diff --git a/sql/sitevars-create.sql b/sql/sitevars-create.sql
index d10d492045bfb12fd4e7b5d77fc14b08e2f2be5d..7040b8ed499881b0e3777cf80c6fd31625400ddd 100644
--- a/sql/sitevars-create.sql
+++ b/sql/sitevars-create.sql
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 INSERT INTO sitevariables VALUES ('general/testvar',NULL,'43','A test variable');
 INSERT INTO sitevariables VALUES ('web/nologins',NULL,'0','Non-zero value indicates that no user may log into the Web Interface; non-admin users are auto logged out.');
 INSERT INTO sitevariables VALUES ('web/message',NULL,'','Message to place in large lettering under the login message on the Web Interface.');
+INSERT INTO sitevariables VALUES ('web/banner',NULL,'','Message to place in large lettering at top of home page (typically a special message)');
 INSERT INTO sitevariables VALUES ('idle/threshold',NULL,'4','Number of hours of inactivity for a node/expt to be considered idle.');
 INSERT INTO sitevariables VALUES ('idle/mailinterval',NULL,'4','Number of hours since sending a swap request before sending another one. (Timing of first one is determined by idle/threshold.)');
 INSERT INTO sitevariables VALUES ('idle/cc_grp_ldrs',NULL,'3','Start CC\'ing group and project leaders on idle messages on the Nth message.');
diff --git a/www/index.php3 b/www/index.php3
index b5598f561f21bec8effba238d0c027734212d964..a9ec6ffa9a70f7ed1b5865b27c603a96429b44ce 100755
--- a/www/index.php3
+++ b/www/index.php3
@@ -70,12 +70,15 @@ if (mysql_num_rows($query_result) != 1) {
     $idle_expts = $row[0];
 }
 
-# Modify and uncomment this if there's some especially important news.
-# 
-# echo "<center><font color=Red size=+1>\n";
-# echo "Please see this important <a href=news.php3>news item</a> about
-#      <a href=news.php3#47>the current state</a> of Emulab.\n";
-# echo "</font></center><br>\n";
+#
+# Special banner message.
+#
+$message = TBGetSiteVar("web/banner");
+if ($message != "") {
+    echo "<center><font color=Red size=+1>\n";
+    echo "$message\n";
+    echo "</font></center><br>\n";
+}
 
 ?>
 
diff --git a/www/showuser.php3 b/www/showuser.php3
index da451271209aae4ff14c5fc9812c628ae814b993..16c3d4d6c71c6e69c129a257b1940476a7fdaca9 100644
--- a/www/showuser.php3
+++ b/www/showuser.php3
@@ -53,12 +53,15 @@ if (!$isadmin &&
     }
 }
 
-# Modify and uncomment this if there's some especially important news.
-# 
-# echo "<center><font color=Red size=+1>\n";
-# echo "Please see this important <a href=news.php3>news item</a> about
-#       <a href=news.php3#47>the current state</a> of Emulab.\n";
-# echo "</font></center><br>\n";
+#
+# Special banner message.
+#
+$message = TBGetSiteVar("web/banner");
+if ($message != "") {
+    echo "<center><font color=Red size=+1>\n";
+    echo "$message\n";
+    echo "</font></center><br>\n";
+}
 
 #
 # Tell the user how many PCs he is using.