diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 873b1c9..626fef1 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1369,6 +1369,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "gpui_platform",
  "gpui_windows",
  "log",
+ "nostr-sdk",
  "person",
  "reqwest_client",
  "settings",
diff --git a/crates/state/src/lib.rs b/crates/state/src/lib.rs
index 9186a89..210356a 100644
--- a/crates/state/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/state/src/lib.rs
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ pub use nip4e::*;
 pub use nip05::*;
 pub use signer::{CoopAuthUrlHandler, UniversalSigner};
 
-pub fn init(window: &mut Window, cx: &mut App) {
+pub fn init(window: &mut Window, cx: &mut App, cli_key: Option<SecretKey>) {
     // rustls uses the `aws_lc_rs` provider by default
     // This only errors if the default provider has already
     // been installed. We can ignore this `Result`.
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ pub fn init(window: &mut Window, cx: &mut App) {
     #[cfg(not(target_arch = "wasm32"))]
     gpui_tokio::init(cx);
 
-    NostrRegistry::set_global(cx.new(|cx| NostrRegistry::new(window, cx)), cx);
+    NostrRegistry::set_global(cx.new(|cx| NostrRegistry::new(window, cx, cli_key)), cx);
 }
 
 struct GlobalNostrRegistry(Entity<NostrRegistry>);
@@ -58,16 +58,16 @@ pub enum StateEvent {
 }
 
 impl StateEvent {
+    pub fn signer_changed(&self) -> bool {
+        matches!(self, StateEvent::SignerChanged)
+    }
+
     pub fn error<T>(error: T) -> Self
     where
         T: Into<String>,
     {
         Self::Error(error.into())
     }
-
-    pub fn signer_changed(&self) -> bool {
-        matches!(self, StateEvent::SignerChanged)
-    }
 }
 
 /// Nostr Registry
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ impl NostrRegistry {
     }
 
     /// Create a new nostr instance
-    fn new(window: &mut Window, cx: &mut Context<Self>) -> Self {
+    fn new(window: &mut Window, cx: &mut Context<Self>, cli_key: Option<SecretKey>) -> Self {
         let signer = UniversalSigner::new(Keys::generate());
         let authenticator = SignerAuthenticator::new(signer.clone());
 
@@ -133,6 +133,10 @@ impl NostrRegistry {
 
             if cfg!(target_arch = "wasm32") {
                 cx.emit(StateEvent::NoSigner);
+            } else if let Some(secret) = cli_key {
+                // Use CLI-provided key -- same path as get_user_credential
+                let keys = Keys::new(secret);
+                this.set_signer(keys, cx);
             } else {
                 this.get_user_credential(cx);
             }
diff --git a/desktop/Cargo.toml b/desktop/Cargo.toml
index 76dfb1f..a1ff45a 100644
--- a/desktop/Cargo.toml
+++ b/desktop/Cargo.toml
@@ -48,3 +48,4 @@ reqwest_client.workspace = true
 
 log.workspace = true
 tracing-subscriber.workspace = true
+nostr-sdk.workspace = true
diff --git a/desktop/src/main.rs b/desktop/src/main.rs
index 91db6a7..2c20e2d 100644
--- a/desktop/src/main.rs
+++ b/desktop/src/main.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ use gpui::{
     actions, point, px, size,
 };
 use gpui_platform::application;
+use nostr_sdk::prelude::SecretKey;
 use state::{APP_ID, CLIENT_NAME};
 use ui::Root;
 
@@ -16,6 +17,14 @@ fn main() {
     // Initialize logging
     tracing_subscriber::fmt::init();
 
+    // Parse CLI arguments for --sec <nsec1>
+    let cli_key = parse_cli_key();
+    if let Err(ref e) = cli_key {
+        eprintln!("Failed to parse --sec argument: {e}");
+        std::process::exit(1);
+    }
+    let cli_key = cli_key.unwrap();
+
     // Run application
     application()
         .with_assets(Assets)
@@ -75,7 +84,7 @@ fn main() {
                 settings::init(window, cx);
 
                 // Initialize the nostr client
-                state::init(window, cx);
+                state::init(window, cx, cli_key);
 
                 // Initialize person registry
                 person::init(window, cx);
@@ -125,6 +134,25 @@ fn load_embedded_fonts(cx: &App) {
         .unwrap();
 }
 
+fn parse_cli_key() -> Result<Option<SecretKey>, String> {
+    let args: Vec<String> = std::env::args().collect();
+    let mut i = 0;
+    while i < args.len() {
+        if args[i] == "--sec" {
+            if i + 1 < args.len() {
+                let nsec = &args[i + 1];
+                return SecretKey::parse(nsec)
+                    .map(Some)
+                    .map_err(|e| format!("Invalid nsec key '{nsec}': {e}"));
+            } else {
+                return Err("--sec requires a value (nsec1...)".to_string());
+            }
+        }
+        i += 1;
+    }
+    Ok(None)
+}
+
 fn quit(_ev: &Quit, cx: &mut App) {
     log::info!("Gracefully quitting the application . . .");
     cx.quit();
diff --git a/web/src/lib.rs b/web/src/lib.rs
index d2a02a4..df97a5d 100644
--- a/web/src/lib.rs
+++ b/web/src/lib.rs
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ pub fn run() -> Result<(), JsValue> {
             settings::init(window, cx);
 
             // Initialize the nostr client
-            state::init(window, cx);
+            state::init(window, cx, None);
 
             // Initialize person registry
             person::init(window, cx);