diff --git a/app/src/components/mainWindow/mainWindow.js b/app/src/components/mainWindow/mainWindow.js
index 6ac236c..0c5c30f 100644
--- a/app/src/components/mainWindow/mainWindow.js
+++ b/app/src/components/mainWindow/mainWindow.js
@@ -52,6 +52,13 @@ function createMainWindow(options, onAppQuit, setDockBadge) {
         fs.writeFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '..', 'nativefier.json'), JSON.stringify(options));
     }
 
+    // after first run, no longer force maximize to be true
+    if(options.maximize){
+        mainWindow.maximize();
+        options.maximize = undefined;
+        fs.writeFileSync(path.join(__dirname, '..', 'nativefier.json'), JSON.stringify(options));
+    }
+
     let currentZoom = 1;
 
     const onZoomIn = () => {
diff --git a/docs/api.md b/docs/api.md
index 88837ac..f286ed4 100644
--- a/docs/api.md
+++ b/docs/api.md
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
     - [[flash]](#flash)
     - [[inject]](#inject)
     - [[full-screen]](#full-screen)
+    - [[maximize]](#maximize)
 - [Programmatic API](#programmatic-api)
 
 ## Command Line
@@ -226,6 +227,15 @@ $ nativefier http://google.com --inject ./some-js-injection.js --inject ./some-c
 
 Makes the packaged app start in full screen.
 
+
+#### [maximize]
+
+```
+--maximize
+```
+
+Makes the packaged app start maximized.
+
 ## Programmatic API
 
 You can use the Nativefier programmatic API as well.
diff --git a/src/build/buildApp.js b/src/build/buildApp.js
index db9d2f9..afc7872 100644
--- a/src/build/buildApp.js
+++ b/src/build/buildApp.js
@@ -105,7 +105,8 @@ function selectAppArgs(options) {
         ignoreCertificate: options.ignoreCertificate,
         insecure: options.insecure,
         flashPluginDir: options.flashPluginDir,
-        fullScreen: options.fullScreen
+        fullScreen: options.fullScreen,
+        maximize: options.maximize
     };
 }
 
diff --git a/src/cli.js b/src/cli.js
index 1069e4d..7c1fb0a 100755
--- a/src/cli.js
+++ b/src/cli.js
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ if (require.main === module) {
         .option('--flash <value>', 'path to Chrome flash plugin, find it in `Chrome://plugins`')
         .option('--inject <value>', 'path to a file to be injected', collect, [])
         .option('--full-screen', 'if the app should always be started in full screen')
+        .option('--maximize', 'if the app should always be started maximized')
         .parse(process.argv);
 
     if (!process.argv.slice(2).length) {
diff --git a/src/options/optionsMain.js b/src/options/optionsMain.js
index 554fe73..351ab58 100644
--- a/src/options/optionsMain.js
+++ b/src/options/optionsMain.js
@@ -50,7 +50,8 @@ function optionsFactory(inpOptions, callback) {
         insecure: inpOptions.insecure || false,
         flashPluginDir: inpOptions.flash || null,
         inject: inpOptions.inject || null,
-        fullScreen: inpOptions.fullScreen || false
+        fullScreen: inpOptions.fullScreen || false,
+        maximize: inpOptions.maximize || false
     };
 
     if (inpOptions.honest) {