diff --git a/packages/terminal/src/constants.ts b/packages/terminal/src/constants.ts
index d7a9218c64b7..0718848454b4 100644
--- a/packages/terminal/src/constants.ts
+++ b/packages/terminal/src/constants.ts
@@ -96,6 +96,13 @@ export namespace ITerminal {
      * An optional command to run when the session starts.
      */
     initialCommand: string;
+
+    /**
+     * Wether to enable screen reader support.
+     *
+     * Set to false if you run into performance problems from DOM overhead
+     */
+    screenReaderMode: boolean;
   }
 
   /**
@@ -109,7 +116,8 @@ export namespace ITerminal {
     scrollback: 1000,
     shutdownOnClose: false,
     cursorBlink: true,
-    initialCommand: ''
+    initialCommand: '',
+    screenReaderMode: true
   };
 
   /**
diff --git a/packages/terminal/src/widget.ts b/packages/terminal/src/widget.ts
index cc29c4188fd9..4970c2981ef9 100644
--- a/packages/terminal/src/widget.ts
+++ b/packages/terminal/src/widget.ts
@@ -46,7 +46,10 @@ export class Terminal extends Widget implements ITerminal.ITerminal {
     this._options = { ...ITerminal.defaultOptions, ...options };
 
     const { initialCommand, theme, ...other } = this._options;
-    const xtermOptions = { theme: Private.getXTermTheme(theme), ...other };
+    const xtermOptions = {
+      theme: Private.getXTermTheme(theme),
+      ...other
+    };
 
     this.addClass(TERMINAL_CLASS);