diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 960f817..033adf0 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ Alternatively you can donate cryptocurrencies:
         instance_url=https://mastodon.social
         user_credentials=feed2toot_usercred.txt
         client_credentials=feed2toot_clientcred.txt
+        ; Default visibility is public, but you can override it:
+        ; toot_visibility=unlisted
 
         [cache]
         cachefile=cache.db
diff --git a/docs/source/configure.rst b/docs/source/configure.rst
index 38c963e..f354ce8 100644
--- a/docs/source/configure.rst
+++ b/docs/source/configure.rst
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ In order to configure Feed2toot, you need to create a feed2toot.ini file (or any
     ; Here you need the two files created by register_feed2toot_app
     user_credentials=/etc/feed2toot/credentials/feed2toot_usercred.txt
     client_credentials=/etc/feed2toot/credentials/feed2toot_clientcred.txt
+    ; Default visibility is public, but you can override it:
+    ; toot_visibility=unlisted
 
     [cache]
     cachefile=/var/lib/feed2toot/feed2toot.db
@@ -47,6 +49,12 @@ For the [mastodon] section:
 - instance_url: the url of your Mastodon instance
 - user_credentials: a file with the user credentials, generated by the command register_feed2toot_app
 - client_credentials: a file with the client credentials, generated by the command register_feed2toot_app
+- toot_visibility: any of the valid options for the *visibility* field
+  `here`__.
+  Default is *public*, but *unlisted* prevents flooding
+  the instance's public timeline (which is more polite).
+
+__ https://github.com/tootsuite/documentation/blob/master/Using-the-API/API.md#posting-a-new-status
 
 For the [cache] section:
 
diff --git a/feed2toot/main.py b/feed2toot/main.py
old mode 100755
new mode 100644
index 7869f0f..733bd49
--- a/feed2toot/main.py
+++ b/feed2toot/main.py
@@ -189,13 +189,21 @@ class Main(object):
                         
                     if clioptions.dryrun:
                         if entrytosend:
-                            logging.warning('Tweet should have been sent: {tweet}'.format(tweet=finaltweet))
+                            logging.warning('Would toot with visibility "{visibility}": {toot}'.format(
+                                toot=finaltweet,
+                                visibility=config.get(
+                                    'mastodon', 'toot_visibility',
+                                    fallback='public')))
                         else:
                             logging.debug('This rss entry did not meet pattern criteria. Should have not been sent')
                     else:
                         storeit = True
                         if entrytosend and not clioptions.populate:
-                            logging.debug('sending the following tweet:{tweet}'.format(tweet=finaltweet))
+                            logging.debug('Tooting with visibility "{visibility}": {toot}'.format(
+                                toot=finaltweet,
+                                visibility=config.get(
+                                    'mastodon', 'toot_visibility',
+                                    fallback='public')))
                             twp = TootPost(config, finaltweet)
                             storeit = twp.storeit()
                         else:
diff --git a/feed2toot/tootpost.py b/feed2toot/tootpost.py
index bad5684..c40c4ee 100644
--- a/feed2toot/tootpost.py
+++ b/feed2toot/tootpost.py
@@ -44,7 +44,9 @@ class TootPost:
             access_token = self.config.get('mastodon', 'user_credentials'),
             api_base_url = self.config.get('mastodon', 'instance_url')
         )
-        mastodon.toot(self.toot)
+        mastodon.status_post(self.toot,
+            visibility=self.config.get(
+                'mastodon', 'toot_visibility', fallback='public'))
 
     def storeit(self):
         '''Indicate if the tweet should be stored or not'''