diff --git a/options.c b/options.c
index a66a6c41..2272da5d 100644
--- a/options.c
+++ b/options.c
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ exit_help(int exit_code)
 "Usage: awesome [OPTION]\n\
   -h, --help           show help\n\
   -v, --version        show version\n\
+  -f, --force          ignore modelines and apply the command line arguments\n\
   -c, --config FILE    configuration file to use\n\
       --search DIR     add a directory to the library search path\n\
   -k, --check          check configuration file syntax\n\
@@ -58,6 +59,7 @@ options_check_args(int argc, char **argv, int *init_flags, string_array_t *paths
         { "help",    NO_ARG, NULL, 'h'  },
         { "version", NO_ARG, NULL, 'v'  },
         { "config",  ARG   , NULL, 'c'  },
+        { "force" ,  NO_ARG, NULL, 'f'  },
         { "check",   NO_ARG, NULL, 'k'  },
         { "search",  ARG   , NULL, 's'  },
         { "no-argb", NO_ARG, NULL, 'a'  },
@@ -81,6 +83,9 @@ options_check_args(int argc, char **argv, int *init_flags, string_array_t *paths
             if (! ((*init_flags) & INIT_FLAG_ALLOW_FALLBACK))
                 exit_help(EXIT_SUCCESS);
             break;
+          case 'f':
+            (*init_flags) |= INIT_FLAG_FORCE_CMD_ARGS;
+            break;
           case 'k':
             (*init_flags) |= INIT_FLAG_RUN_TEST;
             break;
diff --git a/options.h b/options.h
index cc0dfb33..7a0d76ae 100644
--- a/options.h
+++ b/options.h
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ typedef enum {
     INIT_FLAG_REPLACE_WM     = 0x1 << 2,
     INIT_FLAG_AUTO_SCREEN    = 0x1 << 3,
     INIT_FLAG_ALLOW_FALLBACK = 0x1 << 4,
+    INIT_FLAG_FORCE_CMD_ARGS = 0x1 << 5,
 } awesome_init_config_t;
 
 char *options_check_args(int argc, char **argv, int *init_flags, string_array_t *paths);
diff --git a/tests/run.sh b/tests/run.sh
index 3a704656..ec4395c6 100755
--- a/tests/run.sh
+++ b/tests/run.sh
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ fi
 # shellcheck disable=SC2206
 awesome_options=($AWESOME_OPTIONS $manual_screens --search lib --search "$this_dir")
 
-awesome_options+=(--screen off)
+awesome_options+=(--screen off --force)
 
 # Cleanup on errors / aborting.
 cleanup() {