diff --git a/src/app.rs b/src/app.rs
index e221a5d..8d694ef 100644
--- a/src/app.rs
+++ b/src/app.rs
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ impl History {
 
 
 pub async fn run<T: ratatui::backend::Backend>(term: &mut Terminal<T>, args: crate::Args) -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
-	let mut chat = Chat::register(&args.server).await?;
+	let mut chat = Chat::register(&args.server, args.token).await?;
 
 	let mut stream = crossterm::event::EventStream::new();
 	let mut input = String::new();
diff --git a/src/chat.rs b/src/chat.rs
index 7780b28..8a11ab4 100644
--- a/src/chat.rs
+++ b/src/chat.rs
@@ -55,15 +55,21 @@ pub struct Chat {
 }
 
 impl Chat {
-	pub async fn register(server: &str) -> Result<Chat, ChatError> {
-		let registration : RegisterResponse = reqwest::Client::new()
-			.post(format!("https://{server}/api/chat/register"))
-			.send()
-			.await?
-			.json()
-			.await?;
+	pub async fn register(server: &str, token: Option<String>) -> Result<Chat, ChatError> {
+		let token = match token {
+			Some(t) => t,
+			None => {
+				let registration : RegisterResponse = reqwest::Client::new()
+					.post(format!("https://{server}/api/chat/register"))
+					.send()
+					.await?
+					.json()
+					.await?;
+				registration.access_token
+			},
+		};
 
-		let ws_url = format!("wss://{server}/ws?accessToken={}", registration.access_token);
+		let ws_url = format!("wss://{server}/ws?accessToken={token}");
 
 		let (ws, _response) = tokio_tungstenite::connect_async(ws_url).await?;
 
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index d6d6039..226c214 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@ mod proto;
 struct Args {
 	/// owncast server to connect to
 	server: String,
+
+	/// access token to use for login
+	#[arg(long)]
+	token: Option<String>,
 }
 
 #[tokio::main(flavor = "current_thread")]