diff --git a/docs/labwc-actions.5.scd b/docs/labwc-actions.5.scd
index 58892582..61da1be4 100644
--- a/docs/labwc-actions.5.scd
+++ b/docs/labwc-actions.5.scd
@@ -131,10 +131,11 @@ Actions are used in menus and keyboard/mouse bindings.
 *<action name="Decorate" mode="value" />*
 	Enable decorations of focused window.
 
-	*mode* [yes|no|full|border|none] "full", "border" and "none" are the
-	three modes described in 'ToggleDecorations'. "yes" and "no"
-	automatically select an appropriate mode based on 'keepBorder' and
-	whether the window has client side decorations. Default is yes.
+	*mode* [yes|no|initial|full|border|none] "full", "border" and "none"
+	are the three modes described in 'ToggleDecorations'. "yes", "no", and
+	"initial" automatically select an appropriate mode based on
+	'keepBorder' and whether the window has client side decorations.
+	Default is yes.
 
 *<action name="Undecorate" />*
 	Disable decorations of focused window.
diff --git a/include/view.h b/include/view.h
index 38610e10..85418f48 100644
--- a/include/view.h
+++ b/include/view.h
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ enum ssd_mode {
 	LAB_SSD_MODE_NONE,
 	LAB_SSD_MODE_BORDER,
 	LAB_SSD_MODE_FULL,
+	LAB_SSD_MODE_INITIAL,
 	LAB_SSD_MODE_YES,
 	LAB_SSD_MODE_NO
 };
diff --git a/src/view.c b/src/view.c
index f1e6eb1f..162e8136 100644
--- a/src/view.c
+++ b/src/view.c
@@ -1292,7 +1292,13 @@ resolve_ssd_mode(struct view *view, enum ssd_mode mode)
 {
 	assert(view);
 
-	if (mode == LAB_SSD_MODE_YES) {
+	if (mode == LAB_SSD_MODE_INITIAL) {
+		if (has_ssd(view)) {
+			return LAB_SSD_MODE_FULL;
+		} else {
+			return LAB_SSD_MODE_NONE;
+		}
+	} else if (mode == LAB_SSD_MODE_YES) {
 		return LAB_SSD_MODE_FULL;
 	} else if (mode == LAB_SSD_MODE_NO) {
 		if (rc.ssd_keep_border && has_ssd(view)) {
@@ -1875,6 +1881,8 @@ ssd_mode_parse(const char *mode)
 		return LAB_SSD_MODE_BORDER;
 	} else if (!strcasecmp(mode, "none")) {
 		return LAB_SSD_MODE_NONE;
+	} else if (!strcasecmp(mode, "initial")) {
+		return LAB_SSD_MODE_INITIAL;
 	} else if (!strcasecmp(mode, "yes")) {
 		return LAB_SSD_MODE_YES;
 	} else {