diff --git a/src/vs/editor/browser/viewParts/minimap/minimap.ts b/src/vs/editor/browser/viewParts/minimap/minimap.ts
index 65a8f43f5bb..93f2a8da00f 100644
--- a/src/vs/editor/browser/viewParts/minimap/minimap.ts
+++ b/src/vs/editor/browser/viewParts/minimap/minimap.ts
@@ -28,7 +28,30 @@ import * as viewEvents from 'vs/editor/common/view/viewEvents';
 const enum RenderMinimap {
 	None = 0,
 	Small = 1,
-	Large = 2
+	Large = 2,
+	Blocks = 3,
+}
+
+function getMinimapLineHeight(renderMinimap: RenderMinimap): number {
+	if (renderMinimap === RenderMinimap.Large) {
+		return Constants.x2_CHAR_HEIGHT;
+	}
+	if (renderMinimap === RenderMinimap.Small) {
+		return Constants.x1_CHAR_HEIGHT;
+	}
+	// RenderMinimap.Blocks
+	return 3;
+}
+
+function getMinimapCharWidth(renderMinimap: RenderMinimap): number {
+	if (renderMinimap === RenderMinimap.Large) {
+		return Constants.x2_CHAR_WIDTH;
+	}
+	if (renderMinimap === RenderMinimap.Small) {
+		return Constants.x1_CHAR_WIDTH;
+	}
+	// RenderMinimap.Blocks
+	return 1;
 }
 
 class MinimapOptions {
@@ -127,7 +150,7 @@ class MinimapLayout {
 		scrollbarSliderCenter: number
 	) {
 		const pixelRatio = options.pixelRatio;
-		const minimapLineHeight = (options.renderMinimap === RenderMinimap.Large ? Constants.x2_CHAR_HEIGHT : Constants.x1_CHAR_HEIGHT);
+		const minimapLineHeight = getMinimapLineHeight(options.renderMinimap);
 		const minimapLinesFitting = Math.floor(options.canvasInnerHeight / minimapLineHeight);
 		const lineHeight = options.lineHeight;
 
@@ -419,7 +442,7 @@ export class Minimap extends ViewPart {
 			if (!this._lastRenderData) {
 				return;
 			}
-			const minimapLineHeight = (renderMinimap === RenderMinimap.Large ? Constants.x2_CHAR_HEIGHT : Constants.x1_CHAR_HEIGHT);
+			const minimapLineHeight = getMinimapLineHeight(renderMinimap);
 			const internalOffsetY = this._options.pixelRatio * e.browserEvent.offsetY;
 			const lineIndex = Math.floor(internalOffsetY / minimapLineHeight);
 
@@ -550,7 +573,7 @@ export class Minimap extends ViewPart {
 
 		const startLineNumber = layout.startLineNumber;
 		const endLineNumber = layout.endLineNumber;
-		const minimapLineHeight = (renderMinimap === RenderMinimap.Large ? Constants.x2_CHAR_HEIGHT : Constants.x1_CHAR_HEIGHT);
+		const minimapLineHeight = getMinimapLineHeight(renderMinimap);
 
 		const imageData = this._getBuffer();
 
@@ -693,7 +716,7 @@ export class Minimap extends ViewPart {
 	): void {
 		const content = lineData.content;
 		const tokens = lineData.tokens;
-		const charWidth = (renderMinimap === RenderMinimap.Large ? Constants.x2_CHAR_WIDTH : Constants.x1_CHAR_WIDTH);
+		const charWidth = getMinimapCharWidth(renderMinimap);
 		const maxDx = target.width - charWidth;
 
 		let dx = 0;
@@ -724,8 +747,10 @@ export class Minimap extends ViewPart {
 				} else {
 					if (renderMinimap === RenderMinimap.Large) {
 						minimapCharRenderer.x2RenderChar(target, dx, dy, charCode, tokenColor, backgroundColor, useLighterFont);
-					} else {
+					} else if (renderMinimap === RenderMinimap.Small) {
 						minimapCharRenderer.x1RenderChar(target, dx, dy, charCode, tokenColor, backgroundColor, useLighterFont);
+					} else {
+						minimapCharRenderer.blockRenderChar(target, dx, dy, tokenColor, backgroundColor, useLighterFont);
 					}
 					dx += charWidth;
 				}
diff --git a/src/vs/editor/common/config/commonEditorConfig.ts b/src/vs/editor/common/config/commonEditorConfig.ts
index 4fbcff01a72..dba1ab9a982 100644
--- a/src/vs/editor/common/config/commonEditorConfig.ts
+++ b/src/vs/editor/common/config/commonEditorConfig.ts
@@ -185,6 +185,7 @@ class InternalEditorOptionsHelper {
 			scrollbarArrowSize: scrollbar.arrowSize,
 			verticalScrollbarHasArrows: scrollbar.verticalHasArrows,
 			minimap: minimap.enabled,
+			minimapRenderText: minimap.renderText,
 			pixelRatio: pixelRatio
 		});
 
@@ -371,7 +372,8 @@ class InternalEditorOptionsHelper {
 
 	private static _sanitizeMinimapOpts(raw: editorCommon.IEditorMinimapOptions): editorCommon.InternalEditorMinimapOptions {
 		return new editorCommon.InternalEditorMinimapOptions({
-			enabled: toBooleanWithDefault(raw.enabled, false)
+			enabled: toBooleanWithDefault(raw.enabled, false),
+			renderText: toBooleanWithDefault(raw.renderText, true),
 		});
 	}
 }
@@ -670,6 +672,11 @@ const editorConfiguration: IConfigurationNode = {
 			'default': DefaultConfig.editor.minimap.enabled,
 			'description': nls.localize('minimap.enabled', "Controls if the minimap is shown")
 		},
+		'editor.minimap.renderText': {
+			'type': 'boolean',
+			'default': DefaultConfig.editor.minimap.renderText,
+			'description': nls.localize('minimap.renderText', "Render the actual text on a line (as opposed to color blocks)")
+		},
 		'editor.wordWrap': {
 			'type': 'string',
 			'enum': ['off', 'on', 'fixed', 'clamped'],
diff --git a/src/vs/editor/common/config/defaultConfig.ts b/src/vs/editor/common/config/defaultConfig.ts
index 963fab4e64c..184c8f9780b 100644
--- a/src/vs/editor/common/config/defaultConfig.ts
+++ b/src/vs/editor/common/config/defaultConfig.ts
@@ -57,7 +57,8 @@ class ConfigClass implements IConfiguration {
 				horizontalHasArrows: false
 			},
 			minimap: {
-				enabled: false
+				enabled: false,
+				renderText: true
 			},
 			fixedOverflowWidgets: false,
 			overviewRulerLanes: 2,
diff --git a/src/vs/editor/common/editorCommon.ts b/src/vs/editor/common/editorCommon.ts
index 6e8c09956c0..d5e2af6718c 100644
--- a/src/vs/editor/common/editorCommon.ts
+++ b/src/vs/editor/common/editorCommon.ts
@@ -163,6 +163,11 @@ export interface IEditorMinimapOptions {
 	 * Defaults to false.
 	 */
 	enabled?: boolean;
+	/**
+	 * Render the actual text on a line (as opposed to color blocks).
+	 * Defaults to true.
+	 */
+	renderText?: boolean;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -642,14 +647,17 @@ export class InternalEditorMinimapOptions {
 	readonly _internalEditorMinimapOptionsBrand: void;
 
 	readonly enabled: boolean;
+	readonly renderText: boolean;
 
 	/**
 	 * @internal
 	 */
 	constructor(source: {
 		enabled: boolean;
+		renderText: boolean;
 	}) {
 		this.enabled = Boolean(source.enabled);
+		this.renderText = Boolean(source.renderText);
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -658,6 +666,7 @@ export class InternalEditorMinimapOptions {
 	public equals(other: InternalEditorMinimapOptions): boolean {
 		return (
 			this.enabled === other.enabled
+			&& this.renderText === other.renderText
 		);
 	}
 
@@ -2815,7 +2824,8 @@ export class OverviewRulerPosition {
 export enum RenderMinimap {
 	None = 0,
 	Small = 1,
-	Large = 2
+	Large = 2,
+	Blocks = 3,
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/vs/editor/common/view/minimapCharRenderer.ts b/src/vs/editor/common/view/minimapCharRenderer.ts
index e829cc911c2..eb244dad094 100644
--- a/src/vs/editor/common/view/minimapCharRenderer.ts
+++ b/src/vs/editor/common/view/minimapCharRenderer.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@ export class MinimapTokensColorTracker {
 
 	private _updateColorMap(): void {
 		const colorMap = TokenizationRegistry.getColorMap();
+		if (!colorMap) {
+			this._colors = [null];
+			this._backgroundIsLight = true;
+			return;
+		}
 		this._colors = [null];
 		for (let colorId = 1; colorId < colorMap.length; colorId++) {
 			this._colors[colorId] = colorMap[colorId].toRGBA();
@@ -229,4 +234,43 @@ export class MinimapCharRenderer {
 			dest[destOffset + 2] = backgroundB + deltaB * c;
 		}
 	}
+
+	public blockRenderChar(target: ImageData, dx: number, dy: number, color: RGBA, backgroundColor: RGBA, useLighterFont: boolean): void {
+		if (dx + Constants.x1_CHAR_WIDTH > target.width || dy + Constants.x1_CHAR_HEIGHT > target.height) {
+			console.warn('bad render request outside image data');
+			return;
+		}
+
+		const outWidth = target.width * Constants.RGBA_CHANNELS_CNT;
+
+		const c = 0.5;
+
+		const backgroundR = backgroundColor.r;
+		const backgroundG = backgroundColor.g;
+		const backgroundB = backgroundColor.b;
+
+		const deltaR = color.r - backgroundR;
+		const deltaG = color.g - backgroundG;
+		const deltaB = color.b - backgroundB;
+
+		const colorR = backgroundR + deltaR * c;;
+		const colorG = backgroundG + deltaG * c;
+		const colorB = backgroundB + deltaB * c;
+
+		const dest = target.data;
+
+		let destOffset = dy * outWidth + dx * Constants.RGBA_CHANNELS_CNT;
+		{
+			dest[destOffset + 0] = colorR;
+			dest[destOffset + 1] = colorG;
+			dest[destOffset + 2] = colorB;
+		}
+
+		destOffset += outWidth;
+		{
+			dest[destOffset + 0] = colorR;
+			dest[destOffset + 1] = colorG;
+			dest[destOffset + 2] = colorB;
+		}
+	}
 }
diff --git a/src/vs/editor/common/viewLayout/editorLayoutProvider.ts b/src/vs/editor/common/viewLayout/editorLayoutProvider.ts
index 033fb70539d..23c3621f531 100644
--- a/src/vs/editor/common/viewLayout/editorLayoutProvider.ts
+++ b/src/vs/editor/common/viewLayout/editorLayoutProvider.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ export interface IEditorLayoutProviderOpts {
 	horizontalScrollbarHeight: number;
 
 	minimap: boolean;
+	minimapRenderText: boolean;
 	pixelRatio: number;
 }
 
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ export class EditorLayoutProvider {
 		const scrollbarArrowSize = _opts.scrollbarArrowSize | 0;
 		const horizontalScrollbarHeight = _opts.horizontalScrollbarHeight | 0;
 		const minimap = Boolean(_opts.minimap);
+		const minimapRenderText = Boolean(_opts.minimapRenderText);
 		const pixelRatio = Number(_opts.pixelRatio);
 
 		let lineNumbersWidth = 0;
@@ -77,11 +79,16 @@ export class EditorLayoutProvider {
 			contentWidth = remainingWidth;
 		} else {
 			let minimapCharWidth: number;
-			if (pixelRatio >= 2) {
-				renderMinimap = RenderMinimap.Large;
-				minimapCharWidth = 2 / pixelRatio;
+			if (minimapRenderText) {
+				if (pixelRatio >= 2) {
+					renderMinimap = RenderMinimap.Large;
+					minimapCharWidth = 2 / pixelRatio;
+				} else {
+					renderMinimap = RenderMinimap.Small;
+					minimapCharWidth = 1 / pixelRatio;
+				}
 			} else {
-				renderMinimap = RenderMinimap.Small;
+				renderMinimap = RenderMinimap.Blocks;
 				minimapCharWidth = 1 / pixelRatio;
 			}
 
diff --git a/src/vs/editor/test/common/viewLayout/editorLayoutProvider.test.ts b/src/vs/editor/test/common/viewLayout/editorLayoutProvider.test.ts
index 3e67f31cfe8..f9936e7d48f 100644
--- a/src/vs/editor/test/common/viewLayout/editorLayoutProvider.test.ts
+++ b/src/vs/editor/test/common/viewLayout/editorLayoutProvider.test.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ suite('Editor ViewLayout - EditorLayoutProvider', () => {
 			scrollbarArrowSize: 0,
 			verticalScrollbarHasArrows: false,
 			minimap: false,
+			minimapRenderText: true,
 			pixelRatio: 1,
 		}, new EditorLayoutInfo({
 			width: 1000,
@@ -86,6 +87,7 @@ suite('Editor ViewLayout - EditorLayoutProvider', () => {
 			scrollbarArrowSize: 13,
 			verticalScrollbarHasArrows: true,
 			minimap: false,
+			minimapRenderText: true,
 			pixelRatio: 1,
 		}, new EditorLayoutInfo({
 			width: 1000,
@@ -140,6 +142,7 @@ suite('Editor ViewLayout - EditorLayoutProvider', () => {
 			scrollbarArrowSize: 0,
 			verticalScrollbarHasArrows: false,
 			minimap: false,
+			minimapRenderText: true,
 			pixelRatio: 1,
 		}, new EditorLayoutInfo({
 			width: 900,
@@ -194,6 +197,7 @@ suite('Editor ViewLayout - EditorLayoutProvider', () => {
 			scrollbarArrowSize: 0,
 			verticalScrollbarHasArrows: false,
 			minimap: false,
+			minimapRenderText: true,
 			pixelRatio: 1,
 		}, new EditorLayoutInfo({
 			width: 900,
@@ -248,6 +252,7 @@ suite('Editor ViewLayout - EditorLayoutProvider', () => {
 			scrollbarArrowSize: 0,
 			verticalScrollbarHasArrows: false,
 			minimap: false,
+			minimapRenderText: true,
 			pixelRatio: 1,
 		}, new EditorLayoutInfo({
 			width: 900,
@@ -302,6 +307,7 @@ suite('Editor ViewLayout - EditorLayoutProvider', () => {
 			scrollbarArrowSize: 0,
 			verticalScrollbarHasArrows: false,
 			minimap: false,
+			minimapRenderText: true,
 			pixelRatio: 1,
 		}, new EditorLayoutInfo({
 			width: 900,
@@ -356,6 +362,7 @@ suite('Editor ViewLayout - EditorLayoutProvider', () => {
 			scrollbarArrowSize: 0,
 			verticalScrollbarHasArrows: false,
 			minimap: false,
+			minimapRenderText: true,
 			pixelRatio: 1,
 		}, new EditorLayoutInfo({
 			width: 900,
@@ -410,6 +417,7 @@ suite('Editor ViewLayout - EditorLayoutProvider', () => {
 			scrollbarArrowSize: 0,
 			verticalScrollbarHasArrows: false,
 			minimap: false,
+			minimapRenderText: true,
 			pixelRatio: 1,
 		}, new EditorLayoutInfo({
 			width: 900,
@@ -464,6 +472,7 @@ suite('Editor ViewLayout - EditorLayoutProvider', () => {
 			scrollbarArrowSize: 0,
 			verticalScrollbarHasArrows: false,
 			minimap: false,
+			minimapRenderText: true,
 			pixelRatio: 1,
 		}, new EditorLayoutInfo({
 			width: 900,
@@ -518,6 +527,7 @@ suite('Editor ViewLayout - EditorLayoutProvider', () => {
 			scrollbarArrowSize: 0,
 			verticalScrollbarHasArrows: false,
 			minimap: false,
+			minimapRenderText: true,
 			pixelRatio: 1,
 		}, new EditorLayoutInfo({
 			width: 900,
@@ -572,6 +582,7 @@ suite('Editor ViewLayout - EditorLayoutProvider', () => {
 			scrollbarArrowSize: 0,
 			verticalScrollbarHasArrows: false,
 			minimap: true,
+			minimapRenderText: true,
 			pixelRatio: 1,
 		}, new EditorLayoutInfo({
 			width: 1000,
@@ -626,6 +637,7 @@ suite('Editor ViewLayout - EditorLayoutProvider', () => {
 			scrollbarArrowSize: 0,
 			verticalScrollbarHasArrows: false,
 			minimap: true,
+			minimapRenderText: true,
 			pixelRatio: 2,
 		}, new EditorLayoutInfo({
 			width: 1000,
@@ -680,6 +692,7 @@ suite('Editor ViewLayout - EditorLayoutProvider', () => {
 			scrollbarArrowSize: 0,
 			verticalScrollbarHasArrows: false,
 			minimap: true,
+			minimapRenderText: true,
 			pixelRatio: 4,
 		}, new EditorLayoutInfo({
 			width: 1000,
diff --git a/src/vs/monaco.d.ts b/src/vs/monaco.d.ts
index 474cffa240d..067d41398b6 100644
--- a/src/vs/monaco.d.ts
+++ b/src/vs/monaco.d.ts
@@ -1085,6 +1085,11 @@ declare module monaco.editor {
          * Defaults to false.
          */
         enabled?: boolean;
+        /**
+         * Render the actual text on a line (as opposed to color blocks).
+         * Defaults to true.
+         */
+        renderText?: boolean;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -1498,6 +1503,7 @@ declare module monaco.editor {
     export class InternalEditorMinimapOptions {
         readonly _internalEditorMinimapOptionsBrand: void;
         readonly enabled: boolean;
+        readonly renderText: boolean;
     }
 
     export class EditorWrappingInfo {
@@ -2590,6 +2596,7 @@ declare module monaco.editor {
         None = 0,
         Small = 1,
         Large = 2,
+        Blocks = 3,
     }
 
     /**