diff --git a/src/config.cpp b/src/config.cpp
index 735ff35..706ad19 100644
--- a/src/config.cpp
+++ b/src/config.cpp
@@ -6,6 +6,13 @@
 #include <KConfigGroup>
 #include <KSharedConfig>
 
+int Config::s_cliUiMode = -1;
+
+void Config::setCliUiMode(UiMode mode)
+{
+    s_cliUiMode = static_cast<int>(mode);
+}
+
 Config::Config(QObject *parent)
     : QObject(parent)
 {
@@ -28,6 +35,8 @@ void Config::setViewMode(ViewMode mode)
 
 Config::UiMode Config::uiMode() const
 {
+    if (s_cliUiMode >= 0)
+        return static_cast<UiMode>(s_cliUiMode);
     return m_uiMode;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/config.h b/src/config.h
index 1911b1d..9f95631 100644
--- a/src/config.h
+++ b/src/config.h
@@ -125,6 +125,8 @@ public:
     bool mirrorNotifications() const;
     void setMirrorNotifications(bool mirror);
 
+    static void setCliUiMode(UiMode mode);
+
     Q_INVOKABLE void save();
     Q_INVOKABLE void load();
     Q_INVOKABLE void resetToDefaults();
@@ -158,6 +160,8 @@ Q_SIGNALS:
     void mirrorNotificationsChanged();
 
 private:
+    static int s_cliUiMode;
+
     ViewMode m_viewMode = GridView;
     UiMode m_uiMode = Auto;
     int m_gridSize = 180;
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 2512db5..75bd90b 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -66,12 +66,22 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
     const QCommandLineOption quitOnCloseOption(QStringLiteral("quit-on-close"), i18n("Quit when the main window is closed"));
     const QCommandLineOption closeToTrayOption(QStringLiteral("close-to-tray"), i18n("Hide the main window to the system tray when closed"));
+    const QCommandLineOption couchModeOption(QStringLiteral("couch-mode"), i18n("Start in couch/TV mode (full-screen console UI)"));
+    const QCommandLineOption desktopModeOption(QStringLiteral("desktop-mode"), i18n("Start in desktop mode (windowed UI with sidebar)"));
     parser.addOption(quitOnCloseOption);
     parser.addOption(closeToTrayOption);
+    parser.addOption(couchModeOption);
+    parser.addOption(desktopModeOption);
 
     parser.process(app);
     aboutData.processCommandLine(&parser);
 
+    if (parser.isSet(couchModeOption)) {
+        Config::setCliUiMode(Config::Couch);
+    } else if (parser.isSet(desktopModeOption)) {
+        Config::setCliUiMode(Config::Desktop);
+    }
+
     bool terminalLaunched = false;
 #if defined(Q_OS_UNIX)
     terminalLaunched = (isatty(STDIN_FILENO) || isatty(STDOUT_FILENO) || isatty(STDERR_FILENO));