diff --git a/lib/reporters/progress.js b/lib/reporters/progress.js
index 378ce38272..9d545534bc 100644
--- a/lib/reporters/progress.js
+++ b/lib/reporters/progress.js
@@ -39,11 +39,13 @@ function Progress (runner, options) {
 
   // default chars
   options = options || {};
-  options.open = options.open || '[';
-  options.complete = options.complete || '▬';
-  options.incomplete = options.incomplete || Base.symbols.dot;
-  options.close = options.close || ']';
-  options.verbose = false;
+  var reporterOptions = options.reporterOptions || {};
+
+  options.open = reporterOptions.open || '[';
+  options.complete = reporterOptions.complete || '▬';
+  options.incomplete = reporterOptions.incomplete || Base.symbols.dot;
+  options.close = reporterOptions.close || ']';
+  options.verbose = reporterOptions.verbose || false;
 
   // tests started
   runner.on('start', function () {
diff --git a/test/reporters/progress.spec.js b/test/reporters/progress.spec.js
index ac81a2d4d8..45ab2f42b8 100644
--- a/test/reporters/progress.spec.js
+++ b/test/reporters/progress.spec.js
@@ -90,13 +90,16 @@ describe('Progress reporter', function () {
           incomplete: expectedIncomplete,
           close: expectedClose
         };
+        var options = {
+          reporterOptions: expectedOptions
+        };
         runner.total = expectedTotal;
         runner.on = function (event, callback) {
           if (event === 'test end') {
             callback();
           }
         };
-        Progress.call({}, runner, expectedOptions);
+        Progress.call({}, runner, options);
 
         process.stdout.write = stdoutWrite;
         var expectedArray = [