diff --git a/client.c b/client.c
index 33af8e87..e00adc40 100644
--- a/client.c
+++ b/client.c
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ print_usage(const char *prog_name)
     printf("\n");
     printf("Options:\n");
     printf("  -t,--term=TERM                        value to set the environment variable TERM to (foot)\n"
+           "     --login-shell                      start shell as a login shell\n"
            "  -s,--server-socket=PATH               path to the server UNIX domain socket (default=XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/foot.sock)\n"
            "  -l,--log-colorize=[never|always|auto] enable/disable colorization of log output on stderr\n"
            "  -v,--version                          show the version number and quit\n");
@@ -47,6 +48,7 @@ main(int argc, char *const *argv)
 
     static const struct option longopts[] =  {
         {"term",          required_argument, 0, 't'},
+        {"login-shell",   no_argument,       0, 'L'},
         {"server-socket", required_argument, 0, 's'},
         {"log-colorize",  optional_argument, NULL, 'l'},
         {"version",       no_argument,       0, 'v'},
@@ -57,6 +59,7 @@ main(int argc, char *const *argv)
     const char *term = "";
     const char *server_socket_path = NULL;
     enum log_colorize log_colorize = LOG_COLORIZE_AUTO;
+    bool login_shell = false;
 
     while (true) {
         int c = getopt_long(argc, argv, ":t:s:l::hv", longopts, NULL);
@@ -68,6 +71,10 @@ main(int argc, char *const *argv)
             term = optarg;
             break;
 
+        case 'L':
+            login_shell = true;
+            break;
+
         case 's':
             server_socket_path = optarg;
             break;
@@ -154,6 +161,7 @@ main(int argc, char *const *argv)
     /* Calculate total length */
     total_len += sizeof(cwd_len) + cwd_len;
     total_len += sizeof(term_len) + term_len;
+    total_len += sizeof(uint8_t);  /* login_shell */
     total_len += sizeof(argc);
 
     for (int i = 0; i < argc; i++) {
@@ -183,6 +191,11 @@ main(int argc, char *const *argv)
         goto err;
     }
 
+    if (send(fd, &(uint8_t){login_shell}, sizeof(uint8_t), 0) != sizeof(uint8_t)) {
+        LOG_ERRNO("failed to send login-shell");
+        goto err;
+    }
+
     LOG_DBG("argc = %d", argc);
     if (send(fd, &argc, sizeof(argc), 0) != sizeof(argc)) {
         LOG_ERRNO("failed to send argc/argv to server");
diff --git a/completions/zsh/_foot b/completions/zsh/_foot
index 9f79a730..ad04a467 100644
--- a/completions/zsh/_foot
+++ b/completions/zsh/_foot
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ _arguments \
     '(-c --config)'{-c,--config}'[path to configuration file (XDG_CONFIG_HOME/footrc)]:config:_files' \
     '(-f --font)'{-f,--font}'[font name and style in fontconfig format (monospace)]:font:->fonts' \
     '(-t --term)'{-t,--term}'[value to set the environment variable TERM to (foot)]:term:->terms' \
+    '--login-shell[start shell as a login shell]' \
     '(-g --geometry)'{-g,--geometry}'[window WIDTHxHEIGHT, in pixels (80x24 cells)]:geometry:()' \
     '(-s --server)'{-s,--server}'[run as server; open terminals by running footclient]:server:_files' \
     '--hold[remain open after child process exits]' \
diff --git a/completions/zsh/_footclient b/completions/zsh/_footclient
index 9b3eb3fe..75a99b95 100644
--- a/completions/zsh/_footclient
+++ b/completions/zsh/_footclient
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 _arguments \
     -s \
     '(-t --term)'{-t,--term}'[value to set the environment variable TERM to (foot)]:term:->terms' \
+    '--login-shell[start shell as a login shell]' \
     '(-s --server-socket)'{-s,--server-socket}'[override the default path to the foot server socket (XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/foot.sock)]:server:_files' \
     '(-l --log-colorize)'{-l,--log-colorize}'[enable or disable colorization of log output on stderr]:logcolor:(never always auto)' \
     '(-v --version)'{-v,--version}'[show the version number and quit]' \
diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 1dd6652f..39a72648 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -159,6 +159,14 @@ parse_section_main(const char *key, const char *value, struct config *conf,
         conf->shell = strdup(value);
     }
 
+    else if (strcmp(key, "login-shell") == 0) {
+        conf->login_shell = (
+            strcasecmp(value, "on") == 0 ||
+            strcasecmp(value, "true") == 0 ||
+            strcasecmp(value, "yes") == 0) ||
+            strtoul(value, NULL, 0) > 0;
+    }
+
     else if (strcmp(key, "geometry") == 0) {
         unsigned width, height;
         if (sscanf(value, "%ux%u", &width, &height) != 2 || width == 0 || height == 0) {
diff --git a/config.h b/config.h
index 90376fc0..3677129f 100644
--- a/config.h
+++ b/config.h
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 struct config {
     char *term;
     char *shell;
+    bool login_shell;
     unsigned width;
     unsigned height;
     unsigned pad_x;
diff --git a/doc/foot.1.scd b/doc/foot.1.scd
index 639ddf19..fcd9d1f8 100644
--- a/doc/foot.1.scd
+++ b/doc/foot.1.scd
@@ -36,6 +36,9 @@ execute (instead of the shell).
 *-t*,*--term*=_TERM_
 	Value to set the environment variable *TERM* to. Default: *foot*.
 
+*--login-shell*
+	Start a login shell, by prepending a '-' to argv[0].
+
 *-s*,*--server*[=_PATH_]
 	Run as a server. In this mode, a single foot instance hosts
 	multiple terminals (windows). Use *footclient*(1) to launch new
diff --git a/doc/footclient.1.scd b/doc/footclient.1.scd
index e58be6a1..d6115906 100644
--- a/doc/footclient.1.scd
+++ b/doc/footclient.1.scd
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ execute (instead of the shell).
 *-t*,*--term*=_TERM_
 	Value to set the environment variable _TERM_ to. Default: _foot_.
 
+*--login-shell*
+	Start a login shell, by prepending a '-' to argv[0].
+
 *-s*,*--server-socket*=_PATH_
 	Connect to _PATH_ instead of _XDG\_RUNTIME\_DIR/foot.sock_.
 
diff --git a/footrc b/footrc
index d001e644..337be31b 100644
--- a/footrc
+++ b/footrc
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 # pad=2x2
 # shell=<user's default shell (from /etc/passwd)> (you may need to override if you need a login shell)
 # term=foot
+# login-shell=no
 # workers=<number of logical CPUs>
 
 [cursor]
diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index 2b2006f5..7709e05c 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ print_usage(const char *prog_name)
         "  -c,--config=PATH                      load configuration from PATH (XDG_CONFIG_HOME/footrc)\n"
         "  -f,--font=FONT                        comma separated list of fonts in fontconfig format (monospace)\n"
         "  -t,--term=TERM                        value to set the environment variable TERM to (foot)\n"
+        "     --login-shell                      start shell as a login shell\n"
         "  -g,--geometry=WIDTHxHEIGHT            set initial width and height\n"
         "  -s,--server[=PATH]                    run as a server (use 'footclient' to start terminals).\n"
         "                                        Without PATH, XDG_RUNTIME_DIR/foot.sock will be used.\n"
@@ -136,6 +137,7 @@ main(int argc, char *const *argv)
     static const struct option longopts[] =  {
         {"config",               required_argument, NULL, 'c'},
         {"term",                 required_argument, NULL, 't'},
+        {"login-shell",          no_argument,       NULL, 'L'},
         {"font",                 required_argument, NULL, 'f'},
         {"geometry",             required_argument, NULL, 'g'},
         {"server",               optional_argument, NULL, 's'},
@@ -151,6 +153,7 @@ main(int argc, char *const *argv)
 
     const char *conf_path = NULL;
     const char *conf_term = NULL;
+    bool login_shell = false;
     tll(char *) conf_fonts = tll_init();
     int conf_width = -1;
     int conf_height = -1;
@@ -164,7 +167,7 @@ main(int argc, char *const *argv)
     bool log_syslog = true;
 
     while (true) {
-        int c = getopt_long(argc, argv, "c:t:f:g:s::Pp:l::Svh", longopts, NULL);
+        int c = getopt_long(argc, argv, "c:t:Lf:g:s::Pp:l::Svh", longopts, NULL);
         if (c == -1)
             break;
 
@@ -177,6 +180,10 @@ main(int argc, char *const *argv)
             conf_term = optarg;
             break;
 
+        case 'L':
+            login_shell = true;
+            break;
+
         case 'f':
             tll_free_and_free(conf_fonts, free);
             for (char *font = strtok(optarg, ","); font != NULL; font = strtok(NULL, ",")) {
@@ -279,6 +286,8 @@ main(int argc, char *const *argv)
         free(conf.term);
         conf.term = strdup(conf_term);
     }
+    if (login_shell)
+        conf.login_shell = true;
     if (tll_length(conf_fonts) > 0) {
         tll_free_and_free(conf.fonts, free);
         tll_foreach(conf_fonts, it)
@@ -323,7 +332,8 @@ main(int argc, char *const *argv)
         goto out;
 
     if (!as_server && (term = term_init(
-                           &conf, fdm, wayl, conf.term, "foot", cwd, argc, argv,
+                           &conf, fdm, wayl, conf.term, conf.login_shell,
+                           "foot", cwd, argc, argv,
                            &term_shutdown_cb, &shutdown_ctx)) == NULL) {
         free(cwd);
         goto out;
diff --git a/server.c b/server.c
index 92f326a0..dc0b1e47 100644
--- a/server.c
+++ b/server.c
@@ -213,6 +213,9 @@ fdm_client(struct fdm *fdm, int fd, int events, void *data)
         goto shutdown;
     }
 
+    CHECK_BUF(sizeof(uint8_t));
+    const uint8_t login_shell = *(const uint8_t *)p; p += sizeof(login_shell);
+
     CHECK_BUF(sizeof(argc));
     argc = *(int *)p; p += sizeof(argc);
     argv = calloc(argc + 1, sizeof(argv[0]));
@@ -238,7 +241,7 @@ fdm_client(struct fdm *fdm, int fd, int events, void *data)
 
     client->term = term_init(
         server->conf, server->fdm, server->wayl,
-        strlen(term_env) > 0 ? term_env : server->conf->term,
+        strlen(term_env) > 0 ? term_env : server->conf->term, login_shell,
         "footclient", cwd, argc, argv, &term_shutdown_handler, client);
 
     if (client->term == NULL) {
diff --git a/slave.c b/slave.c
index 857640b2..3bff59b7 100644
--- a/slave.c
+++ b/slave.c
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 #include "tokenize.h"
 
 static void
-slave_exec(int ptmx, char *const argv[], int err_fd)
+slave_exec(int ptmx, char *argv[], int err_fd, bool login_shell)
 {
     int pts = -1;
     const char *pts_name = ptsname(ptmx);
@@ -56,7 +56,20 @@ slave_exec(int ptmx, char *const argv[], int err_fd)
     close(pts);
     pts = -1;
 
-    execvp(argv[0], argv);
+    const char *file;
+    if (login_shell) {
+        file = strdup(argv[0]);
+
+        char *arg0 = malloc(strlen(argv[0]) + 1 + 1);
+        arg0[0] = '-';
+        arg0[1] = '\0';
+        strcat(arg0, argv[0]);
+
+        argv[0] = arg0;
+    } else
+        file = argv[0];
+
+    execvp(file, argv);
 
 err:
     (void)!write(err_fd, &errno, sizeof(errno));
@@ -70,7 +83,7 @@ err:
 
 pid_t
 slave_spawn(int ptmx, int argc, const char *cwd, char *const *argv,
-            const char *term_env, const char *conf_shell)
+            const char *term_env, const char *conf_shell, bool login_shell)
 {
     int fork_pipe[2];
     if (pipe2(fork_pipe, O_CLOEXEC) < 0) {
@@ -107,7 +120,7 @@ slave_spawn(int ptmx, int argc, const char *cwd, char *const *argv,
         setenv("TERM", term_env, 1);
 
         char **_shell_argv = NULL;
-        char *const *shell_argv = argv;
+        char **shell_argv = NULL;
 
         if (argc == 0) {
             char *shell_copy = strdup(conf_shell);
@@ -117,9 +130,17 @@ slave_spawn(int ptmx, int argc, const char *cwd, char *const *argv,
                 _exit(0);
             }
             shell_argv = _shell_argv;
+        } else {
+            size_t count = 0;
+            for (; argv[count] != NULL; count++)
+                ;
+            shell_argv = malloc((count + 1) * sizeof(shell_argv[0]));
+            for (size_t i = 0; i < count; i++)
+                shell_argv[i] = argv[i];
+            shell_argv[count] = NULL;
         }
 
-        slave_exec(ptmx, shell_argv, fork_pipe[1]);
+        slave_exec(ptmx, shell_argv, fork_pipe[1], login_shell);
         assert(false);
         break;
 
diff --git a/slave.h b/slave.h
index 63fe9bff..83891590 100644
--- a/slave.h
+++ b/slave.h
@@ -5,4 +5,4 @@
 
 pid_t slave_spawn(
     int ptmx, int argc, const char *cwd, char *const *argv, const char *term_env,
-    const char *conf_shell);
+    const char *conf_shell, bool login_shell);
diff --git a/terminal.c b/terminal.c
index 89c18c75..37b2cc84 100644
--- a/terminal.c
+++ b/terminal.c
@@ -589,8 +589,8 @@ load_fonts_from_conf(const struct terminal *term, const struct config *conf,
 
 struct terminal *
 term_init(const struct config *conf, struct fdm *fdm, struct wayland *wayl,
-          const char *term_env, const char *foot_exe, const char *cwd,
-          int argc, char *const *argv,
+          const char *term_env, bool login_shell, const char *foot_exe,
+          const char *cwd, int argc, char *const *argv,
           void (*shutdown_cb)(void *data, int exit_code), void *shutdown_data)
 {
     int ptmx = -1;
@@ -777,7 +777,7 @@ term_init(const struct config *conf, struct fdm *fdm, struct wayland *wayl,
     term_font_dpi_changed(term);
 
     /* Start the slave/client */
-    if ((term->slave = slave_spawn(term->ptmx, argc, term->cwd, argv, term_env, conf->shell)) == -1)
+    if ((term->slave = slave_spawn(term->ptmx, argc, term->cwd, argv, term_env, conf->shell, login_shell)) == -1)
         goto err;
 
     if (term->width == 0 && term->height == 0) {
diff --git a/terminal.h b/terminal.h
index d400dca5..d9727b32 100644
--- a/terminal.h
+++ b/terminal.h
@@ -356,8 +356,8 @@ struct terminal {
 struct config;
 struct terminal *term_init(
     const struct config *conf, struct fdm *fdm, struct wayland *wayl,
-    const char *term_env, const char *foot_exe, const char *cwd,
-    int argc, char *const *argv,
+    const char *term_env, bool login_shell, const char *foot_exe,
+    const char *cwd, int argc, char *const *argv,
     void (*shutdown_cb)(void *data, int exit_code), void *shutdown_data);
 
 bool term_shutdown(struct terminal *term);