diff --git a/src/conf.c b/src/conf.c
index ff8c4fec..0f1bb707 100644
--- a/src/conf.c
+++ b/src/conf.c
@@ -84,6 +84,9 @@ void conf_parse_cmdline(void)
 
 		if (string_compare(tok, "single") || string_compare(tok, "S"))
 			single = 1;
+
+		if (string_compare(tok, "splash"))
+			splash = 1;
 	}
 	fclose(fp);
 
diff --git a/src/finit.c b/src/finit.c
index bed491e1..cd9e9208 100644
--- a/src/finit.c
+++ b/src/finit.c
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ int   cfglevel  = RUNLEVEL;	/* Fallback if no configured runlevel */
 int   prevlevel = -1;
 int   rescue    = 0;		/* rescue mode from kernel cmdline */
 int   single    = 0;		/* single user mode from kernel cmdline */
+int   splash    = 0;		/* splash + progress enabled on kernel cmdline */
 char *sdown     = NULL;
 char *network   = NULL;
 char *hostname  = NULL;
diff --git a/src/finit.h b/src/finit.h
index e3a9958e..95b02493 100644
--- a/src/finit.h
+++ b/src/finit.h
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ extern int    cfglevel;
 extern int    prevlevel;
 extern int    rescue;
 extern int    single;
+extern int    splash;
 extern char  *rcsd;
 extern char  *sdown;
 extern char  *network;
diff --git a/src/log.c b/src/log.c
index e38b84d9..baacfcf3 100644
--- a/src/log.c
+++ b/src/log.c
@@ -44,6 +44,10 @@ void log_init(int dbg)
 		loglevel = LOG_DEBUG;
 	else
 		loglevel = LOG_NOTICE;
+
+	/* User override from kernel cmdline */
+	if (splash)
+		silent = 0;
 }
 
 /* If we enabled terse mode at boot, restore to previous setting at shutdown */