diff --git a/config/galaxy.ini.sample b/config/galaxy.ini.sample
index f4fb4f8b54d..48112acd0b9 100644
--- a/config/galaxy.ini.sample
+++ b/config/galaxy.ini.sample
@@ -1205,6 +1205,8 @@ use_interactive = True
 #enable_communication_server = False
 #communication_server_host = http://localhost
 #communication_server_port = 7070
+# persistent_communication_rooms is a comma-separated list of rooms that should be always available.
+#persistent_communication_rooms = 
 
 
 # ---- Galaxy External Message Queue -------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/lib/galaxy/config.py b/lib/galaxy/config.py
index 3f6d44e811d..723bb065583 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/config.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/config.py
@@ -222,6 +222,7 @@ class Configuration( object ):
         self.enable_communication_server = string_as_bool( kwargs.get( 'enable_communication_server', 'False' ) )
         self.communication_server_host = kwargs.get( 'communication_server_host', 'http://localhost' )
         self.communication_server_port = int( kwargs.get( 'communication_server_port', '7070' ) )
+        self.persistent_communication_rooms = listify( kwargs.get( "persistent_communication_rooms", [] ), do_strip=True )
         # External Service types used in sample tracking
         self.external_service_type_path = resolve_path( kwargs.get( 'external_service_type_path', 'external_service_types' ), self.root )
         # Tasked job runner.