diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 6121bf42..300dd097 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 - another improvement of auto jitter buffer detection in very bad
   network conditions
 
+- support client operation without using a GUI frontend
 
 
 
diff --git a/src/client.cpp b/src/client.cpp
index 6c5f5149..431f8261 100755
--- a/src/client.cpp
+++ b/src/client.cpp
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@
 
 
 /* Implementation *************************************************************/
-CClient::CClient ( const quint16 iPortNumber ) :
+CClient::CClient ( const quint16  iPortNumber,
+                   const QString& strConnOnStartupAddress ) :
     vstrIPAddress                    ( MAX_NUM_SERVER_ADDR_ITEMS, "" ),
     ChannelInfo                      (),
     vecStoredFaderTags               ( MAX_NUM_STORED_FADER_SETTINGS, "" ),
@@ -227,6 +228,13 @@ QObject::connect ( &Channel, SIGNAL ( OpusSupported() ),
     // start the socket (it is important to start the socket after all
     // initializations and connections)
     Socket.Start();
+
+    // do an immediate start if a server address is given
+    if ( !strConnOnStartupAddress.isEmpty() )
+    {
+        SetServerAddr ( strConnOnStartupAddress );
+        Start();
+    }
 }
 
 void CClient::OnSendProtMessage ( CVector<uint8_t> vecMessage )
diff --git a/src/client.h b/src/client.h
index 521013e3..5a1d1e39 100755
--- a/src/client.h
+++ b/src/client.h
@@ -114,7 +114,8 @@ class CClient : public QObject
     Q_OBJECT
 
 public:
-    CClient ( const quint16 iPortNumber );
+    CClient ( const quint16  iPortNumber,
+              const QString& strConnOnStartupAddress );
 
     void   Start();
     void   Stop();
diff --git a/src/clientdlg.cpp b/src/clientdlg.cpp
index 99bbd0c8..985130db 100755
--- a/src/clientdlg.cpp
+++ b/src/clientdlg.cpp
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
 /* Implementation *************************************************************/
 CClientDlg::CClientDlg ( CClient*        pNCliP,
                          CSettings*      pNSetP,
-                         const bool      bNewConnectOnStartup,
+                         const QString&  strConnOnStartupAddress,
                          const bool      bNewShowComplRegConnList,
                          const bool      bShowAnalyzerConsole,
                          QWidget*        parent,
@@ -225,19 +225,11 @@ CClientDlg::CClientDlg ( CClient*        pNCliP,
 
 
     // Connect on startup ------------------------------------------------------
-    if ( bNewConnectOnStartup )
+    if ( !strConnOnStartupAddress.isEmpty() )
     {
-        // per definition use the last connection (first entry in the
-        // stored address list)
-        const QString strSelectedAddress = pClient->vstrIPAddress[0];
-
-        // only if address is not empty, start the client
-        if ( !strSelectedAddress.isEmpty() )
-        {
-            // initiate connection (always show the address in the mixer board
-            // (no alias))
-            Connect ( strSelectedAddress, strSelectedAddress );
-        }
+        // initiate connection (always show the address in the mixer board
+        // (no alias))
+        Connect ( strConnOnStartupAddress, strConnOnStartupAddress );
     }
 
 
@@ -1001,7 +993,10 @@ void CClientDlg::Connect ( const QString& strSelectedAddress,
         // running state but show error message
         try
         {
-            pClient->Start();
+            if ( !pClient->IsRunning() )
+            {
+                pClient->Start();
+            }
         }
 
         catch ( CGenErr generr )
diff --git a/src/clientdlg.h b/src/clientdlg.h
index deaa33c7..6d4508ef 100755
--- a/src/clientdlg.h
+++ b/src/clientdlg.h
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ class CClientDlg : public QDialog, private Ui_CClientDlgBase
 public:
     CClientDlg ( CClient*        pNCliP,
                  CSettings*      pNSetP,
-                 const bool      bNewConnectOnStartup,
+                 const QString&  strConnOnStartupAddress,
                  const bool      bNewShowComplRegConnList,
                  const bool      bShowAnalyzerConsole,
                  QWidget*        parent = 0,
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index f50f5301..08f43bd1 100755
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -56,13 +56,13 @@ int main ( int argc, char** argv )
     bool         bIsClient                 = true;
     bool         bUseGUI                   = true;
     bool         bStartMinimized           = false;
-    bool         bConnectOnStartup         = false;
     bool         bShowComplRegConnList     = false;
     bool         bShowAnalyzerConsole      = false;
     bool         bCentServPingServerInList = false;
     int          iNumServerChannels        = DEFAULT_USED_NUM_CHANNELS;
     quint16      iPortNumber               = LLCON_DEFAULT_PORT_NUMBER;
     ELicenceType eLicenceType              = LT_NO_LICENCE;
+    QString      strConnOnStartupAddress   = "";
     QString      strIniFileName            = "";
     QString      strHTMLStatusFileName     = "";
     QString      strServerName             = "";
@@ -324,13 +324,16 @@ int main ( int argc, char** argv )
 
 
         // Connect on startup --------------------------------------------------
-        if ( GetFlagArgument ( argv,
-                               i,
-                               "-c",
-                               "--connect" ) )
+        if ( GetStringArgument ( tsConsole,
+                                 argc,
+                                 argv,
+                                 i,
+                                 "-c",
+                                 "--connect",
+                                 strArgument ) )
         {
-            bConnectOnStartup = true;
-            tsConsole << "- connect on startup enabled" << endl;
+            strConnOnStartupAddress = strArgument;
+            tsConsole << "- connect on startup to address: " << strConnOnStartupAddress << endl;
             continue;
         }
 
@@ -397,28 +400,39 @@ int main ( int argc, char** argv )
         {
             // Client:
             // actual client object
-            CClient Client ( iPortNumber );
+            CClient Client ( iPortNumber,
+                             strConnOnStartupAddress );
 
             // load settings from init-file
             CSettings Settings ( &Client, strIniFileName );
             Settings.Load();
 
-            // GUI object
-            CClientDlg ClientDlg ( &Client,
-                                   &Settings,
-                                   bConnectOnStartup,
-                                   bShowComplRegConnList,
-                                   bShowAnalyzerConsole,
-                                   0,
-                                   Qt::Window );
+            if ( bUseGUI )
+            {
+                // GUI object
+                CClientDlg ClientDlg ( &Client,
+                                       &Settings,
+                                       strConnOnStartupAddress,
+                                       bShowComplRegConnList,
+                                       bShowAnalyzerConsole,
+                                       0,
+                                       Qt::Window );
 
-            // set main window
-            pMainWindow = &ClientDlg;
-            pApp        = &app; // Needed for post-event routine
+                // set main window
+                pMainWindow = &ClientDlg;
+                pApp        = &app; // needed for post-event routine
 
-            // show dialog
-            ClientDlg.show();
-            app.exec();
+                // show dialog
+                ClientDlg.show();
+                app.exec();
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                // only start application without using the GUI
+                tsConsole << CAboutDlg::GetVersionAndNameStr ( false ) << endl;
+
+                app.exec();
+            }
         }
         else
         {
@@ -514,8 +528,8 @@ QString UsageArguments ( char **argv )
         "\nRecognized options:\n"
         "  -a, --servername      server name, required for HTML status (server\n"
         "                        only)\n"
-        "  -c, --connect         connect to last server on startup (client\n"
-        "                        only)\n"
+        "  -c, --connect         connect to given server address on startup\n"
+        "                        (client only)\n"
         "  -e, --centralserver   address of the central server (server only)\n"
         "  -g, --pingservers     ping servers in list to keep NAT port open\n"
         "                        (central server only)\n"