diff --git a/src/app.rs b/src/app.rs
index 87977ea7..6ed469f7 100644
--- a/src/app.rs
+++ b/src/app.rs
@@ -666,7 +666,7 @@ impl Damus {
             note_cache: NoteCache::default(),
             selected_timeline: 0,
             timelines,
-            textmode: false,
+            textmode: parsed_args.textmode,
             ndb,
             account_manager,
             frame_history: FrameHistory::default(),
diff --git a/src/args.rs b/src/args.rs
index 3926df09..04201e06 100644
--- a/src/args.rs
+++ b/src/args.rs
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ pub struct Args {
     pub since_optimize: bool,
     pub light: bool,
     pub debug: bool,
+    pub textmode: bool,
     pub dbpath: Option<String>,
 }
 
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ impl Args {
             light: false,
             since_optimize: true,
             debug: false,
+            textmode: false,
             dbpath: None,
         };
 
@@ -42,6 +44,8 @@ impl Args {
                 res.light = false;
             } else if arg == "--debug" {
                 res.debug = true;
+            } else if arg == "--textmode" {
+                res.textmode = true;
             } else if arg == "--pub" || arg == "--npub" {
                 i += 1;
                 let pubstr = if let Some(next_arg) = args.get(i) {