diff -up xchat-2.8.6/src/common/cfgfiles.c.balloon xchat-2.8.6/src/common/cfgfiles.c
--- xchat-2.8.6/src/common/cfgfiles.c.balloon	2008-07-20 01:11:56.000000000 +0200
+++ xchat-2.8.6/src/common/cfgfiles.c	2008-07-20 01:14:05.000000000 +0200
@@ -464,6 +464,7 @@ const struct prefs vars[] = {
 	{"input_balloon_chans", P_OFFINT (input_balloon_chans), TYPE_BOOL},
 	{"input_balloon_hilight", P_OFFINT (input_balloon_hilight), TYPE_BOOL},
 	{"input_balloon_priv", P_OFFINT (input_balloon_priv), TYPE_BOOL},
+	{"input_balloon_time", P_OFFINT (input_balloon_time), TYPE_INT},
 	{"input_beep_chans", P_OFFINT (input_beep_chans), TYPE_BOOL},
 	{"input_beep_hilight", P_OFFINT (input_beep_hilight), TYPE_BOOL},
 	{"input_beep_msg", P_OFFINT (input_beep_priv), TYPE_BOOL},
@@ -674,6 +675,7 @@ load_config (void)
 	prefs.gui_pane_right_size = 100;
 	prefs.mainwindow_save = 1;
 	prefs.bantype = 2;
+	prefs.input_balloon_time = 20;
 	prefs.input_flash_priv = prefs.input_flash_hilight = 1;
 	prefs.input_tray_priv = prefs.input_tray_hilight = 1;
 	prefs.autodccsend = 2;	/* browse mode */
diff -up xchat-2.8.6/src/common/xchat.h.balloon xchat-2.8.6/src/common/xchat.h
--- xchat-2.8.6/src/common/xchat.h.balloon	2008-07-20 01:11:27.000000000 +0200
+++ xchat-2.8.6/src/common/xchat.h	2008-07-20 01:12:20.000000000 +0200
@@ -236,6 +236,7 @@ struct xchatprefs
 	unsigned int input_balloon_chans;
 	unsigned int input_balloon_hilight;
 	unsigned int input_balloon_priv;
+	unsigned int input_balloon_time;
 
 	unsigned int input_beep_chans;
 	unsigned int input_beep_hilight;
diff -up xchat-2.8.6/src/fe-gtk/plugin-tray.c.balloon xchat-2.8.6/src/fe-gtk/plugin-tray.c
--- xchat-2.8.6/src/fe-gtk/plugin-tray.c.balloon	2008-07-20 01:14:28.000000000 +0200
+++ xchat-2.8.6/src/fe-gtk/plugin-tray.c	2008-07-20 01:16:53.000000000 +0200
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ libnotify_notify_new (const char *title,
 	g_free ((char *)title);
 	g_free ((char *)text);
 
-	nn_set_timeout (noti, 20000);
+	nn_set_timeout (noti, prefs.input_balloon_time*1000);
 	nn_show (noti, NULL);
 	g_object_unref (G_OBJECT (noti));
 
@@ -198,6 +198,7 @@ fe_tray_set_balloon (const char *title, 
 #ifndef WIN32
 	const char *argv[8];
 	const char *path;
+	char time[16];
 	WinStatus ws;
 
 	/* no balloons if the window is focused */
@@ -223,13 +224,14 @@ fe_tray_set_balloon (const char *title, 
 	path = g_find_program_in_path ("notify-send");
 	if (path)
 	{
+		sprintf(time, "%d000",prefs.input_balloon_time);
 		argv[0] = path;
 		argv[1] = "-i";
 		argv[2] = "gtk-dialog-info";
 		if (access (XCHATSHAREDIR"/pixmaps/xchat.png", R_OK) == 0)
 			argv[2] = XCHATSHAREDIR"/pixmaps/xchat.png";
 		argv[3] = "-t";
-		argv[4] = "20000";
+		argv[4] = time;
 		argv[5] = title;
 		text = strip_color (text, -1, STRIP_ALL|STRIP_ESCMARKUP);
 		argv[6] = text;