diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0aff0c61..5d8df241 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -90,6 +90,37 @@ $ sql-migrate status
 | 2_record.sql  | no                                      |
 +---------------+-----------------------------------------+
 ```
+#### Migration Prefix
+
+The `new` command will prefix the generated `.sql` files. This prefix is created using the 
+the [Format](https://golang.org/pkg/time/#Time.Format) function of the golang `time` package. 
+
+You can change the format globally or per environment using the `migration-prefix-timeformat`.
+
+If an environment does not define a format, he will the the global one.
+If no format is defined globally, the default one is used.
+The default format is `20060201150405`.
+
+```yml
+# If specified, it will override 
+# the global format.
+migration-prefix-timeformat: "20060201150405"
+
+# Development will use its
+# own format.
+development:
+    dialect: sqlite3
+    datasource: test.db
+    dir: migrations
+    migration-prefix-timeformat: "2006"
+
+# production will use the global format.
+production:
+    dialect: postgres
+    datasource: dbname=myapp sslmode=disable
+    dir: migrations/postgres
+    table: migrations
+```
 
 ### As a library
 Import sql-migrate into your application:
diff --git a/sql-migrate/command_new.go b/sql-migrate/command_new.go
index 97972f43..87ffc4aa 100644
--- a/sql-migrate/command_new.go
+++ b/sql-migrate/command_new.go
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ func CreateMigration(name string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	fileName := fmt.Sprintf("%s-%s.sql", time.Now().Format("20060201150405"), strings.TrimSpace(name))
+	fileName := fmt.Sprintf("%s-%s.sql", time.Now().Format(env.TimeFormat), strings.TrimSpace(name))
 	f, err := os.Create(path.Join(env.Dir, fileName))
 
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/sql-migrate/config.go b/sql-migrate/config.go
index 67906065..9516391a 100644
--- a/sql-migrate/config.go
+++ b/sql-migrate/config.go
@@ -25,30 +25,45 @@ var dialects = map[string]gorp.Dialect{
 
 var ConfigFile string
 var ConfigEnvironment string
+var TimeFormatKey = "migration-prefix-timeformat"
+var DefaultTimeFormat = "20060201150405"
 
 func ConfigFlags(f *flag.FlagSet) {
 	f.StringVar(&ConfigFile, "config", "dbconfig.yml", "Configuration file to use.")
 	f.StringVar(&ConfigEnvironment, "env", "development", "Environment to use.")
 }
 
+type ConfigurationFile struct {
+	TimeFormat string                  `yaml:"migration-prefix-timeformat,omitempty"`
+	Envs       map[string]*Environment `yaml:",inline"`
+}
+
+func (c ConfigurationFile) GetTimeFormat() string {
+	if c.TimeFormat != "" {
+		return c.TimeFormat
+	}
+	return DefaultTimeFormat
+}
+
 type Environment struct {
 	Dialect    string `yaml:"dialect"`
 	DataSource string `yaml:"datasource"`
 	Dir        string `yaml:"dir"`
 	TableName  string `yaml:"table"`
 	SchemaName string `yaml:"schema"`
+	TimeFormat string `yaml:"migration-prefix-timeformat,omitempty"`
 }
 
-func ReadConfig() (map[string]*Environment, error) {
+func ReadConfig() (ConfigurationFile, error) {
 	file, err := ioutil.ReadFile(ConfigFile)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return ConfigurationFile{}, err
 	}
 
-	config := make(map[string]*Environment)
-	err = yaml.Unmarshal(file, config)
+	config := ConfigurationFile{}
+	err = yaml.Unmarshal(file, &config)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return ConfigurationFile{}, err
 	}
 
 	return config, nil
@@ -59,8 +74,7 @@ func GetEnvironment() (*Environment, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-
-	env := config[ConfigEnvironment]
+	env := config.Envs[ConfigEnvironment]
 	if env == nil {
 		return nil, errors.New("No environment: " + ConfigEnvironment)
 	}
@@ -86,6 +100,9 @@ func GetEnvironment() (*Environment, error) {
 		migrate.SetSchema(env.SchemaName)
 	}
 
+	if env.TimeFormat == "" {
+		env.TimeFormat = config.GetTimeFormat()
+	}
 	return env, nil
 }