diff --git a/config.cpp b/config.cpp
index 1f475b8f..6d4714a3 100644
--- a/config.cpp
+++ b/config.cpp
@@ -1160,8 +1160,9 @@ EX void initConfig() {
 
   param_i(min_cells_drawn, "min_cells_drawn");
 
-  param_b(show_turns, "show_turns", false)
-  -> editable("show turn count", 'T');
+  param_str(menu_format, "menu_format", "")
+  ->editable("menu format", "programmable menu key", 'T')
+  ->set_standard_editor();
   param_i(menu_darkening, "menu_darkening", 2)
   -> editable(0, 8, 1, "menu map darkening", "A larger number means darker game map in the background. Set to 8 to disable the background.", 'd')
   -> set_sets([] { dialog::bound_low(0); dialog::bound_up(8); dialog::get_di().dialogflags |= sm::DARKEN; });
@@ -2439,7 +2440,7 @@ EX void configureInterface() {
       };
     });
 
-  add_edit(show_turns);
+  add_edit(menu_format);
   add_edit(menu_darkening);
   add_edit(centered_menus);
   add_edit(startanims::enabled);
diff --git a/graph.cpp b/graph.cpp
index 0c035d13..47e28d18 100644
--- a/graph.cpp
+++ b/graph.cpp
@@ -5673,7 +5673,8 @@ EX bool just_refreshing;
 
 EX int menu_darkening = 2;
 EX bool centered_menus = false;
-EX bool show_turns = false;
+
+EX string menu_format = "";
 
 EX void gamescreen() {
 
@@ -5800,8 +5801,8 @@ EX void normalscreen() {
   cmode = sm::NORMAL | sm::DOTOUR | sm::CENTER;
   if(viewdists && show_distance_lists) cmode |= sm::SIDE | sm::MAYDARK;
   gamescreen(); drawStats();
-  if(show_turns)
-    displayButton(vid.xres-8, vid.yres-vid.fsize, "t:" + its(turncount), 'v', 16);
+  if(menu_format != "")
+    displayButton(vid.xres-8, vid.yres-vid.fsize, eval_programmable_string(menu_format), 'v', 16);
   else if(nomenukey || ISMOBILE)
     ;
 #if CAP_TOUR
diff --git a/util.cpp b/util.cpp
index 642906c6..2ab2c18d 100644
--- a/util.cpp
+++ b/util.cpp
@@ -1029,6 +1029,39 @@ EX string read_file_as_string(string fname) {
   return buf;
   }
 
+EX string eval_programmable_string(const string& fmt) {
+  try {
+    exp_parser ep;
+    ep.s = fmt;
+    string out;
+    while(ep.at < (int) fmt.size()) {
+      if(ep.eat("$(")) {
+        auto res = ep.parse();
+        if(ep.eat(",")) {
+          int prec = ep.iparse();
+          std::stringstream str;
+          str.precision(prec);
+          str << std::fixed;
+          if(prec) str << std::showpoint;
+          str << real(res);
+          if(imag(res)) str << "+i" << imag(res);
+          out += str.str();
+          }
+        else {
+          out += fts(real(res));
+          if(imag(res)) out += "+i" + fts(imag(res));
+          }
+        ep.force_eat(")");
+        }
+      else out += ep.eatchar();
+      }
+    return out;
+    }
+  catch(hr_parse_exception& ex) {
+    return fmt;
+    }
+  }
+
 EX void floyd_warshall(vector<vector<char>>& v) {
   int N = isize(v);
   for(int k=0; k<N; k++)