diff --git a/test/visual/config.hpp b/test/visual/config.hpp
index 974383fa0..366574c06 100644
--- a/test/visual/config.hpp
+++ b/test/visual/config.hpp
@@ -43,6 +43,36 @@ struct map_size
     map_size() { }
     std::size_t width = 0;
     std::size_t height = 0;
+    std::size_t margin_left = 0;
+    std::size_t margin_right = 0;
+    std::size_t margin_top = 0;
+    std::size_t margin_bottom = 0;
+
+    bool has_margin() const
+    {
+        return 0 != (margin_left | margin_right | margin_top | margin_bottom);
+    }
+
+    void inflate_by_margin(mapnik::box2d<double> & box) const
+    {
+        std::size_t xm = margin_left + margin_right;
+        if (xm > 0 && xm < width)
+        {
+            double pixel_width = box.width() / (width - xm);
+            box.minx_ -= pixel_width * margin_left;
+            box.maxx_ += pixel_width * margin_right;
+        }
+        std::size_t ym = margin_top + margin_bottom;
+        if (ym > 0 && ym < height)
+        {
+            double pixel_height = box.height() / (height - ym);
+            // FIXME this will swap top/bottom margins
+            // if map coordinate system has `y` growing in
+            // the same direction as screen coordinates
+            box.maxy_ += pixel_height * margin_top;
+            box.miny_ -= pixel_height * margin_bottom;
+        }
+    }
 };
 
 struct config
diff --git a/test/visual/parse_map_sizes.cpp b/test/visual/parse_map_sizes.cpp
index d0df2db9d..9229d5dc9 100644
--- a/test/visual/parse_map_sizes.cpp
+++ b/test/visual/parse_map_sizes.cpp
@@ -25,20 +25,44 @@
 #pragma GCC diagnostic push
 #include <mapnik/warning_ignore.hpp>
 #include <boost/spirit/home/x3.hpp>
-#include <boost/fusion/include/adapt_struct.hpp>
+#include <boost/fusion/include/at_c.hpp>
+#include <boost/fusion/include/deque.hpp>
 #pragma GCC diagnostic pop
 
-BOOST_FUSION_ADAPT_STRUCT (
-    visual_tests::map_size,
-    (std::size_t, width)
-    (std::size_t, height)
-    )
-
 namespace visual_tests {
 
 namespace x3 = boost::spirit::x3;
+namespace fusion = boost::fusion;
+
+using x3::attr;
 using x3::ulong_;
-auto const map_size_rule = x3::rule<class map_size_rule, map_size> {} = ulong_ >> ',' >> ulong_;
+
+using map_dimspec = fusion::deque<std::size_t, std::size_t, std::size_t>;
+
+auto const map_dimspec_rule = x3::rule<class map_dimspec_rule, map_dimspec>{}
+    = ulong_ >> '+' >> ulong_ >> '+' >> ulong_
+    | attr(0UL)     >> ulong_        >> attr(0UL)
+    ;
+
+auto const map_size_rule = x3::rule<class map_size_rule, map_size> {}
+    = map_dimspec_rule[(
+            [](auto & ctx) {
+                auto & v = _val(ctx);
+                auto a1 = fusion::at_c<1>(_attr(ctx));
+                v.margin_left = fusion::at_c<0>(_attr(ctx));
+                v.margin_right = fusion::at_c<2>(_attr(ctx));
+                v.width = v.margin_left + a1 + v.margin_right;
+            })]
+    >> ','
+    >> map_dimspec_rule[(
+            [](auto & ctx) {
+                auto & v = _val(ctx);
+                auto a1 = fusion::at_c<1>(_attr(ctx));
+                v.margin_top = fusion::at_c<0>(_attr(ctx));
+                v.margin_bottom = fusion::at_c<2>(_attr(ctx));
+                v.height = v.margin_top + a1 + v.margin_bottom;
+            })]
+    ;
 auto const map_sizes_grammar = x3::rule<class map_sizes_grammar_type, std::vector<map_size> > {} =
     map_size_rule  % ';' ;
 
diff --git a/test/visual/runner.cpp b/test/visual/runner.cpp
index 98ac7961f..af0f24ec5 100644
--- a/test/visual/runner.cpp
+++ b/test/visual/runner.cpp
@@ -352,14 +352,19 @@ result_list runner::test_one(runner::path_type const& style_path,
                     }
 
                     map.resize(size.width, size.height);
-                    if (cfg.bbox.valid())
-                    {
-                        map.zoom_to_box(cfg.bbox);
-                    }
-                    else
+
+                    auto bbox = cfg.bbox;
+                    if (!bbox.valid())
                     {
                         map.zoom_all();
+                        bbox = map.get_current_extent();
                     }
+                    if (size.has_margin())
+                    {
+                        size.inflate_by_margin(bbox);
+                    }
+                    map.zoom_to_box(bbox);
+
                     mapnik::util::apply_visitor(renderer_visitor(name,
                                                                  map,
                                                                  tiles_count,