diff --git a/gui/ocarina.c b/gui/ocarina.c
index aeb170e4..ae140ff0 100644
--- a/gui/ocarina.c
+++ b/gui/ocarina.c
@@ -16,12 +16,13 @@
 #define OCARINA_FLAGS (G_APPLICATION_HANDLES_COMMAND_LINE)
 
 static const GOptionEntry ocarina_options[] = {
-	{ "next",     'n', 0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE, NULL, "Play next track",        NULL },
-	{ "pause",    'P', 0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE, NULL, "Pause playback",         NULL },
-	{ "play",     'p', 0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE, NULL, "Start playback",         NULL },
-	{ "previous", 'N', 0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE, NULL, "Play previous track",    NULL },
-	{ "toggle",   't', 0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE, NULL, "Toggle playback state",  NULL },
-	{ "version",  'v', 0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE, NULL, "Print version and exit", NULL },
+	{ "next",     'n', 0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE, NULL, "Play next track",            NULL },
+	{ "pause",    'P', 0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE, NULL, "Pause playback",             NULL },
+	{ "play",     'p', 0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE, NULL, "Start playback",             NULL },
+	{ "previous", 'N', 0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE, NULL, "Play previous track",        NULL },
+	{ "sync",     's', 0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE, NULL, "Don't run background tasks", NULL },
+	{ "toggle",   't', 0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE, NULL, "Toggle playback state",      NULL },
+	{ "version",  'v', 0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE, NULL, "Print version and exit",     NULL },
 	{ NULL },
 };
 
@@ -59,6 +60,8 @@ static void __ocarina_activate(GApplication *application, gpointer data)
 static int __ocarina_local_options(GApplication *application,
 				   GVariantDict *options, gpointer data)
 {
+	if (g_variant_dict_contains(options, "sync"))
+		init_data.idle_sync = IDLE_SYNC;
 	if (!g_variant_dict_contains(options, "version"))
 		return -1;
 	g_printf("Ocarina %s\n", get_version());