diff --git a/commands.c b/commands.c
index 8c248c0..c8b8d3c 100644
--- a/commands.c
+++ b/commands.c
@@ -527,35 +527,15 @@ cmd_version(girara_session_t* session, girara_list_t* UNUSED(argument_list))
   g_return_val_if_fail(session->global.data != NULL, false);
   zathura_t* zathura = session->global.data;
 
-  GString* string = g_string_new(NULL);
-
-  /* zathura version */
-  char* zathura_version = g_strdup_printf("zathura %d.%d.%d", ZATHURA_VERSION_MAJOR, ZATHURA_VERSION_MINOR, ZATHURA_VERSION_REV);
-  g_string_append(string, zathura_version);
-  g_free(zathura_version);
-
-  /* plugin information */
-  girara_list_t* plugins = zathura_plugin_manager_get_plugins(zathura->plugins.manager);
-  if (plugins != NULL) {
-    GIRARA_LIST_FOREACH(plugins, zathura_plugin_t*, iter, plugin)
-      char* name = zathura_plugin_get_name(plugin);
-      zathura_plugin_version_t version = zathura_plugin_get_version(plugin);
-      char* text = g_strdup_printf("\n<i>(plugin)</i> %s (%d.%d.%d) <i>(%s)</i>",
-          (name == NULL) ? "-" : name,
-          version.major,
-          version.minor,
-          version.rev,
-          zathura_plugin_get_path(plugin)
-          );
-      g_string_append(string, text);
-      g_free(text);
-    GIRARA_LIST_FOREACH_END(plugins, zathura_plugin_t*, iter, plugin);
-  }
+  char* string = zathura_get_version_string(zathura, true);
+	if (string == NULL) {
+		return false;
+	}
 
   /* display information */
-  girara_notify(session, GIRARA_INFO, "%s", string->str);
+  girara_notify(session, GIRARA_INFO, "%s", string);
 
-  g_string_free(string, TRUE);
+  g_free(string);
 
   return true;
 }
diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index 7c80083..7ffd90c 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 
   zathura_t* zathura = zathura_init(argc, argv);
   if (zathura == NULL) {
-    fprintf(stderr, "error: could not initialize zathura\n");
     return -1;
   }
 
diff --git a/utils.c b/utils.c
index 777d86e..724b591 100644
--- a/utils.c
+++ b/utils.c
@@ -353,3 +353,43 @@ document_draw_search_results(zathura_t* zathura, bool value)
     g_object_set(zathura->pages[page_id], "draw-search-results", (value == true) ? TRUE : FALSE, NULL);
   }
 }
+
+char*
+zathura_get_version_string(zathura_t* zathura, bool markup)
+{
+	if (zathura == NULL) {
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+  GString* string = g_string_new(NULL);
+
+  /* zathura version */
+  char* zathura_version = g_strdup_printf("zathura %d.%d.%d", ZATHURA_VERSION_MAJOR, ZATHURA_VERSION_MINOR, ZATHURA_VERSION_REV);
+  g_string_append(string, zathura_version);
+  g_free(zathura_version);
+
+	char* format = (markup == true) ? "\n<i>(plugin)</i> %s (%d.%d.%d) <i>(%s)</i>" : "\n(plugin) %s (%d.%d.%d) (%s)";
+
+  /* plugin information */
+  girara_list_t* plugins = zathura_plugin_manager_get_plugins(zathura->plugins.manager);
+  if (plugins != NULL) {
+    GIRARA_LIST_FOREACH(plugins, zathura_plugin_t*, iter, plugin)
+      char* name = zathura_plugin_get_name(plugin);
+      zathura_plugin_version_t version = zathura_plugin_get_version(plugin);
+      char* text = g_strdup_printf(format,
+          (name == NULL) ? "-" : name,
+          version.major,
+          version.minor,
+          version.rev,
+          zathura_plugin_get_path(plugin)
+          );
+      g_string_append(string, text);
+      g_free(text);
+    GIRARA_LIST_FOREACH_END(plugins, zathura_plugin_t*, iter, plugin);
+  }
+
+	char* version = string->str;
+	g_string_free(string, FALSE);
+
+	return version;
+}
diff --git a/utils.h b/utils.h
index a13c832..2fffab8 100644
--- a/utils.h
+++ b/utils.h
@@ -131,4 +131,13 @@ void readjust_view_after_zooming(zathura_t* zathura, float old_zoom, bool delay)
  */
 void document_draw_search_results(zathura_t* zathura, bool value);
 
+/**
+ * Create zathura version string
+ *
+ * @param zathura The zathura instance
+ * @param markup Enable markup
+ * @return Version string 
+ */
+char* zathura_get_version_string(zathura_t* zathura, bool markup);
+
 #endif // UTILS_H
diff --git a/zathura.c b/zathura.c
index bd6c195..0b29170 100644
--- a/zathura.c
+++ b/zathura.c
@@ -67,16 +67,17 @@ zathura_init(int argc, char* argv[])
 #endif
 
   gchar* config_dir = NULL, *data_dir = NULL, *plugin_path = NULL, *loglevel = NULL, *password = NULL;
-  bool forkback = false;
+  bool forkback = false, print_version = false;
   GOptionEntry entries[] =
   {
-    { "reparent",    'e',  0, G_OPTION_ARG_INT,      &embed,       _("Reparents to window specified by xid"),       "xid"  },
-    { "config-dir",  'c',  0, G_OPTION_ARG_FILENAME, &config_dir,  _("Path to the config directory"),               "path" },
-    { "data-dir",    'd',  0, G_OPTION_ARG_FILENAME, &data_dir,    _("Path to the data directory"),                 "path" },
-    { "plugins-dir", 'p',  0, G_OPTION_ARG_STRING,   &plugin_path, _("Path to the directories containing plugins"), "path" },
-    { "fork",        '\0', 0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE,     &forkback,    _("Fork into the background"),                   NULL },
-    { "password",    'w',  0, G_OPTION_ARG_STRING,   &password,    _("Document password"),                          "password" },
-    { "debug",       'l',  0, G_OPTION_ARG_STRING,   &loglevel,    _("Log level (debug, info, warning, error)"),    "level" },
+    { "reparent",    'e',  0, G_OPTION_ARG_INT,      &embed,         _("Reparents to window specified by xid"),       "xid"  },
+    { "config-dir",  'c',  0, G_OPTION_ARG_FILENAME, &config_dir,    _("Path to the config directory"),               "path" },
+    { "data-dir",    'd',  0, G_OPTION_ARG_FILENAME, &data_dir,      _("Path to the data directory"),                 "path" },
+    { "plugins-dir", 'p',  0, G_OPTION_ARG_STRING,   &plugin_path,   _("Path to the directories containing plugins"), "path" },
+    { "fork",        '\0', 0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE,     &forkback,      _("Fork into the background"),                   NULL },
+    { "password",    'w',  0, G_OPTION_ARG_STRING,   &password,      _("Document password"),                          "password" },
+    { "debug",       'l',  0, G_OPTION_ARG_STRING,   &loglevel,      _("Log level (debug, info, warning, error)"),    "level" },
+    { "version",     'v',  0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE,     &print_version, _("Print version information"),                  NULL },
     { NULL, '\0', 0, 0, NULL, NULL, NULL }
   };
 
@@ -117,6 +118,11 @@ zathura_init(int argc, char* argv[])
 
   zathura_t* zathura = g_malloc0(sizeof(zathura_t));
 
+  /* global settings */
+  zathura->global.recolor            = false;
+  zathura->global.update_page_number = true;
+  zathura->global.arguments          = argv;
+
   /* plugins */
   zathura->plugins.manager = zathura_plugin_manager_new();
   if (zathura->plugins.manager == NULL) {
@@ -160,6 +166,19 @@ zathura_init(int argc, char* argv[])
 #endif
   }
 
+  /* load plugins */
+  zathura_plugin_manager_load(zathura->plugins.manager);
+
+  /* Print version */
+  if (print_version == true) {
+    char* string = zathura_get_version_string(zathura, false);
+    if (string != NULL) {
+      fprintf(stdout, "%s\n", string);
+    }
+
+    goto error_free; // FIXME
+  }
+
   /* UI */
   if ((zathura->ui.session = girara_session_create()) == NULL) {
     goto error_out;
@@ -167,14 +186,6 @@ zathura_init(int argc, char* argv[])
 
   zathura->ui.session->global.data = zathura;
 
-  /* global settings */
-  zathura->global.recolor            = false;
-  zathura->global.update_page_number = true;
-  zathura->global.arguments          = argv;
-
-  /* load plugins */
-  zathura_plugin_manager_load(zathura->plugins.manager);
-
   /* configuration */
   config_load_default(zathura);