diff --git a/cmd/bitmask-vpn/main.go b/cmd/bitmask-vpn/main.go
index ad85b0eff8462bddcd6770a9d3a415d7510579f7..77ace31a57783a739bf4773ccdc07645b2aa1da2 100644
--- a/cmd/bitmask-vpn/main.go
+++ b/cmd/bitmask-vpn/main.go
@@ -51,12 +51,20 @@ func main() {
 
 	selectGateway := flag.Bool("select-gateway", false, "Enable gateway selection")
 	disableAutostart := flag.Bool("disable-autostart", false, "Disable the autostart for the next run")
+	startVPN := flag.String("start-vpn", "", "Start the vpn in turned 'on' or 'off'")
 	versionFlag := flag.Bool("version", false, "Version of the bitmask-systray")
 	flag.Parse()
 	if *versionFlag {
 		fmt.Println(version)
 		os.Exit(0)
 	}
+	if *startVPN != "" {
+		if *startVPN != "on" && *startVPN != "off" {
+			fmt.Println("-start-vpn should be 'on' or 'off'")
+			os.Exit(1)
+		}
+		conf.StartVPN = *startVPN == "on"
+	}
 	if *selectGateway {
 		conf.SelectGateway = *selectGateway
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/systray/config.go b/pkg/systray/config.go
index 2755851033651ecdec7dca7c2e070e5d10298b87..e53dea9a49f23c7d160af50212f97c0a079d014f 100644
--- a/pkg/systray/config.go
+++ b/pkg/systray/config.go
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	}
 	SelectGateway     bool
 	DisableAustostart bool
+	StartVPN          bool
 	Version           string
 	Printer           *message.Printer
 }
@@ -65,6 +66,7 @@ func ParseConfig() *Config {
 
 	conf.SelectGateway = conf.file.SelectGateway
 	conf.DisableAustostart = conf.file.DisableAustostart
+	conf.StartVPN = !conf.file.UserStoppedVPN
 	return &conf
 }
 
@@ -73,10 +75,6 @@ func (c *Config) setUserStoppedVPN(vpnStopped bool) error {
 	return c.save()
 }
 
-func (c *Config) wasUserStopped() bool {
-	return c.file.UserStoppedVPN
-}
-
 func (c *Config) hasDonated() bool {
 	return c.file.Donated.Add(oneMonth).After(time.Now())
 }
diff --git a/pkg/systray/run.go b/pkg/systray/run.go
index 28789287594feab2523a3c53bee7aaf2b1128b02..172b9e85a10d29a9aa72ec5ce398aa25e2454928 100644
--- a/pkg/systray/run.go
+++ b/pkg/systray/run.go
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ func checkAndInstallHelpers(b bitmask.Bitmask, notify *notificator) error {
 }
 
 func maybeStartVPN(b bitmask.Bitmask, conf *Config) error {
-	if conf.wasUserStopped() {
+	if !conf.StartVPN {
 		return nil
 	}