diff --git a/commands.c b/commands.c
index 055989a..a8882c0 100644
--- a/commands.c
+++ b/commands.c
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ cmd_open(girara_session_t* session, girara_list_t* argument_list)
     }
 
     document_open(zathura, girara_list_nth(argument_list, 0),
-                  (argc == 2) ?  girara_list_nth(argument_list, 1) :  NULL,
+                  (argc == 2) ? girara_list_nth(argument_list, 1) : NULL,
                   ZATHURA_PAGE_NUMBER_UNSPECIFIED);
   } else {
     girara_notify(session, GIRARA_ERROR, _("No arguments given."));
diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index 104d6b0..fa2b484 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ main(int argc, char* argv[])
   gchar* password       = NULL;
   gchar* synctex_editor = NULL;
   gchar* synctex_fwd    = NULL;
+  gchar* mode           = NULL;
   bool forkback         = false;
   bool print_version    = false;
   bool synctex          = false;
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@ main(int argc, char* argv[])
     { "synctex-editor-command", 'x',  0, G_OPTION_ARG_STRING,   &synctex_editor, _("Synctex editor (forwarded to the synctex command)"), "cmd" },
     { "synctex-forward",        '\0', 0, G_OPTION_ARG_STRING,   &synctex_fwd,    _("Move to given synctex position"),                    "position" },
     { "synctex-pid",            '\0', 0, G_OPTION_ARG_INT,      &synctex_pid,    _("Highlight given position in the given process"),     "pid" },
+    { "mode",                   '\0', 0, G_OPTION_ARG_STRING,   &mode,           _("Start in a non-default mode"),                       "mode" },
     { NULL, '\0', 0, 0, NULL, NULL, NULL }
   };
 
@@ -91,6 +93,7 @@ main(int argc, char* argv[])
     girara_set_debug_level(GIRARA_ERROR);
   }
 
+  /* handle synctex forward synchronization */
   if (synctex_fwd != NULL) {
     if (argc != 2) {
       girara_error("Too many arguments or missing filename while running with --synctex-forward");
@@ -113,6 +116,11 @@ main(int argc, char* argv[])
     }
   }
 
+  /* check mode */
+  if (mode != NULL && g_strcmp0(mode, "presentation") != 0 && g_strcmp0(mode, "fullscreen") != 0) {
+    girara_error("Invalid argument for --mode: %s", mode);
+    return -1;
+  }
 
   /* Fork into the background if the user really wants to ... */
   if (forkback == true) {
@@ -164,7 +172,7 @@ main(int argc, char* argv[])
   if (argc > 1) {
     if (page_number > 0)
       --page_number;
-    document_open_idle(zathura, argv[1], password, page_number);
+    document_open_idle(zathura, argv[1], password, page_number, mode);
 
     /* open additional files */
     for (int i = 2; i < argc; i++) {
diff --git a/zathura.1.rst b/zathura.1.rst
index 3222359..18f704a 100644
--- a/zathura.1.rst
+++ b/zathura.1.rst
@@ -67,6 +67,9 @@ OPTIONS
   If not -1, forward synctex input to process with the given pid. Otherwise, try
   all zathura process to find the correct one.
 
+--mode [mode]
+  Switch to mode (presentation, fullscreen) after opening a document.
+
 MOUSE AND KEY BINDINGS
 ======================
 
diff --git a/zathura.c b/zathura.c
index 2373d6c..842cde2 100644
--- a/zathura.c
+++ b/zathura.c
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ typedef struct zathura_document_info_s {
   const char* path;
   const char* password;
   int page_number;
+  const char* mode;
 } zathura_document_info_t;
 
 
@@ -481,6 +482,18 @@ document_info_open(gpointer data)
       document_open(document_info->zathura, file, document_info->password,
                     document_info->page_number);
       g_free(file);
+
+      if (document_info->mode != NULL) {
+        if (g_strcmp0(document_info->mode, "presentation") == 0) {
+          sc_toggle_presentation(document_info->zathura->ui.session, NULL, NULL,
+                                 0);
+        } else if (g_strcmp0(document_info->mode, "fullscreen") == 0) {
+          sc_toggle_fullscreen(document_info->zathura->ui.session, NULL, NULL,
+                               0);
+        } else {
+          girara_error("Unknown mode: %s", document_info->mode);
+        }
+      }
     }
   }
 
@@ -819,7 +832,7 @@ error_out:
 
 void
 document_open_idle(zathura_t* zathura, const char* path, const char* password,
-                   int page_number)
+                   int page_number, const char* mode)
 {
   if (zathura == NULL || path == NULL) {
     return;
@@ -834,6 +847,7 @@ document_open_idle(zathura_t* zathura, const char* path, const char* password,
   document_info->path        = path;
   document_info->password    = password;
   document_info->page_number = page_number;
+  document_info->mode        = mode;
 
   gdk_threads_add_idle(document_info_open, document_info);
 }
diff --git a/zathura.h b/zathura.h
index 00f7852..bc77e83 100644
--- a/zathura.h
+++ b/zathura.h
@@ -304,7 +304,8 @@ bool document_open(zathura_t* zathura, const char* path, const char* password,
  * @param password The password of the file
  */
 void document_open_idle(zathura_t* zathura, const char* path,
-                        const char* password, int page_number);
+                        const char* password, int page_number,
+                        const char* mode);
 
 /**
  * Save a open file