diff --git a/wayneko.1 b/wayneko.1
index e1b151d..dce4503 100644
--- a/wayneko.1
+++ b/wayneko.1
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ wayneko \- Neko on Wayland but with phases
 .OP \-\-idle-sleep seconds
 .OP \-\-sleep-phase seconds-seconds
 .OP \-\-awake-phase seconds-seconds
+.OP \-\-currently awake|asleep|random
 .OP \-\-layer background|bottom|top|overlay
 .OP \-\-survive\-close
 .YS
@@ -85,6 +86,12 @@ be drawn uniformly at random between the two values. Defaults to 450-1800.
 .RE
 .
 .P
+\fB\-\-currently\fR \fBawake\fR|\fBasleep\fR|\fBrandom\fR
+.RS
+Set whether neko is currenly (at startup) awake or asleep.
+.RE
+.
+.P
 \fB\-\-layer\fR \fBbackground\fR|\fBbottom\fR|\fBtop\fR|\fBoverlay\fR
 .RS
 Set the layer for the surface.
diff --git a/wayneko.c b/wayneko.c
index e52cdbb..b83fe09 100644
--- a/wayneko.c
+++ b/wayneko.c
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ const char usage[] =
     "  --idle-sleep        seconds\n"
     "  --sleep-phase       seconds-seconds\n"
     "  --awake-phase       seconds-seconds\n"
+    "  --currently         awake|asleep|random\n"
 	"  --layer             background|bottom|top|overlay\n"
 	"  --survive-close\n"
 	"\n";
@@ -1440,6 +1441,7 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv[])
 		{
 			char* a = get_argument(argc, argv, &i);
 			char* b = a;
+			if (a == NULL) return EXIT_FAILURE;
 
 			while (*b != '-' && *b != 0) b++;
 			if (*b == 0) {
@@ -1463,6 +1465,7 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv[])
 		{
 		    char* a = get_argument(argc, argv, &i);
 			char* b = a;
+			if (a == NULL) return EXIT_FAILURE;
 
 			while (*b != '-' && *b != 0) b++;
 			if (*b == 0) {
@@ -1482,6 +1485,28 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv[])
 				return EXIT_FAILURE;
 			}
 		}
+		else if ( strcmp(argv[i], "--currently") == 0 )
+		{
+			const char *t = get_argument(argc, argv, &i);
+			if ( t == NULL )
+				return EXIT_FAILURE;
+
+			/* yes, the phases are swapped because the first thing that will happen is a phase change */
+			if ( strcmp(t, "awake") == 0 )
+				current_phase = PHASE_SLEEP;
+			else if ( strcmp(t, "asleep") == 0 )
+			    current_phase = PHASE_AWAKE;
+			else if ( strcmp(t, "random") == 0 )
+				current_phase = rand() % 2 == 0 ? PHASE_SLEEP : PHASE_AWAKE;
+			else
+			{
+				fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Unknown argument '%s' for flag '--currently'.\n", t);
+				return EXIT_FAILURE;
+			}
+
+			if (current_phase == PHASE_AWAKE)
+			    current_neko = NEKO_SLEEP_1;
+		}
 		else
 		{
 			fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Unknown option: %s\n", argv[i]);