diff --git a/src/configuredialog/configureappearancepage.h b/src/configuredialog/configureappearancepage.h
--- a/src/configuredialog/configureappearancepage.h
+++ b/src/configuredialog/configureappearancepage.h
@@ -172,6 +172,7 @@
     MessageViewer::ConfigureWidget *mViewerSettings = nullptr;
     Gravatar::GravatarConfigWidget *mGravatarConfigWidget = nullptr;
     QCheckBox *mSystemTrayCheck = nullptr;
+    QCheckBox *mStartInTrayCheck = nullptr;
     QCheckBox *mShowNumberInTaskBar = nullptr;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/configuredialog/configureappearancepage.cpp b/src/configuredialog/configureappearancepage.cpp
--- a/src/configuredialog/configureappearancepage.cpp
+++ b/src/configuredialog/configureappearancepage.cpp
@@ -876,8 +876,22 @@
     // "Enable system tray applet" check box
     mSystemTrayCheck = new QCheckBox(i18n("Enable system tray icon"), this);
     systrayBoxlayout->addWidget(mSystemTrayCheck);
-    connect(mSystemTrayCheck, &QCheckBox::stateChanged,
-            this, &ConfigModuleTab::slotEmitChanged);
+
+    // "Enable start in system tray" check box
+    mStartInTrayCheck = new QCheckBox(i18n("Start minimized to tray"));
+    systrayBoxlayout->addWidget(mStartInTrayCheck);
+
+    // Dependencies between the two checkboxes
+    connect(mStartInTrayCheck, &QCheckBox::stateChanged, this, [this](int state) {
+      if (state == Qt::Checked)
+          mSystemTrayCheck->setCheckState(Qt::Checked);
+      slotEmitChanged();
+    });
+    connect(mSystemTrayCheck, &QCheckBox::stateChanged, this, [this](int state) {
+      if(state == Qt::Unchecked)
+          mStartInTrayCheck->setCheckState(Qt::Unchecked);
+      slotEmitChanged();
+    });
 
     // "Enable system tray applet" check box
     mShowNumberInTaskBar = new QCheckBox(i18n("Show unread email in Taskbar"), this);
@@ -896,6 +910,7 @@
 void AppearancePage::ReaderTab::doLoadOther()
 {
     loadWidget(mSystemTrayCheck, KMailSettings::self()->systemTrayEnabledItem());
+    loadWidget(mStartInTrayCheck, KMailSettings::self()->startInTrayItem());
     loadWidget(mShowNumberInTaskBar, KMailSettings::self()->showUnreadInTaskbarItem());
     loadWidget(mCloseAfterReplyOrForwardCheck, MessageViewer::MessageViewerSettings::self()->closeAfterReplyOrForwardItem());
     mViewerSettings->readConfig();
@@ -905,6 +920,7 @@
 void AppearancePage::ReaderTab::save()
 {
     saveCheckBox(mSystemTrayCheck, KMailSettings::self()->systemTrayEnabledItem());
+    saveCheckBox(mStartInTrayCheck, KMailSettings::self()->startInTrayItem());
     saveCheckBox(mShowNumberInTaskBar, KMailSettings::self()->showUnreadInTaskbarItem());
     KMailSettings::self()->save();
     saveCheckBox(mCloseAfterReplyOrForwardCheck, MessageViewer::MessageViewerSettings::self()->closeAfterReplyOrForwardItem());
diff --git a/src/kmail_options.h b/src/kmail_options.h
--- a/src/kmail_options.h
+++ b/src/kmail_options.h
@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@
         QStringLiteral("check"),
         i18n("Only check for new mail"))
             << QCommandLineOption(
+        QStringLiteral("startintray"),
+        i18n("Start minimized to tray"))
+            << QCommandLineOption(
         QStringLiteral("composer"),
         i18n("Only open composer window"))
             << QCommandLineOption(
diff --git a/src/kmkernel.h b/src/kmkernel.h
--- a/src/kmkernel.h
+++ b/src/kmkernel.h
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@
     bool doSessionManagement();
     bool firstInstance() const;
     void setFirstInstance(bool value);
-    void action(bool mailto, bool check, const QString &to, const QString &cc, const QString &bcc, const QString &subj, const QString &body, const QUrl &messageFile, const QList<QUrl> &attach, const QStringList &customHeaders, const QString &replyTo, const QString &inReplyTo, const QString &identity);
+    void action(bool mailto, bool check, bool startInTray, const QString &to, const QString &cc, const QString &bcc, const QString &subj, const QString &body, const QUrl &messageFile, const QList<QUrl> &attach, const QStringList &customHeaders, const QString &replyTo, const QString &inReplyTo, const QString &identity);
 
     //sets online status for akonadi accounts. true for online, false for offline
     void setAccountStatus(bool);
@@ -478,7 +478,7 @@
 
     void verifyAccount();
     void resourceGoOnLine();
-    void openReader(bool onlyCheck);
+    void openReader(bool onlyCheck, bool startInTray);
     QSharedPointer<MailCommon::FolderSettings> currentFolderCollection();
     void saveConfig();
 
diff --git a/src/kmkernel.cpp b/src/kmkernel.cpp
--- a/src/kmkernel.cpp
+++ b/src/kmkernel.cpp
@@ -274,6 +274,7 @@
     QUrl messageFile;
     QList<QUrl> attachURLs;
     QString identity;
+    bool startInTray = false;
     bool mailto = false;
     bool checkMail = false;
     bool viewOnly = false;
@@ -371,6 +372,11 @@
         checkMail = true;
     }
 
+    if(parser.isSet(QStringLiteral("startintray"))) {
+        KMailSettings::self()->setSystemTrayEnabled(true);
+        startInTray = true;
+    }
+
     if (parser.isSet(QStringLiteral("identity"))) {
         identity = parser.value(QStringLiteral("identity"));
     }
@@ -456,7 +462,7 @@
     if (viewOnly) {
         viewMessage(messageFile);
     } else {
-        action(mailto, checkMail, to, cc, bcc, subj, body, messageFile,
+        action(mailto, checkMail, startInTray, to, cc, bcc, subj, body, messageFile,
                attachURLs, customHeaders, replyTo, inReplyTo, identity);
     }
     return true;
@@ -496,7 +502,7 @@
 
 void KMKernel::openReader()
 {
-    openReader(false);
+    openReader(false, false);
 }
 
 QStringList KMKernel::accounts() const
@@ -526,7 +532,7 @@
     }
 }
 
-void KMKernel::openReader(bool onlyCheck)
+void KMKernel::openReader(bool onlyCheck, bool startInTray)
 {
     KMainWindow *ktmw = nullptr;
 
@@ -546,7 +552,8 @@
         }
     } else {
         KMMainWin *win = new KMMainWin;
-        win->show();
+        if(!startInTray && !KMailSettings::self()->startInTray())
+            win->show();
         activate = false; // new window: no explicit activation (#73591)
     }
 }
@@ -1143,14 +1150,14 @@
     }
 }
 
-void KMKernel::action(bool mailto, bool check, const QString &to, const QString &cc, const QString &bcc, const QString &subj, const QString &body, const QUrl &messageFile, const QList<QUrl> &attachURLs, const QStringList &customHeaders, const QString &replyTo, const QString &inReplyTo, const QString &identity)
+void KMKernel::action(bool mailto, bool check, bool startInTray, const QString &to, const QString &cc, const QString &bcc, const QString &subj, const QString &body, const QUrl &messageFile, const QList<QUrl> &attachURLs, const QStringList &customHeaders, const QString &replyTo, const QString &inReplyTo, const QString &identity)
 {
     if (mailto) {
         openComposer(to, cc, bcc, subj, body, 0,
                      messageFile.toLocalFile(), QUrl::toStringList(attachURLs),
                      customHeaders, replyTo, inReplyTo, identity);
     } else {
-        openReader(check);
+        openReader(check, startInTray);
     }
 
     if (check) {
diff --git a/src/settings/kmail.kcfg.cmake b/src/settings/kmail.kcfg.cmake
--- a/src/settings/kmail.kcfg.cmake
+++ b/src/settings/kmail.kcfg.cmake
@@ -84,6 +84,10 @@
         <label>Enable system tray icon</label>
         <default>false</default>
       </entry>
+      <entry name="StartInTray" type="Bool">
+        <label>Start minimized to tray</label>
+        <default>false</default>
+      </entry>
       <entry name="ShowUnreadInTaskbar" type="Bool">
       <label>Show Unread Email in TaskBar</label>
         <default>true</default>