diff --git a/lib/awful/placement.lua b/lib/awful/placement.lua
index 96abc0562..47ee330e2 100644
--- a/lib/awful/placement.lua
+++ b/lib/awful/placement.lua
@@ -262,16 +262,19 @@ local resize_to_point_map = {
 }
 
 -- Outer position matrix
--- 1=best case, 2=fallback
 local outer_positions = {
-    left1   = function(r, w, _) return {x=r.x-w        , y=r.y            }, "down"  end,
-    left2   = function(r, w, h) return {x=r.x-w        , y=r.y-h+r.height }, "up"    end,
-    right1  = function(r, _, _) return {x=r.x          , y=r.y            }, "down"  end,
-    right2  = function(r, _, h) return {x=r.x          , y=r.y-h+r.height }, "up"    end,
-    top1    = function(r, _, h) return {x=r.x          , y=r.y-h          }, "right" end,
-    top2    = function(r, w, h) return {x=r.x-w+r.width, y=r.y-h          }, "left"  end,
-    bottom1 = function(r, _, _) return {x=r.x          , y=r.y            }, "right" end,
-    bottom2 = function(r, w, _) return {x=r.x-w+r.width, y=r.y            }, "left"  end,
+    left_front    = function(r, w, _) return {x=r.x-w            , y=r.y                }, "front"  end,
+    left_back     = function(r, w, h) return {x=r.x-w            , y=r.y-h+r.height     }, "back"   end,
+    left_middle   = function(r, w, h) return {x=r.x-w            , y=r.y-h/2+r.height/2 }, "middle" end,
+    right_front   = function(r, _, _) return {x=r.x              , y=r.y                }, "front"  end,
+    right_back    = function(r, _, h) return {x=r.x              , y=r.y-h+r.height     }, "back"   end,
+    right_middle  = function(r, _, h) return {x=r.x              , y=r.y-h/2+r.height/2 }, "middle" end,
+    top_front     = function(r, _, h) return {x=r.x              , y=r.y-h              }, "front"  end,
+    top_back      = function(r, w, h) return {x=r.x-w+r.width    , y=r.y-h              }, "back"   end,
+    top_middle    = function(r, w, h) return {x=r.x-w/2+r.width/2, y=r.y-h              }, "middle" end,
+    bottom_front  = function(r, _, _) return {x=r.x              , y=r.y                }, "front"  end,
+    bottom_back   = function(r, w, _) return {x=r.x-w+r.width    , y=r.y                }, "back"   end,
+    bottom_middle = function(r, w, _) return {x=r.x-w/2+r.width/2, y=r.y                }, "middle" end,
 }
 
 --- Add a context to the arguments.
@@ -1353,28 +1356,55 @@ end
 
 --- Move a drawable to a relative position next to another one.
 --
+-- This placement function offers two additional settings to align the drawable
+-- alongside the parent geometry. The first one, the position, sets the side
+-- relative to the parent. The second one, the anchor, set the alignment within
+-- the side selected by the `preferred_positions`. Both settings are tables of
+-- priorities. The first available slot will be used. If there isn't enough
+-- space, then it will fallback to the next until it is possible to fit the
+-- drawable. This is meant to avoid going offscreen.
+--
 -- The `args.preferred_positions` look like this:
 --
 --    {"top", "right", "left", "bottom"}
 --
+-- The `args.preferred_anchors` are:
+--
+-- * "front": The closest to the origin (0,0)
+-- * "middle": Centered aligned with the parent
+-- * "back": The opposite side compared to `front`
+--
 -- In that case, if there is room on the top of the geometry, then it will have
 -- priority, followed by all the others, in order.
 --
 -- @tparam drawable d A wibox or client
 -- @tparam table args
 -- @tparam string args.mode The mode
--- @tparam string args.preferred_positions The preferred positions (in order)
+-- @tparam string|table args.preferred_positions The preferred positions (in order)
+-- @tparam string|table args.preferred_anchors The preferred anchor(s) (in order)
 -- @tparam string args.geometry A geometry inside the other drawable
 -- @treturn table The new geometry
--- @treturn string The choosen position
--- @treturn string The choosen direction
+-- @treturn string The choosen position ("left", "right", "top" or "bottom")
+-- @treturn string The choosen anchor ("front", "middle" or "back")
 function placement.next_to(d, args)
     args = add_context(args, "next_to")
     d    = d or capi.client.focus
 
-    local preferred_positions = {}
+    local original_pos, original_anchors = args.preferred_positions, args.preferred_anchors
 
-    for k, v in ipairs(args.preferred_positions or {}) do
+    if type(original_pos) == "string" then
+        original_pos = {original_pos}
+    end
+
+    if type(original_anchors) == "string" then
+        original_anchors = {original_anchors}
+    end
+
+    local preferred_positions = {}
+    local preferred_anchors = #(original_anchors or {}) > 0 and
+        original_anchors or {"front", "back", "middle"}
+
+    for k, v in ipairs(original_pos or {}) do
         preferred_positions[v] = k
     end
 
@@ -1406,15 +1436,14 @@ function placement.next_to(d, args)
     -- and order them by preferred_positions
     local does_fit = {}
     for k,v in pairs(regions) do
-        local geo, dir = outer_positions[k.."1"](v, dgeo.width, dgeo.height)
-        geo.width, geo.height = dgeo.width, dgeo.height
-        local fit = fit_in_bounding(v.screen, geo, args)
+        local geo, dir, fit
 
-        -- Try the other compatible geometry
-        if not fit then
-            geo, dir = outer_positions[k.."2"](v, dgeo.width, dgeo.height)
+        -- Try each anchor until one that fits is found
+        for _, anchor in ipairs(preferred_anchors) do
+            geo, dir = outer_positions[k.."_"..anchor](v, dgeo.width, dgeo.height)
             geo.width, geo.height = dgeo.width, dgeo.height
             fit = fit_in_bounding(v.screen, geo, args)
+            if fit then break end
         end
 
         does_fit[k] = fit and {geo, dir} or nil