diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 56e7d4f2..b939caac 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -15,8 +15,9 @@ And others I forgot about...
 # Applied Changes
 
 - Changed opening the window popup from `ctrl + w` to `ctrl + v`
-- Added an auto select for files in the tree explorer when jumping through opened buffers 
+- Added an auto highlight for files in the tree explorer when jumping through opened buffers 
 - Changed some default settings (enabling bufferline, indent guides, the embedded explorer, cursor modes etc.)
+- Added a `--show-explorer` cli flag to open the file explorer on startup (useful for embedded explorer mode)
 
 - - -
 
diff --git a/helix-term/src/application.rs b/helix-term/src/application.rs
index cd499f1c..8dd4f1ed 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/application.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/application.rs
@@ -12,11 +12,11 @@ use serde_json::json;
 use crate::{
     args::Args,
     commands::apply_workspace_edit,
-    compositor::{Compositor, Event},
+    compositor::{self, Compositor, Event},
     config::Config,
     job::Jobs,
     keymap::Keymaps,
-    ui::{self, overlay::overlayed},
+    ui::{self, overlay::overlayed, Explorer},
 };
 
 use log::{error, warn};
@@ -153,7 +153,19 @@ impl Application {
         let keys = Box::new(Map::new(Arc::clone(&config), |config: &Config| {
             &config.keys
         }));
-        let editor_view = Box::new(ui::EditorView::new(Keymaps::new(keys)));
+        let mut editor_view = Box::new(ui::EditorView::new(Keymaps::new(keys)));
+
+        if args.show_explorer {
+            let mut jobs = Jobs::new();
+            let mut context = compositor::Context {
+                editor: &mut editor,
+                scroll: None,
+                jobs: &mut jobs,
+            };
+            let mut explorer = Explorer::new(&mut context)?;
+            explorer.unfocus();
+            editor_view.explorer = Some(overlayed(explorer));
+        }
         compositor.push(editor_view);
 
         if args.load_tutor {
diff --git a/helix-term/src/args.rs b/helix-term/src/args.rs
index 48c86633..b72e9172 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/args.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/args.rs
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ pub struct Args {
     pub log_file: Option<PathBuf>,
     pub config_file: Option<PathBuf>,
     pub files: Vec<(PathBuf, Position)>,
+    pub show_explorer: bool,
 }
 
 impl Args {
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ impl Args {
                 "--version" => args.display_version = true,
                 "--help" => args.display_help = true,
                 "--tutor" => args.load_tutor = true,
+                "--show-explorer" => args.show_explorer = true,
                 "--vsplit" => args.split = Some(Layout::Vertical),
                 "--hsplit" => args.split = Some(Layout::Horizontal),
                 "--health" => {
diff --git a/helix-term/src/main.rs b/helix-term/src/main.rs
index 726bf9e3..6f69e318 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/main.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/main.rs
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ FLAGS:
     -V, --version                  Prints version information
     --vsplit                       Splits all given files vertically into different windows
     --hsplit                       Splits all given files horizontally into different windows
+    --show-explorer                Opens the explorer on startup
 ",
         env!("CARGO_PKG_NAME"),
         env!("VERSION_AND_GIT_HASH"),