %%s'
+  let b:ale_echo_msg_format = 'FOO %s'
+
+  call cursor(1, 14)
+  call ale#cursor#EchoCursorWarning()
+
+  AssertEqual 'FOO Some information', GetLastMessage()
diff --git a/test/test_list_formatting.vader b/test/test_list_formatting.vader
index 6b494fc2..0c52f10f 100644
--- a/test/test_list_formatting.vader
+++ b/test/test_list_formatting.vader
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ After:
   Restore
 
   unlet! g:loclist
+  unlet! b:ale_loclist_msg_format
 
   delfunction AddItem
 
@@ -162,3 +163,26 @@ Execute(Formatting with the linter name should work for the quickfix list):
   \   },
   \ ],
   \ getqflist()
+
+Execute(The buffer loclist format option should take precedence):
+  let g:ale_loclist_msg_format = '(%linter%) %s'
+  let b:ale_loclist_msg_format = 'FOO %s'
+
+  call AddItem({'text': 'whatever'})
+  call ale#list#SetLists(bufnr(''), g:loclist)
+
+  AssertEqual
+  \ [
+  \   {
+  \     'lnum': 1,
+  \     'bufnr': bufnr(''),
+  \     'col': 1,
+  \     'valid': 1,
+  \     'vcol': 0,
+  \     'nr': 0,
+  \     'type': 'E',
+  \     'pattern': '',
+  \     'text': 'FOO whatever',
+  \   },
+  \ ],
+  \ getloclist(0)