diff --git a/sigal/gallery.py b/sigal/gallery.py
index da9fecc..dc5e7f0 100644
--- a/sigal/gallery.py
+++ b/sigal/gallery.py
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ class Media(UnicodeMixin):
             try:
                 generator(self.src_path, self.thumb_path,
                           self.settings['thumb_size'],
+                          self.settings['thumb_video_delay'],
                           fit=self.settings['thumb_fit'])
             except Exception as e:
                 self.logger.error('Failed to generate thumbnail: %s', e)
diff --git a/sigal/image.py b/sigal/image.py
index e7a7962..0450ded 100644
--- a/sigal/image.py
+++ b/sigal/image.py
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ def generate_image(source, outname, settings, options=None):
     save_image(img, outname, outformat, options=options, autoconvert=True)
 
 
-def generate_thumbnail(source, outname, box, fit=True, options=None):
+def generate_thumbnail(source, outname, box, delay, fit=True, options=None):
     """Create a thumbnail image."""
 
     logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -151,7 +151,8 @@ def process_image(filepath, outpath, settings):
         if settings['make_thumbs']:
             thumb_name = os.path.join(outpath, get_thumb(settings, filename))
             generate_thumbnail(outname, thumb_name, settings['thumb_size'],
-                               fit=settings['thumb_fit'], options=options)
+                settings['thumb_video_delay'], fit=settings['thumb_fit'],
+                options=options)
     except Exception as e:
         logger.info('Failed to process: %r', e)
         return Status.FAILURE
diff --git a/sigal/settings.py b/sigal/settings.py
index 2272743..f47cf8b 100644
--- a/sigal/settings.py
+++ b/sigal/settings.py
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ _DEFAULT_CONFIG = {
     'thumb_prefix': '',
     'thumb_size': (200, 150),
     'thumb_suffix': '',
+    'thumb_video_delay': '0',
     'title': '',
     'use_orig': False,
     'video_size': (480, 360),
diff --git a/sigal/templates/sigal.conf.py b/sigal/templates/sigal.conf.py
index 5188ed7..752e5b1 100644
--- a/sigal/templates/sigal.conf.py
+++ b/sigal/templates/sigal.conf.py
@@ -80,6 +80,9 @@ thumb_size = (280, 210)
 # Crop the image to fill the box
 # thumb_fit = True
 
+# Delay in seconds to avoid black thumbnails in videos with fade-in
+# thumb_video_delay = '0'
+
 # -------------
 # Album options
 # -------------
diff --git a/sigal/video.py b/sigal/video.py
index 83f1014..8d827eb 100644
--- a/sigal/video.py
+++ b/sigal/video.py
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ def generate_video(source, outname, size, options=None):
     check_subprocess(cmd, source, outname)
 
 
-def generate_thumbnail(source, outname, box, fit=True, options=None):
+def generate_thumbnail(source, outname, box, delay, fit=True, options=None):
     """Create a thumbnail image for the video source, based on ffmpeg."""
 
     logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ def generate_thumbnail(source, outname, box, fit=True, options=None):
 
     # dump an image of the video
     cmd = ['ffmpeg', '-i', source, '-an', '-r', '1',
-           '-vframes', '1', '-y', tmpfile]
+           '-ss', delay, '-vframes', '1', '-y', tmpfile]
     logger.debug('Create thumbnail for video: %s', ' '.join(cmd))
 
     try:
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ def process_video(filepath, outpath, settings):
         thumb_name = os.path.join(outpath, get_thumb(settings, filename))
         try:
             generate_thumbnail(
-                outname, thumb_name, settings['thumb_size'],
+                outname, thumb_name, settings['thumb_size'], settings['thumb_video_delay'],
                 fit=settings['thumb_fit'], options=settings['jpg_options'])
         except Exception:
             return Status.FAILURE
diff --git a/tests/test_image.py b/tests/test_image.py
index 5d3a488..b6c27b2 100644
--- a/tests/test_image.py
+++ b/tests/test_image.py
@@ -65,14 +65,15 @@ def test_generate_thumbnail(tmpdir):
     "Test the generate_thumbnail function."
 
     dstfile = str(tmpdir.join(TEST_IMAGE))
+    delay = 0
     for size in [(200, 150), (150, 200)]:
-        generate_thumbnail(SRCFILE, dstfile, size)
+        generate_thumbnail(SRCFILE, dstfile, size, delay)
         im = Image.open(dstfile)
         assert im.size == size
 
     for size, thumb_size in [((200, 150), (185, 150)),
                              ((150, 200), (150, 122))]:
-        generate_thumbnail(SRCFILE, dstfile, size, fit=False)
+        generate_thumbnail(SRCFILE, dstfile, size, delay, fit=False)
         im = Image.open(dstfile)
         assert im.size == thumb_size