diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 39c0a5aa..dd5426a2 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ ver. 0.8.11 (2013/XX/XXX) - wanna-be-released
    * fail2ban-client -- log to standard error. Closes gh-264
    * Fail to configure if not a single log file was found for an
      enabled jail. Closes gh-63
+  Alexander Dietrich
+   * action.d/sendmail-common.conf -- added common sendmail settings file
+     and made the sender display name configurable
 
 ver. 0.8.10 (2013/06/12) - wanna-be-secure
 -----------
diff --git a/config/action.d/sendmail-buffered.conf b/config/action.d/sendmail-buffered.conf
index bec1e91c..f5ca6c10 100644
--- a/config/action.d/sendmail-buffered.conf
+++ b/config/action.d/sendmail-buffered.conf
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 #
 #
 
+[INCLUDES]
+
+before = sendmail-common.conf
+
 [Definition]
 
 # Option:  actionstart
@@ -11,7 +15,7 @@
 # Values:  CMD
 #
 actionstart = printf %%b "Subject: [Fail2Ban] <name>: started
-              From: Fail2Ban <<sender>>
+              From: <sendername> <<sender>>
               To: <dest>\n
               Hi,\n
               The jail <name> has been started successfully.\n
@@ -25,7 +29,7 @@ actionstart = printf %%b "Subject: [Fail2Ban] <name>: started
 #
 actionstop = if [ -f <tmpfile> ]; then
                  printf %%b "Subject: [Fail2Ban] <name>: summary
-                 From: Fail2Ban <<sender>>
+                 From: <sendername> <<sender>>
                  To: <dest>\n
                  Hi,\n
                  These hosts have been banned by Fail2Ban.\n
@@ -58,7 +62,7 @@ actionban = printf %%b "`date`: <ip> (<failures> failures)\n" >> <tmpfile>
             LINE=$( wc -l <tmpfile> | awk '{ print $1 }' )
             if [ $LINE -ge <lines> ]; then
                 printf %%b "Subject: [Fail2Ban] <name>: summary
-                From: Fail2Ban <<sender>>
+                From: <sendername> <<sender>>
                 To: <dest>\n
                 Hi,\n
                 These hosts have been banned by Fail2Ban.\n
@@ -82,14 +86,6 @@ actionunban =
 #
 name = default
 
-# Destination/Addressee of the mail
-#
-dest = root
-
-# Sender of the mail
-#
-sender = fail2ban
-
 # Default number of lines that are buffered
 #
 lines = 5
diff --git a/config/action.d/sendmail-common.conf b/config/action.d/sendmail-common.conf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e2820470
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/action.d/sendmail-common.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+# Fail2Ban configuration file
+#
+# Common settings for sendmail actions
+#
+# Users can override the defaults in sendmail-common.local
+
+[INCLUDES]
+
+after = sendmail-common.local
+
+[Init]
+
+# Recipient mail address
+#
+dest = root
+
+# Sender mail address
+#
+sender = fail2ban
+
+# Sender display name
+#
+sendername = Fail2Ban
diff --git a/config/action.d/sendmail-whois-lines.conf b/config/action.d/sendmail-whois-lines.conf
index bc5074c6..2cb27bd2 100644
--- a/config/action.d/sendmail-whois-lines.conf
+++ b/config/action.d/sendmail-whois-lines.conf
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 #
 #
 
+[INCLUDES]
+
+before = sendmail-common.conf
+
 [Definition]
 
 # Option:  actionstart
@@ -12,7 +16,7 @@
 #
 actionstart = printf %%b "Subject: [Fail2Ban] <name>: started
               Date: `LC_TIME=C date -u +"%%a, %%d %%h %%Y %%T +0000"`
-              From: Fail2Ban <<sender>>
+              From: <sendername> <<sender>>
               To: <dest>\n
               Hi,\n
               The jail <name> has been started successfully.\n
@@ -25,7 +29,7 @@ actionstart = printf %%b "Subject: [Fail2Ban] <name>: started
 #
 actionstop = printf %%b "Subject: [Fail2Ban] <name>: stopped
              Date: `LC_TIME=C date -u +"%%a, %%d %%h %%Y %%T +0000"`
-             From: Fail2Ban <<sender>>
+             From: <sendername> <<sender>>
              To: <dest>\n
              Hi,\n
              The jail <name> has been stopped.\n
@@ -46,7 +50,7 @@ actioncheck =
 #
 actionban = printf %%b "Subject: [Fail2Ban] <name>: banned <ip>
             Date: `LC_TIME=C date -u +"%%a, %%d %%h %%Y %%T +0000"`
-            From: Fail2Ban <<sender>>
+            From: <sendername> <<sender>>
             To: <dest>\n
             Hi,\n
             The IP <ip> has just been banned by Fail2Ban after
@@ -72,14 +76,6 @@ actionunban =
 #
 name = default
 
-# Destination/Addressee of the mail
-#
-dest = root
-
-# Sender of the mail
-#
-sender = fail2ban
-
 # Path to the log files which contain relevant lines for the abuser IP
 #
 logpath = /dev/null
diff --git a/config/action.d/sendmail-whois.conf b/config/action.d/sendmail-whois.conf
index 0d1fd97e..b111e19f 100644
--- a/config/action.d/sendmail-whois.conf
+++ b/config/action.d/sendmail-whois.conf
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 #
 #
 
+[INCLUDES]
+
+before = sendmail-common.conf
+
 [Definition]
 
 # Option:  actionstart
@@ -12,7 +16,7 @@
 #
 actionstart = printf %%b "Subject: [Fail2Ban] <name>: started
               Date: `LC_TIME=C date -u +"%%a, %%d %%h %%Y %%T +0000"`
-              From: Fail2Ban <<sender>>
+              From: <sendername> <<sender>>
               To: <dest>\n
               Hi,\n
               The jail <name> has been started successfully.\n
@@ -25,7 +29,7 @@ actionstart = printf %%b "Subject: [Fail2Ban] <name>: started
 #
 actionstop = printf %%b "Subject: [Fail2Ban] <name>: stopped
              Date: `LC_TIME=C date -u +"%%a, %%d %%h %%Y %%T +0000"`
-             From: Fail2Ban <<sender>>
+             From: <sendername> <<sender>>
              To: <dest>\n
              Hi,\n
              The jail <name> has been stopped.\n
@@ -46,7 +50,7 @@ actioncheck =
 #
 actionban = printf %%b "Subject: [Fail2Ban] <name>: banned <ip>
             Date: `LC_TIME=C date -u +"%%a, %%d %%h %%Y %%T +0000"`
-            From: Fail2Ban <<sender>>
+            From: <sendername> <<sender>>
             To: <dest>\n
             Hi,\n
             The IP <ip> has just been banned by Fail2Ban after
@@ -70,11 +74,3 @@ actionunban =
 #
 name = default
 
-# Destination/Addressee of the mail
-#
-dest = root
-
-# Sender of the mail
-#
-sender = fail2ban
-
diff --git a/config/action.d/sendmail.conf b/config/action.d/sendmail.conf
index 8054050d..55d388fc 100644
--- a/config/action.d/sendmail.conf
+++ b/config/action.d/sendmail.conf
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 #
 #
 
+[INCLUDES]
+
+before = sendmail-common.conf
+
 [Definition]
 
 # Option:  actionstart
@@ -12,7 +16,7 @@
 #
 actionstart = printf %%b "Subject: [Fail2Ban] <name>: started
               Date: `LC_TIME=C date -u +"%%a, %%d %%h %%Y %%T +0000"`
-              From: Fail2Ban <<sender>>
+              From: <sendername> <<sender>>
               To: <dest>\n
               Hi,\n
               The jail <name> has been started successfully.\n
@@ -25,7 +29,7 @@ actionstart = printf %%b "Subject: [Fail2Ban] <name>: started
 #
 actionstop = printf %%b "Subject: [Fail2Ban] <name>: stopped
              Date: `LC_TIME=C date -u +"%%a, %%d %%h %%Y %%T +0000"`
-             From: Fail2Ban <<sender>>
+             From: <sendername> <<sender>>
              To: <dest>\n
              Hi,\n
              The jail <name> has been stopped.\n
@@ -46,7 +50,7 @@ actioncheck =
 #
 actionban = printf %%b "Subject: [Fail2Ban] <name>: banned <ip>
             Date: `LC_TIME=C date -u +"%%a, %%d %%h %%Y %%T +0000"`
-            From: Fail2Ban <<sender>>
+            From: <sendername> <<sender>>
             To: <dest>\n
             Hi,\n
             The IP <ip> has just been banned by Fail2Ban after
@@ -68,11 +72,3 @@ actionunban =
 #
 name = default
 
-# Destination/Addressee of the mail
-#
-dest = root
-
-# Sender of the mail
-#
-sender = fail2ban
-
diff --git a/config/jail.conf b/config/jail.conf
index c999cc7b..e4e7e5b0 100644
--- a/config/jail.conf
+++ b/config/jail.conf
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ enabled  = false
 filter   = sshd
 action   = iptables[name=SSH, port=ssh, protocol=tcp]
            sendmail-whois[name=SSH, dest=you@example.com, sender=fail2ban@example.com]
+# Alternative example:
+#          sendmail-whois[name=SSH, sendername="Fail2Ban - example.com"]
 logpath  = /var/log/sshd.log
 maxretry = 5