diff --git a/daemon.go b/daemon.go
index 03f5793..53cf631 100644
--- a/daemon.go
+++ b/daemon.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ type RunOptions struct {
 	HTTPAddr    string
 	HTTPEnabled bool
 	NoDeck      bool
+	StartPage   string
 }
 
 func Run(ctx context.Context, cfg *config.Config, opts RunOptions) error {
@@ -63,6 +64,16 @@ func Run(ctx context.Context, cfg *config.Config, opts RunOptions) error {
 	primaryPM := pageMgrs[0]
 	primaryDeck := decks[0]
 
+	startPage := opts.StartPage
+	if startPage == "" {
+		startPage = cfg.DefaultPage
+	}
+	if !pageExists(cfg.Pages, startPage) {
+		slog.Warn("start page not found in pages, falling back to default",
+			"requested", startPage, "default", cfg.DefaultPage)
+		startPage = cfg.DefaultPage
+	}
+
 	defer func() {
 		for _, d := range decks {
 			d.Close()
@@ -78,8 +89,8 @@ func Run(ctx context.Context, cfg *config.Config, opts RunOptions) error {
 	web.SetExtraPageManagers(pageMgrs[1:])
 
 	for _, pm := range pageMgrs {
-		if err := pm.ActivatePage(cfg.DefaultPage); err != nil {
-			slog.Warn("activate default page", "error", err)
+		if err := pm.ActivatePage(startPage); err != nil {
+			slog.Warn("activate start page", "error", err)
 		}
 		pm.startPeriodicKeys()
 	}
@@ -98,7 +109,7 @@ func Run(ctx context.Context, cfg *config.Config, opts RunOptions) error {
 		windowCh, _ = detector.Start(ctx)
 	}
 
-	asm := NewAutoSwitchManager(cfg.AutoSwitch, cfg.DefaultPage)
+	asm := NewAutoSwitchManager(cfg.AutoSwitch, startPage)
 
 	ssCtrl := NewScreensaver(&cfg.Screensaver)
 
@@ -149,7 +160,7 @@ func Run(ctx context.Context, cfg *config.Config, opts RunOptions) error {
 				asm.Pause()
 
 				primaryDeck.Close()
-				newDeck := reconnectDeck(ctx, cfg, &primaryPM)
+				newDeck := reconnectDeck(ctx, cfg, &primaryPM, startPage)
 				if newDeck == nil {
 					return ctx.Err()
 				}
@@ -162,7 +173,7 @@ func Run(ctx context.Context, cfg *config.Config, opts RunOptions) error {
 				web.SetPageManager(primaryPM)
 
 				newDeck.SetBrightness(deviceBrightness(cfg, newDeck.Serial()))
-				asm.NotifyManualPage(cfg.DefaultPage)
+				asm.NotifyManualPage(startPage)
 				asm.Resume()
 				continue
 			}
@@ -288,7 +299,7 @@ func Run(ctx context.Context, cfg *config.Config, opts RunOptions) error {
 				asm.Pause()
 
 				primaryDeck.Close()
-				newDeck := reconnectDeck(ctx, cfg, &primaryPM)
+				newDeck := reconnectDeck(ctx, cfg, &primaryPM, startPage)
 				if newDeck == nil {
 					return ctx.Err()
 				}
@@ -301,7 +312,7 @@ func Run(ctx context.Context, cfg *config.Config, opts RunOptions) error {
 				web.SetPageManager(primaryPM)
 
 				newDeck.SetBrightness(deviceBrightness(cfg, newDeck.Serial()))
-				asm.NotifyManualPage(cfg.DefaultPage)
+				asm.NotifyManualPage(startPage)
 				asm.Resume()
 			}
 
@@ -353,7 +364,7 @@ func deviceBrightness(cfg *config.Config, serial string) int {
 	return 75
 }
 
-func reconnectDeck(ctx context.Context, cfg *config.Config, pm **PageManager) *Deck {
+func reconnectDeck(ctx context.Context, cfg *config.Config, pm **PageManager, startPage string) *Deck {
 	for {
 		newDeck, err := OpenDeck("")
 		if err == nil {
@@ -361,7 +372,7 @@ func reconnectDeck(ctx context.Context, cfg *config.Config, pm **PageManager) *D
 			(*pm).defaultFont = cfg.Font
 			(*pm).showLabelBackground = cfg.ShowLabelBackground
 			(*pm).LoadPages(cfg.Pages)
-			(*pm).ActivatePage(cfg.DefaultPage)
+			(*pm).ActivatePage(startPage)
 			(*pm).startPeriodicKeys()
 			return newDeck
 		}
@@ -372,3 +383,13 @@ func reconnectDeck(ctx context.Context, cfg *config.Config, pm **PageManager) *D
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+// pageExists reports whether pages contains a page with the given name.
+func pageExists(pages []config.PageConfig, name string) bool {
+	for _, p := range pages {
+		if p.Name == name {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 655900d..17bdff8 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ func main() {
 	fs := flag.NewFlagSet("streamdeck-lets-go", flag.ExitOnError)
 	configPath := fs.String("config", "", "path to config.json (default: ~/.config/streamdeck-lets-go/config.json)")
 	httpAddr := fs.String("addr", ":9090", "web UI listen address")
+	startPage := fs.String("page", "", "page to activate on startup (default: config's default_page)")
 	noDeck := fs.Bool("no-deck", false, "run without Stream Deck hardware (config editing only)")
 	verbose := fs.Bool("v", false, "verbose output")
 
@@ -71,6 +72,7 @@ func main() {
 		HTTPAddr:    *httpAddr,
 		HTTPEnabled: httpEnabled,
 		NoDeck:      *noDeck,
+		StartPage:   *startPage,
 	}); err != nil {
 		slog.Error("run", "error", err)
 		os.Exit(1)