diff --git a/src/qtgui/main.cpp b/src/qtgui/main.cpp
index 8ebed039..cb9fe61a 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/main.cpp
+++ b/src/qtgui/main.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #ifndef lint
-static char rcsid[] = "@(#$Id: main.cpp,v 1.61 2007-06-08 16:47:19 dockes Exp $ (C) 2005 J.F.Dockes";
+static char rcsid[] = "@(#$Id: main.cpp,v 1.62 2007-10-05 08:03:01 dockes Exp $ (C) 2005 J.F.Dockes";
 #endif
 /*
  *   This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
@@ -148,11 +148,23 @@ static int    op_flags;
 #define OPT_MOINS 0x1
 #define OPT_h     0x4 
 #define OPT_c     0x20
+#define OPT_q     0x40
+#define OPT_O     0x80
+#define OPT_L     0x100
+#define OPT_F     0x200
+
 static const char usage [] =
 "\n"
 "recoll [-h] [-c <configdir>]\n"
-"   -h : Print help and exit\n"
-"   -c <configdir> : specify config directory, overriding $RECOLL_CONFDIR\n"
+"  -h : Print help and exit\n"
+"  -c <configdir> : specify config directory, overriding $RECOLL_CONFDIR\n"
+"  -q 'query' [-o|l|f]: search query to be executed on startup as if entered\n"
+"      into simple search. The default mode is AND (but see modifier options)\n"
+"      In most cases, the query string should be quoted with single-quotes to\n"
+"      avoid shell interpretation\n"
+"     -L : the query will be interpreted as a query language string\n"
+"     -O : the query will be interpreted as an OR query\n"
+"     -F : the query will be interpreted as a filename search\n"
 ;
 static void
 Usage(void)
@@ -178,6 +190,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
     //    fprintf(stderr, "Application created\n");
     string a_config;
+    string qstring;
+
     thisprog = argv[0];
     argc--; argv++;
 
@@ -190,7 +204,13 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	    case 'c':	op_flags |= OPT_c; if (argc < 2)  Usage();
 		a_config = *(++argv);
 		argc--; goto b1;
+	    case 'F': op_flags |= OPT_F; break;
 	    case 'h': op_flags |= OPT_h; Usage();break;
+	    case 'L': op_flags |= OPT_L; break;
+	    case 'O': op_flags |= OPT_O; break;
+	    case 'q':	op_flags |= OPT_q; if (argc < 2)  Usage();
+		qstring = *(++argv);
+		argc--; goto b1;
 	    }
     b1: argc--; argv++;
     }
@@ -326,7 +346,22 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     app.connect(&app, SIGNAL(aboutToQuit()), mainWindow, SLOT(close()));
 
     start_idxthread(*rclconfig);
-
+    if (op_flags & OPT_q) {
+	SSearch::SSearchType stype;
+	if (op_flags & OPT_O) {
+	    stype = SSearch::SST_ANY;
+	} else if (op_flags & OPT_F) {
+	    stype = SSearch::SST_FNM;
+	} else if (op_flags & OPT_L) {
+	    stype = SSearch::SST_LANG;
+	} else {
+	    stype = SSearch::SST_ALL;
+	}
+	mainWindow->sSearch->searchTypCMB->setCurrentItem(int(stype));
+	mainWindow->
+	    sSearch->setSearchString(QString::fromUtf8(qstring.c_str()));
+	QTimer::singleShot(0, mainWindow->sSearch, SLOT(startSimpleSearch()));
+    }
     //    fprintf(stderr, "Go\n");
     // Let's go
     return app.exec();
diff --git a/src/qtgui/ssearch_w.cpp b/src/qtgui/ssearch_w.cpp
index f36cdd52..1b24b3d0 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/ssearch_w.cpp
+++ b/src/qtgui/ssearch_w.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #ifndef lint
-static char rcsid[] = "@(#$Id: ssearch_w.cpp,v 1.22 2007-08-01 10:04:53 dockes Exp $ (C) 2006 J.F.Dockes";
+static char rcsid[] = "@(#$Id: ssearch_w.cpp,v 1.23 2007-10-05 08:03:01 dockes Exp $ (C) 2006 J.F.Dockes";
 #endif
 /*
  *   This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
@@ -36,8 +36,6 @@ static char rcsid[] = "@(#$Id: ssearch_w.cpp,v 1.22 2007-08-01 10:04:53 dockes E
 #include "textsplit.h"
 #include "wasatorcl.h"
 
-enum SSearchType {SST_ANY = 0, SST_ALL = 1, SST_FNM = 2, SST_LANG = 3};
-
 void SSearch::init()
 {
     // See enum above and keep in order !
@@ -182,6 +180,10 @@ void SSearch::startSimpleSearch()
     RefCntr<Rcl::SearchData> rsdata(sdata);
     emit startSearch(rsdata);
 }
+void SSearch::setSearchString(const QString& txt)
+{
+    queryText->setEditText(txt);
+}
 
 void SSearch::setAnyTermMode()
 {
diff --git a/src/qtgui/ssearch_w.h b/src/qtgui/ssearch_w.h
index e9f22daa..8bae91ef 100644
--- a/src/qtgui/ssearch_w.h
+++ b/src/qtgui/ssearch_w.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* @(#$Id: ssearch_w.h,v 1.5 2006-12-04 09:56:27 dockes Exp $  (C) 2006 J.F.Dockes */
+/* @(#$Id: ssearch_w.h,v 1.6 2007-10-05 08:03:01 dockes Exp $  (C) 2006 J.F.Dockes */
 /*
  *   This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
  *   it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ class SSearch : public DummySSearchBase
     Q_OBJECT
 
 public:
+    enum SSearchType {SST_ANY = 0, SST_ALL = 1, SST_FNM = 2, SST_LANG = 3};
+
     SSearch(QWidget* parent = 0, const char * = 0)
 	: DummySSearchBase(parent) 
     {
@@ -61,7 +63,8 @@ public:
     virtual bool eventFilter(QObject *target, QEvent *event);
 
 public slots:
-    virtual void searchTextChanged( const QString & text );
+    virtual void searchTextChanged(const QString & text);
+    virtual void setSearchString(const QString& text);
     virtual void startSimpleSearch();
 
 signals: