diff --git a/terminatorlib/config.py b/terminatorlib/config.py
index e53ff766..e2da23e2 100755
--- a/terminatorlib/config.py
+++ b/terminatorlib/config.py
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ class Config(object):
     
     def __init__(self, profile='default'):
         self.base = ConfigBase()
-        self.profile = profile
+        self.set_profile(profile)
         self.inhibited = False
 
     def __getitem__(self, key):
@@ -240,8 +240,12 @@ class Config(object):
         """Get our profile"""
         return(self.profile)
 
-    def set_profile(self, profile):
+    def set_profile(self, profile, force=False):
         """Set our profile (which usually means change it)"""
+        options = self.options_get()
+        if not force and options and options.profile and profile == 'default':
+            dbg('overriding default profile to %s' % options.profile)
+            profile = options.profile
         dbg('Config::set_profile: Changing profile to %s' % profile)
         self.profile = profile
         if not self.base.profiles.has_key(profile):
diff --git a/terminatorlib/optionparse.py b/terminatorlib/optionparse.py
index 09a67eab..3d783cef 100755
--- a/terminatorlib/optionparse.py
+++ b/terminatorlib/optionparse.py
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ command to execute inside the terminal, and its arguments')
     parser.add_option('-r', '--role', dest='role', help='Set a custom \
 WM_WINDOW_ROLE property on the window')
     parser.add_option('-l', '--layout', dest='layout', help='Select a layout')
+    parser.add_option('-p', '--profile', dest='profile', help='Use a \
+different profile as the default')
     parser.add_option('-d', '--debug', action='count', dest='debug',
             help='Enable debugging information (twice for debug server)')
     parser.add_option('--debug-classes', action='store', dest='debug_classes', 
@@ -73,7 +75,7 @@ WM_WINDOW_ROLE property on the window')
     parser.add_option('--debug-methods', action='store', dest='debug_methods',
             help='Comma separated list of methods to limit debugging to')
     for item in ['--sm-client-id', '--sm-config-prefix', '--screen', '-n',
-    '--no-gconf', '-p', '--profile' ]:
+    '--no-gconf' ]:
         parser.add_option(item, dest='dummy', action='store',
                 help=SUPPRESS_HELP)
 
@@ -113,6 +115,9 @@ WM_WINDOW_ROLE property on the window')
     if options.layout is None:
         options.layout = 'default'
 
+    if options.profile and options.profile not in configobj.list_profiles():
+        options.profile = None
+
     configobj.options_set(options)
 
     if util.DEBUG == True:
diff --git a/terminatorlib/terminal.py b/terminatorlib/terminal.py
index 045249f4..3c5336c4 100755
--- a/terminatorlib/terminal.py
+++ b/terminatorlib/terminal.py
@@ -159,10 +159,14 @@ class Terminal(gtk.VBox):
             if self.config['http_proxy'] and self.config['http_proxy'] != '':
                 os.putenv('http_proxy', self.config['http_proxy'])
 
-    def set_profile(self, _widget, profile):
+    def force_set_profile(self, widget, profile):
+        """Forcibly set our profile"""
+        self.set_profile(widget, profile, True)
+
+    def set_profile(self, _widget, profile, force=False):
         """Set our profile"""
         if profile != self.config.get_profile():
-            self.config.set_profile(profile)
+            self.config.set_profile(profile, force)
             self.reconfigure()
 
     def get_profile(self):
diff --git a/terminatorlib/terminal_popup_menu.py b/terminatorlib/terminal_popup_menu.py
index bf340731..9eaddb78 100755
--- a/terminatorlib/terminal_popup_menu.py
+++ b/terminatorlib/terminal_popup_menu.py
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ class TerminalPopupMenu(object):
                 item = gtk.RadioMenuItem(group, profile.capitalize())
                 if profile == current:
                     item.set_active(True)
-                item.connect('activate', terminal.set_profile, profile)
+                item.connect('activate', terminal.force_set_profile, profile)
                 submenu.append(item)
 
         self.add_encoding_items(menu)