diff --git a/gsjackctl/extension.js b/gsjackctl/extension.js
index 6350c93..4694254 100644
--- a/gsjackctl/extension.js
+++ b/gsjackctl/extension.js
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ const Local = imports.ui.main.extensionManager.lookup('gsjackctl@cbix.de');
 
 const {GLib, GObject} = imports.gi;
 const Main = imports.ui.main;
+const ExtensionUtils = imports.misc.extensionUtils;
+const PopupMenu = imports.ui.popupMenu;
 
 const {Indicator} = Local.imports.gsjackctl.indicator;
 const {Status} = Local.imports.gsjackctl.status;
@@ -40,6 +42,7 @@ var Extension = class Extension {
             this._indicator = new Indicator();
             this._status = new Status();
             this._control = new Control();
+            this._prefs = new PopupMenu.PopupMenuItem('Settings');
             this._indicator.menu.addMenuItem(this._status);
             try {
                 this._a2jControl = new A2jControl();
@@ -48,6 +51,7 @@ var Extension = class Extension {
                 this._a2jControl = false;
                 log('gsjackctl: a2jmidid not available');
             }
+            this._indicator.menu.addMenuItem(this._prefs);
             this._indicator.menu.addMenuItem(this._control);
             Main.panel.addToStatusArea(this._uuid, this._indicator);
 
@@ -87,6 +91,10 @@ var Extension = class Extension {
                 }
             });
 
+            this._prefs.connect('activate', () => {
+                ExtensionUtils.openPrefs();
+            });
+
             this._control.connect('start-jack', () => {
                 try {
                     this._jackctl.StartServerSync();
diff --git a/gsjackctl/prefsWidget.js b/gsjackctl/prefsWidget.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..40ea958
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gsjackctl/prefsWidget.js
@@ -0,0 +1,206 @@
+'use strict';
+
+imports.gi.versions.Gtk = '3.0';
+
+const {GLib, GObject, Gtk} = imports.gi;
+
+let JackConfigure;
+
+try {
+    // const Local = imports.ui.main.extensionManager.lookup('gsjackctl@cbix.de');
+    const ExtensionUtils = imports.misc.extensionUtils;
+    const Local = ExtensionUtils.getCurrentExtension();
+    JackConfigure = Local.imports.jack.jackdbus.JackConfigure;
+} catch (e) {
+    logError(e, 'gsjackctl.prefsWidget');
+    JackConfigure = imports.jack.jackdbus.JackConfigure;
+}
+
+const COL_KEY = 0,
+    COL_VALUE = 1,
+    COL_DEFAULT = 2,
+    COL_DESC = 3,
+    COL_LEAF = 4,
+    COL_ISRANGE = 5,
+    COL_ISSTRICT = 6,
+    COL_ISFAKEVALUE = 7,
+    COL_VALUES = 8,
+    COL_VALUESTRING = 9,
+    COL_DEFAULTSTRING = 10;
+
+/**
+ * CellRendererVariant is a custom Gtk.CellRenderer wrapping different cell
+ * renderers and rendering one based on the parameter value and constraint.
+ * bool → CellRendererToggle
+ * numeric → CellRendererSpin
+ * constraint values → CellRendererCombo
+ * string → CellRendererText
+ */
+var CellRendererVariant = GObject.registerClass({
+    GTypeName: 'CellRendererVariant',
+    Properties: {
+        'value': GObject.param_spec_variant('value', 'Value', 'Configuration Value', new GLib.VariantType('v'), null, GObject.ParamFlags.READWRITE),
+        'default': GObject.param_spec_variant('default', 'Default', 'Default Configuration Value', new GLib.VariantType('v'), null, GObject.ParamFlags.READWRITE),
+    },
+}, class CellRendererVariant extends Gtk.CellRenderer {
+    constructor(params) {
+        super(params);
+        this._textRenderer = new Gtk.CellRendererText();
+        this._toggleRenderer = new Gtk.CellRendererToggle();
+        this._comboRenderer = new Gtk.CellRendererCombo();
+        this._spinRenderer = new Gtk.CellRendererSpin();
+    }
+
+    set value(value) {
+        log(`set value: ${value}`);
+        this._value = value;
+        if (!value)
+            return;
+
+        log(`value type: ${value.type_string}`);
+    }
+
+    set default(value) {
+        log(`set default: ${value}`);
+        this._default = value;
+        if (!value)
+            return;
+
+        log(`default type: ${value.type_string}`);
+    }
+}
+);
+
+var PrefsWidget = GObject.registerClass(
+class PrefsWidget extends Gtk.ScrolledWindow {
+    _init(params) {
+        super._init(params);
+
+        this._jackcfg = new JackConfigure();
+
+        log('building prefs widget...');
+
+        this._treeStore = new Gtk.TreeStore();
+        const colTypes = [];
+        colTypes[COL_KEY] = GObject.TYPE_STRING;
+        colTypes[COL_VALUE] = GObject.TYPE_VARIANT;
+        colTypes[COL_DEFAULT] = GObject.TYPE_VARIANT;
+        colTypes[COL_DESC] = GObject.TYPE_STRING;
+        colTypes[COL_LEAF] = GObject.TYPE_BOOLEAN;
+        colTypes[COL_ISFAKEVALUE] = GObject.TYPE_BOOLEAN;
+        colTypes[COL_ISRANGE] = GObject.TYPE_BOOLEAN;
+        colTypes[COL_ISSTRICT] = GObject.TYPE_BOOLEAN;
+        colTypes[COL_VALUES] = GObject.TYPE_VARIANT;
+        colTypes[COL_VALUESTRING] = GObject.TYPE_STRING;
+        colTypes[COL_DEFAULTSTRING] = GObject.TYPE_STRING;
+
+        this._treeStore.set_column_types(colTypes);
+
+        // adaptation of _fullConfigurationTree() traversing for TreeStore
+        const pathStack = [[]],
+            iterStack = [null];
+        while (pathStack.length > 0) {
+            const path = pathStack.pop();
+            const iter = iterStack.pop() || null;
+            const [isLeaf, nodes] = this._jackcfg.ReadContainerSync(path);
+
+            // set leaf flag in store, except for root node
+            if (iter)
+                this._treeStore.set(iter, [COL_LEAF], [isLeaf]);
+
+            if (!isLeaf) {
+                nodes.forEach(node => {
+                    const newPath = path.concat(node);
+                    pathStack.push(newPath);
+                    const newIter = this._treeStore.append(iter);
+                    iterStack.push(newIter);
+                    this._treeStore.set(newIter, [COL_KEY], [node]);
+                });
+            } else {
+                nodes.forEach(node => {
+                    const newPath = path.concat(node);
+                    const [paramInfo] = this._jackcfg.GetParameterInfoSync(newPath);
+                    const paramValue = this._jackcfg.GetParameterValueSync(newPath);
+                    const paramConstraint = this._jackcfg.GetParameterConstraintSync(newPath);
+                    const newIter = this._treeStore.append(iter);
+                    this._treeStore.set(newIter, [
+                        COL_KEY,
+                        COL_VALUE,
+                        COL_DEFAULT,
+                        COL_VALUESTRING,
+                        COL_DEFAULTSTRING,
+                        COL_DESC,
+                        COL_ISRANGE,
+                        COL_ISRANGE,
+                        COL_ISFAKEVALUE,
+                    ], [
+                        paramInfo[1],
+                        paramValue[2],
+                        paramValue[1],
+                        `${paramValue[2].get_type_string()}:${paramValue[2].print(false)}`,
+                        `${paramValue[1].get_type_string()}:${paramValue[1].print(false)}`,
+                        paramInfo[2],
+                        paramConstraint[0],
+                        paramConstraint[1],
+                        paramConstraint[2],
+                    ]);
+                });
+            }
+        }
+
+        this._treeView = new Gtk.TreeView({
+            expand: true,
+            model: this._treeStore,
+        });
+
+        const colKey = new Gtk.TreeViewColumn({title: 'Key'});
+        const colValue = new Gtk.TreeViewColumn({title: 'Value'});
+        const colDefault = new Gtk.TreeViewColumn({title: 'Default'});
+        const colDescription = new Gtk.TreeViewColumn({title: 'Description'});
+        const colTest = new Gtk.TreeViewColumn({
+            title: 'Test',
+        });
+
+        // dynamic renderer
+        const variantRenderer = new CellRendererVariant();
+
+        const normalRenderer = new Gtk.CellRendererText();
+        const toggleRenderer = new Gtk.CellRendererToggle({
+            activatable: true,
+        });
+        toggleRenderer.connect('toggled', (rend, path) => {
+            const [ok, it] = this._treeStore.get_iter_from_string(path);
+            print(`toggled: ${rend.active}, ${ok}`);
+            if (ok)
+                // test
+                this._treeStore.set(it, [COL_ISSTRICT], [!rend.active]);
+
+            // const currentState = this._treeStore.
+        });
+
+        colKey.pack_start(normalRenderer, true);
+        colValue.pack_start(normalRenderer, true);
+        colDefault.pack_start(normalRenderer, true);
+        colDescription.pack_start(normalRenderer, true);
+        colTest.pack_start(variantRenderer, true);
+
+        colKey.add_attribute(normalRenderer, 'text', COL_KEY);
+        colValue.add_attribute(normalRenderer, 'text', COL_VALUESTRING);
+        colDefault.add_attribute(normalRenderer, 'text', COL_DEFAULTSTRING);
+        colDescription.add_attribute(normalRenderer, 'text', COL_DESC);
+        colTest.add_attribute(variantRenderer, 'value', COL_VALUE);
+        colTest.add_attribute(variantRenderer, 'default', COL_DEFAULT);
+
+        this._treeView.insert_column(colKey, 0);
+        this._treeView.insert_column(colValue, 1);
+        this._treeView.insert_column(colDefault, 2);
+        this._treeView.insert_column(colDescription, 3);
+        this._treeView.insert_column(colTest, 4);
+
+        this.add(this._treeView);
+        this.show_all();
+    }
+}
+);
+
+// vim: set sw=4 ts=4 :
diff --git a/jack/jackdbus.js b/jack/jackdbus.js
index ace3169..0749a7b 100644
--- a/jack/jackdbus.js
+++ b/jack/jackdbus.js
@@ -278,6 +278,59 @@ var JackConfigure = class JackConfigure extends _JackdbusProxyConfigure {
             'org.jackaudio.service',
             '/org/jackaudio/Controller'
         );
+
+        // stupid Gio.DBusProxy doesn't make this an actual class so we can't use regular class methods
+        this._fullConfigurationTree = () => {
+            const _traverseObjReducer = (acc, curr) => acc ? acc[curr] : undefined;
+
+            const pathStack = [[]],
+                tree = {};
+            try {
+                // basically a DFS through the configuration tree
+                // probably quite heavy so maybe don't run this too often
+                while (pathStack.length > 0) {
+                    const path = pathStack.pop();
+                    const [isLeaf, nodes] = this.ReadContainerSync(path);
+                    const currentNode = path.reduce(_traverseObjReducer, tree);
+                    if (!isLeaf) {
+                        nodes.forEach(node => {
+                            const newPath = path.concat(node);
+                            // log(`push ${JSON.stringify(newPath)}`);
+                            pathStack.push(newPath);
+                            currentNode[node] = {};
+                        });
+                    } else {
+                        nodes.forEach(node => {
+                            const newPath = path.concat(node);
+                            // TODO refactor this please
+                            // TODO use real values instead of VariantType.print()
+                            const [paramInfo] = this.GetParameterInfoSync(newPath);
+                            const paramValue = this.GetParameterValueSync(newPath);
+                            const paramConstraint = this.GetParameterConstraintSync(newPath);
+
+                            currentNode[node] = {
+                                name: paramInfo[1],
+                                desc: paramInfo[2],
+                                default: paramValue[2].print(true),
+                                value: paramValue[2].print(true),
+                                constraint: {
+                                    isRange: paramConstraint[0],
+                                    isStrict: paramConstraint[1],
+                                    isFakeValue: paramConstraint[2],
+                                    values: paramConstraint[3].map(v => ({
+                                        key: v[0].print(true),
+                                        name: v[1],
+                                    })),
+                                },
+                            };
+                        });
+                    }
+                }
+            } catch (e) {
+                logError(e, 'gsjackctl JackConfigure.fullConfigurationTree');
+            }
+            return tree;
+        };
     }
 };
 
diff --git a/prefs.js b/prefs.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..50e18b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/prefs.js
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+'use strict';
+
+imports.gi.versions.Gtk = '3.0';
+
+const ExtensionUtils = imports.misc.extensionUtils;
+const Local = ExtensionUtils.getCurrentExtension();
+
+const {PrefsWidget} = Local.imports.gsjackctl.prefsWidget;
+
+function init() {
+    log('initializing gsjackctl Preferences');
+}
+
+function buildPrefsWidget() {
+    const widget = new PrefsWidget();
+    widget.show_all();
+    return widget;
+}
+
+// vim: set sw=4 ts=4 :
diff --git a/test/cfg_widget.js b/test/cfg_widget.js
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..3c4dc1a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cfg_widget.js
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env -S gjs -I ..
+
+imports.gi.versions.Gtk = '3.0';
+
+const {Gtk} = imports.gi;
+
+const {PrefsWidget} = imports.gsjackctl.prefsWidget;
+
+class TestWindow {
+    constructor() {
+        this.application = new Gtk.Application({
+            application_id: 'de.cbix.gsjackctl.prefswindow',
+        });
+        this.application.connect('activate', this._onActivate.bind(this));
+        this.application.connect('startup', this._onStartup.bind(this));
+    }
+
+    _onActivate() {
+        this._window.present();
+    }
+
+    _onStartup() {
+        this._buildUI();
+    }
+
+    _buildUI() {
+        this._window = new Gtk.ApplicationWindow({
+            application: this.application,
+            window_position: Gtk.WindowPosition.CENTER,
+            default_height: 250,
+            default_width: 100,
+            title: 'gsjackctl prefs window test',
+        });
+
+        const widget = new PrefsWidget();
+        widget.show_all();
+
+        this._window.add(widget);
+        this._window.show_all();
+    }
+}
+
+try {
+    // const Prefs = imports.prefs;
+    try {
+        print('test widget window');
+
+        const app = new TestWindow();
+        app.application.run(ARGV);
+    } catch (e) {
+        logError(e);
+    }
+} catch (e) {
+    print(e.message);
+}
+
+// vim: set sw=4 ts=4 :
diff --git a/test/dump_cfg.js b/test/dump_cfg.js
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..8562fc7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/dump_cfg.js
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env -S gjs -I ..
+
+// prints the full configuration tree as json. It's recommended to be run through a json pretty-printer, like
+// ./dump_cfg.js | jsonpp
+
+try {
+    const {JackConfigure} = imports.jack.jackdbus;
+
+    try {
+        const jackcfg = new JackConfigure();
+        const configtree = jackcfg._fullConfigurationTree();
+        print(JSON.stringify(configtree));
+    } catch (e) {
+        print(`Error: ${e}`);
+    }
+} catch (e) {
+    print(e.message);
+}
+
+// vim: set sw=4 ts=4 :
diff --git a/test/widget.js b/test/widget.js
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..e77cd17
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/widget.js
@@ -0,0 +1,136 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env -S gjs -I ..
+
+imports.gi.versions.Gtk = '3.0';
+
+const {GObject, Gtk, Pango} = imports.gi;
+
+const COL_KEY = 0,
+    COL_VALUE = 1,
+    COL_DEFAULT = 2,
+    COL_DESC = 3,
+    COL_STATE = 4;
+
+class TestWindow {
+    constructor() {
+        this.application = new Gtk.Application({
+            application_id: 'de.cbix.gsjackctl.prefswindow',
+        });
+        this.application.connect('activate', this._onActivate.bind(this));
+        this.application.connect('startup', this._onStartup.bind(this));
+    }
+
+    _onActivate() {
+        this._window.present();
+    }
+
+    _onStartup() {
+        this._buildUI();
+    }
+
+    _buildUI() {
+        this._window = new Gtk.ApplicationWindow({
+            application: this.application,
+            window_position: Gtk.WindowPosition.CENTER,
+            default_height: 250,
+            default_width: 100,
+            title: 'gsjackctl prefs window test',
+        });
+
+        this._treeStore = new Gtk.TreeStore();
+        const colTypes = [];
+        colTypes[COL_KEY] = GObject.TYPE_STRING;
+        colTypes[COL_VALUE] = GObject.TYPE_VARIANT;
+        colTypes[COL_DEFAULT] = GObject.TYPE_VARIANT;
+        colTypes[COL_DESC] = GObject.TYPE_STRING;
+        colTypes[COL_STATE] = GObject.TYPE_BOOLEAN;
+
+        this._treeStore.set_column_types(colTypes);
+
+        const itA = this._treeStore.append(null);
+        const itB = this._treeStore.append(null);
+        const itFoo = this._treeStore.append(itA);
+        const itBar = this._treeStore.append(itB);
+        const itBaz = this._treeStore.append(itBar);
+
+        this._treeStore.set(itA, [COL_KEY, COL_DESC], ['a', 'A']);
+        this._treeStore.set(itB, [COL_KEY, COL_DESC], ['b', 'B']);
+        this._treeStore.set(itFoo, [COL_KEY, COL_DESC], ['foo', 'Foo']);
+        this._treeStore.set(itBar, [COL_KEY, COL_DESC], ['bar', 'Bar']);
+        this._treeStore.set(itBaz, [COL_KEY, COL_DESC], ['baz', 'Baz']);
+
+        this._comboStore = new Gtk.ListStore();
+        this._comboStore.set_column_types([
+            GObject.TYPE_STRING,
+            GObject.TYPE_STRING,
+        ]);
+        this._comboStore.set(this._comboStore.append(), [0, 1], ['es', 'Spain']);
+        this._comboStore.set(this._comboStore.append(), [0, 1], ['pt', 'Portugal']);
+        this._comboStore.set(this._comboStore.append(), [0, 1], ['de', 'Germany']);
+        this._comboStore.set(this._comboStore.append(), [0, 1], ['pl', 'Poland']);
+        this._comboStore.set(this._comboStore.append(), [0, 1], ['sv', 'Sweden']);
+
+        this._treeView = new Gtk.TreeView({
+            expand: true,
+            model: this._treeStore,
+        });
+
+        const colKey = new Gtk.TreeViewColumn({title: 'Key'});
+        const colValue = new Gtk.TreeViewColumn({title: 'Value'});
+        const colDefault = new Gtk.TreeViewColumn({title: 'Default'});
+        const colDescription = new Gtk.TreeViewColumn({title: 'Description'});
+        const colState = new Gtk.TreeViewColumn({
+            title: 'State',
+        });
+
+        const normalRenderer = new Gtk.CellRendererText();
+        const comboRenderer = new Gtk.CellRendererCombo({
+            model: this._comboStore,
+        });
+        const toggleRenderer = new Gtk.CellRendererToggle({
+            activatable: true,
+        });
+        toggleRenderer.connect('toggled', (rend, path) => {
+            const [ok, it] = this._treeStore.get_iter_from_string(path);
+            print(`toggled: ${rend.active}, ${ok}`);
+            if (ok)
+                this._treeStore.set(it, [COL_STATE], [!rend.active]);
+
+            // const currentState = this._treeStore.
+        });
+
+        colKey.pack_start(normalRenderer, true);
+        colValue.pack_start(comboRenderer, true);
+        colDefault.pack_start(comboRenderer, true);
+        colDescription.pack_start(normalRenderer, true);
+        colState.pack_start(toggleRenderer, true);
+
+        colKey.add_attribute(normalRenderer, 'text', COL_KEY);
+        colDescription.add_attribute(normalRenderer, 'text', COL_DESC);
+        colState.add_attribute(toggleRenderer, 'active', COL_STATE);
+
+        this._treeView.insert_column(colKey, COL_KEY);
+        this._treeView.insert_column(colValue, COL_VALUE);
+        this._treeView.insert_column(colDefault, COL_DEFAULT);
+        this._treeView.insert_column(colDescription, COL_DESC);
+        this._treeView.insert_column(colState, COL_STATE);
+
+        this._window.add(this._treeView);
+        this._window.show_all();
+    }
+}
+
+try {
+    // const Prefs = imports.prefs;
+    try {
+        print('test widget window');
+
+        const app = new TestWindow();
+        app.application.run(ARGV);
+    } catch (e) {
+        logError(e);
+    }
+} catch (e) {
+    print(e.message);
+}
+
+// vim: set sw=4 ts=4 :