diff --git a/admin/templatetags/admin_extras.py b/admin/templatetags/admin_extras.py
index fc5e2bcba..36c48d0e5 100644
--- a/admin/templatetags/admin_extras.py
+++ b/admin/templatetags/admin_extras.py
@@ -99,11 +99,17 @@ def param(app, definition):
     result = """<div class='row'>
   <label>%s</label>""" % definition["name"]
     name = "%s.%s" % (app, definition["name"])
+    value = definition.has_key("value") \
+        and definition["value"] or definition["default"]
+
     if definition["type"] in ["string", "int"]:
-        value = definition.has_key("value") \
-            and definition["value"] or definition["default"]
         result += """
   <input type='text' name='%s' id='%s' value='%s' />""" % (name, name, value)
+
+    if definition["type"] == "text":
+        result += "<textarea name='%s' id='%s'>%s</textarea>" \
+            % (name, name, value)
+
     if definition["type"] in ["list", "list_yesno"]:
         result += """
 <select name='%s' id='%s'>""" % (name, name)
@@ -113,8 +119,6 @@ def param(app, definition):
         else:
             if definition.has_key("values"):
                 values = definition["values"]
-        value = definition.has_key("value") \
-            and definition["value"] or definition["default"]
         for v in values:
             selected = ""
             if value == v[0]:
diff --git a/extensions/webmail/main.py b/extensions/webmail/main.py
index 36feefa9e..829226af9 100644
--- a/extensions/webmail/main.py
+++ b/extensions/webmail/main.py
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ def init():
                              help=_("Folder where deleted messages go"))
     parameters.register_user("webmail", "SENT_FOLDER", type="string", deflt="Sent",
                              help=_("Folder where copies of sent messages go"))
+    parameters.register_user("webmail", "SIGNATURE", type="text", default="",
+                             help=_("User defined email signature"))
 
 def destroy():
     events.unregister("UserMenuDisplay", menu)
diff --git a/extensions/webmail/views.py b/extensions/webmail/views.py
index f37ba0cb6..f905a4588 100644
--- a/extensions/webmail/views.py
+++ b/extensions/webmail/views.py
@@ -198,9 +198,18 @@ def compact(request, name):
     mbc.compact(name)
     return folder(request, name, False)
 
-def render_compose(request, form, posturl, bodyheader=None, body=None):
+def render_compose(request, form, posturl, bodyheader=None, body=None, 
+                   insert_signature=False):
     menu = compose_menu("", __get_current_url(request), 
                         request.user.get_all_permissions())
+    if insert_signature:
+        if body == None:
+            body = ""
+        body += """
+---
+%s
+""" % parameters.get_user(request.user, "webmail", "SIGNATURE")
+
     content = render_to_string("webmail/compose.html", {
             "form" : form, "bodyheader" : bodyheader, "body" : body,
             "posturl" : posturl
@@ -267,7 +276,7 @@ def compose(request):
 
     form = ComposeMailForm()
     form.fields["from_"].initial = request.user.username
-    return render_compose(request, form, reverse(compose))
+    return render_compose(request, form, reverse(compose), insert_signature=True)
 
 @login_required
 @is_not_localadmin()
diff --git a/lib/parameters.py b/lib/parameters.py
index 7fc0c5df4..dbf567505 100644
--- a/lib/parameters.py
+++ b/lib/parameters.py
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ def save_admin(app, name, value):
         p = Parameter()
         p.name = fullname
     if p.value != value:
-        p.value = value
+        p.value = str(value).encode("string_escape")
         p.save()
     return True
 
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ def save_user(user, app, name, value):
         p.user = user
         p.name = fullname
     if p.value != value:
-        p.value = value
+        p.value = str(value).encode("string_escape")
         p.save()
     return True
 
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ def get_admin(app, name):
         p = Parameter.objects.get(name="%s.%s" % (app, name))
     except Parameter.DoesNotExist:
         return _params[app]["A"][name]["default"]
-    return p.value
+    return p.value.decode("string_escape")
 
 def get_user(user, app, name):
     __is_defined(app, "U", name)
@@ -100,4 +100,4 @@ def get_user(user, app, name):
         p = UserParameter.objects.get(user=user, name="%s.%s" % (app, name))
     except UserParameter.DoesNotExist:
         return _params[app]["U"][name]["default"]
-    return p.value
+    return p.value.decode("string_escape")
diff --git a/static/css/default.css b/static/css/default.css
index f6d5ac83c..d89bcc6ed 100644
--- a/static/css/default.css
+++ b/static/css/default.css
@@ -303,6 +303,15 @@ input:hover {
     background-color: #ffffcc;
 }
 
+textarea {
+    border: 1px solid #cccccc;
+    background-color: #eee;
+    width: 300px;
+    height: 100px;
+    font-size: 1.1em;
+    font-family: arial, helvetica, verdana, tahoma, sans-serif;
+}
+
 table.hr {
     width: 80%;
     margin: 10px auto;