diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/__init__.py b/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/__init__.py
index 173daeac1b..8540808468 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/__init__.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/__init__.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ d['editor_font_family'] = None
 d['editor_font_size'] = 12
 d['editor_line_wrap'] = True
 d['editor_tab_stop_width'] = 2
+d['editor_show_char_under_cursor'] = True
 d['replace_entities_as_typed'] = True
 d['preview_refresh_time'] = 2
 d['choose_tweak_fmt'] = True
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/editor/widget.py b/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/editor/widget.py
index 423fd86539..e9f0cfa3b1 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/editor/widget.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/editor/widget.py
@@ -215,7 +215,11 @@ class Editor(QMainWindow):
     @property
     def cursor_position(self):
         c = self.editor.textCursor()
-        return (c.blockNumber() + 1, c.positionInBlock())
+        char = ''
+        if not c.atEnd():
+            c.setPosition(c.position()+1, c.KeepAnchor)
+            char = unicode(c.selectedText())
+        return (c.blockNumber() + 1, c.positionInBlock(), char)
 
     def cut(self):
         self.editor.cut()
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/preferences.py b/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/preferences.py
index 3ee33e4b7f..23555f3098 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/preferences.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/preferences.py
@@ -180,6 +180,10 @@ class EditorSettings(BasicSettings):
             ' happens only when the trailing semi-colon is typed.'))
         l.addRow(lw)
 
+        lw = self('editor_show_char_under_cursor')
+        lw.setText(_('Show the name of the current character under the cursor along with the line and column number'))
+        l.addRow(lw)
+
 class IntegrationSettings(BasicSettings):
 
     def __init__(self, parent=None):
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/ui.py b/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/ui.py
index efd35c44ad..3a73288fe2 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/ui.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/tweak_book/ui.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ from __future__ import (unicode_literals, division, absolute_import,
 __license__ = 'GPL v3'
 __copyright__ = '2013, Kovid Goyal <kovid at kovidgoyal.net>'
 
+import unicodedata
 from functools import partial
 from itertools import product
 from future_builtins import map
@@ -180,11 +181,15 @@ class CursorPositionWidget(QWidget):  # {{{
         f.setBold(False)
         self.la.setFont(f)
 
-    def update_position(self, line=None, col=None):
+    def update_position(self, line=None, col=None, character=None):
         if line is None:
             self.la.setText('')
         else:
-            self.la.setText(_('Line: {0} : {1}').format(line, col))
+            name = unicodedata.name(character) if character else None
+            text = _('Line: {0} : {1}').format(line, col)
+            if name:
+                text = name + ' : ' + text
+            self.la.setText(text)
 # }}}
 
 class Main(MainWindow):