diff --git a/kitty/core_text.m b/kitty/core_text.m
index 8c54ba69b..ff1be554f 100644
--- a/kitty/core_text.m
+++ b/kitty/core_text.m
@@ -366,9 +366,11 @@ cell_metrics(PyObject *s, unsigned int* cell_width, unsigned int* cell_height, u
     CGRect bounds_without_leading = CTLineGetBoundsWithOptions(line, kCTLineBoundsExcludeTypographicLeading);
     CGFloat typographic_ascent, typographic_descent, typographic_leading;
     CTLineGetTypographicBounds(line, &typographic_ascent, &typographic_descent, &typographic_leading);
-    CGFloat bounds_ascent = bounds_without_leading.size.height + bounds_without_leading.origin.y - OPT(adjust_baseline);
-    *baseline = (unsigned int)floor(bounds_ascent + 0.5);
     *cell_height = MAX(4u, (unsigned int)ceilf(line_height));
+    CGFloat bounds_ascent = bounds_without_leading.size.height + bounds_without_leading.origin.y;
+    if (OPT(adjust_baseline_px) != 0) bounds_ascent -= OPT(adjust_baseline_px);
+    if (OPT(adjust_baseline_frac) != 0) bounds_ascent -= *cell_height * OPT(adjust_baseline_frac);
+    *baseline = (unsigned int)floor(bounds_ascent + 0.5);
     // Not sure if we should add this to bounds ascent and then round it or add
     // it to already rounded baseline and round again.
     *underline_position = (unsigned int)floor(bounds_ascent - self->underline_position + 0.5);
diff --git a/kitty/freetype.c b/kitty/freetype.c
index d6a53a836..95d83c3a1 100644
--- a/kitty/freetype.c
+++ b/kitty/freetype.c
@@ -307,12 +307,15 @@ cell_metrics(PyObject *s, unsigned int* cell_width, unsigned int* cell_height, u
     Face *self = (Face*)s;
     *cell_width = calc_cell_width(self);
     *cell_height = calc_cell_height(self, true);
-    *baseline = font_units_to_pixels_y(self, self->ascender);
-    *underline_position = MIN(*cell_height - 1, (unsigned int)font_units_to_pixels_y(self, MAX(0, self->ascender - self->underline_position)));
+    int baseline_offset = 0;
+    if (OPT(adjust_baseline_px) != 0) baseline_offset = OPT(adjust_baseline_px);
+    if (OPT(adjust_baseline_frac) != 0) baseline_offset = (int)(*cell_height * OPT(adjust_baseline_frac));
+    *baseline = font_units_to_pixels_y(self, self->ascender) - baseline_offset;
+    *underline_position = MIN(*cell_height - 1, (unsigned int)MAX(0, font_units_to_pixels_y(self, MAX(0, self->ascender - self->underline_position)) - baseline_offset));
     *underline_thickness = MAX(1, font_units_to_pixels_y(self, self->underline_thickness));
 
     if (self->strikethrough_position != 0) {
-      *strikethrough_position = MIN(*cell_height - 1, (unsigned int)font_units_to_pixels_y(self, MAX(0, self->ascender - self->strikethrough_position)));
+      *strikethrough_position = MIN(*cell_height - 1, (unsigned int)MAX(0, font_units_to_pixels_y(self, MAX(0, self->ascender - self->strikethrough_position)) - baseline_offset));
     } else {
       *strikethrough_position = (unsigned int)floor(*baseline * 0.65);
     }
diff --git a/kitty/options/definition.py b/kitty/options/definition.py
index e22475c9f..a9f9cce12 100644
--- a/kitty/options/definition.py
+++ b/kitty/options/definition.py
@@ -95,11 +95,14 @@ opt('adjust_column_width', '0',
     )
 
 opt('adjust_baseline', '0',
-    option_type='int', ctype='int',
+    option_type='adjust_baseline', ctype='!adjust_baseline',
     add_to_default=False,
     long_text='''
-Adjust the baseline position of each character (in pixels) on macOS. A positive
-number moves all characters up, and a negative number moves them down.
+Adjust the baseline position of each character. You can use either
+a number, which is interpreted as pixels or a percentage (number followed by %),
+which is interpreted as the percentage of the line height. A positive
+value moves all characters up, and a negative value moves them down.
+The underline and strikethrough positions are adjusted accordingly.
 '''
     )
 
diff --git a/kitty/options/parse.py b/kitty/options/parse.py
index b03396912..c84cb4f41 100644
--- a/kitty/options/parse.py
+++ b/kitty/options/parse.py
@@ -7,16 +7,16 @@ from kitty.conf.utils import (
     unit_float
 )
 from kitty.options.utils import (
-    active_tab_title_template, adjust_line_height, allow_hyperlinks, allow_remote_control,
-    box_drawing_scale, clear_all_shortcuts, clipboard_control, config_or_absolute_path, copy_on_select,
-    cursor_text_color, deprecated_hide_window_decorations_aliases,
-    deprecated_macos_show_window_title_in_menubar_alias, deprecated_send_text, disable_ligatures,
-    edge_width, env, font_features, hide_window_decorations, kitten_alias, macos_option_as_alt,
-    macos_titlebar_color, optional_edge_width, parse_map, parse_mouse_map, resize_draw_strategy,
-    scrollback_lines, scrollback_pager_history_size, symbol_map, tab_activity_symbol, tab_bar_edge,
-    tab_bar_margin_height, tab_bar_min_tabs, tab_fade, tab_font_style, tab_separator,
-    tab_title_template, to_cursor_shape, to_font_size, to_layout_names, to_modifiers, url_prefixes,
-    url_style, window_border_width, window_size
+    active_tab_title_template, adjust_baseline, adjust_line_height, allow_hyperlinks,
+    allow_remote_control, box_drawing_scale, clear_all_shortcuts, clipboard_control,
+    config_or_absolute_path, copy_on_select, cursor_text_color,
+    deprecated_hide_window_decorations_aliases, deprecated_macos_show_window_title_in_menubar_alias,
+    deprecated_send_text, disable_ligatures, edge_width, env, font_features, hide_window_decorations,
+    kitten_alias, macos_option_as_alt, macos_titlebar_color, optional_edge_width, parse_map,
+    parse_mouse_map, resize_draw_strategy, scrollback_lines, scrollback_pager_history_size, symbol_map,
+    tab_activity_symbol, tab_bar_edge, tab_bar_margin_height, tab_bar_min_tabs, tab_fade,
+    tab_font_style, tab_separator, tab_title_template, to_cursor_shape, to_font_size, to_layout_names,
+    to_modifiers, url_prefixes, url_style, window_border_width, window_size
 )
 
 
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ class Parser:
         ans['active_tab_title_template'] = active_tab_title_template(val)
 
     def adjust_baseline(self, val: str, ans: typing.Dict[str, typing.Any]) -> None:
-        ans['adjust_baseline'] = int(val)
+        ans['adjust_baseline'] = adjust_baseline(val)
 
     def adjust_column_width(self, val: str, ans: typing.Dict[str, typing.Any]) -> None:
         ans['adjust_column_width'] = adjust_line_height(val)
diff --git a/kitty/options/to-c-generated.h b/kitty/options/to-c-generated.h
index d18dcb7a2..7fa2db6b1 100644
--- a/kitty/options/to-c-generated.h
+++ b/kitty/options/to-c-generated.h
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ convert_from_opts_adjust_column_width(PyObject *py_opts, Options *opts) {
 
 static void
 convert_from_python_adjust_baseline(PyObject *val, Options *opts) {
-    opts->adjust_baseline = PyLong_AsLong(val);
+    adjust_baseline(val, opts);
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/kitty/options/to-c.h b/kitty/options/to-c.h
index 4de83e3b8..2875f1d23 100644
--- a/kitty/options/to-c.h
+++ b/kitty/options/to-c.h
@@ -162,4 +162,6 @@ static void
 adjust_line_height(PyObject *al, Options *opts) { read_adjust(adjust_line_height); }
 static void
 adjust_column_width(PyObject *al, Options *opts) { read_adjust(adjust_column_width); }
+static void
+adjust_baseline(PyObject *al, Options *opts) { read_adjust(adjust_baseline); }
 #undef read_adjust
diff --git a/kitty/options/types.py b/kitty/options/types.py
index 9d3e14431..6b3632ecb 100644
--- a/kitty/options/types.py
+++ b/kitty/options/types.py
@@ -436,7 +436,7 @@ class Options:
     active_tab_font_style: typing.Tuple[bool, bool] = (True, True)
     active_tab_foreground: Color = Color(red=0, green=0, blue=0)
     active_tab_title_template: typing.Optional[str] = None
-    adjust_baseline: int = 0
+    adjust_baseline: typing.Union[int, float] = 0
     adjust_column_width: typing.Union[int, float] = 0
     adjust_line_height: typing.Union[int, float] = 0
     allow_hyperlinks: int = 1
diff --git a/kitty/options/utils.py b/kitty/options/utils.py
index cf57697d2..5f20390d1 100644
--- a/kitty/options/utils.py
+++ b/kitty/options/utils.py
@@ -424,6 +424,16 @@ def adjust_line_height(x: str) -> Union[int, float]:
     return int(x)
 
 
+def adjust_baseline(x: str) -> Union[int, float]:
+    if x.endswith('%'):
+        ans = float(x[:-1].strip()) / 100.0
+        if abs(ans) > 1:
+            log_error('Percentage adjustments of the baseline cannot exceed 100%')
+            return 0
+        return ans
+    return int(x)
+
+
 def to_font_size(x: str) -> float:
     return max(MINIMUM_FONT_SIZE, float(x))
 
diff --git a/kitty/state.h b/kitty/state.h
index 5fd909084..66f6f70ec 100644
--- a/kitty/state.h
+++ b/kitty/state.h
@@ -40,9 +40,8 @@ typedef struct {
     unsigned int macos_option_as_alt;
     float macos_thicken_font;
     WindowTitleIn macos_show_window_title_in;
-    int adjust_line_height_px, adjust_column_width_px;
-    float adjust_line_height_frac, adjust_column_width_frac;
-    int adjust_baseline;
+    int adjust_line_height_px, adjust_column_width_px, adjust_baseline_px;
+    float adjust_line_height_frac, adjust_column_width_frac, adjust_baseline_frac;
     float background_opacity, dim_opacity;
 
     char* background_image;