diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 8d2a73f94..4405b6e21 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+2008-08-31  Thomas Thurman  <tthurman@gnome.org>
+
+        * src/core/prefs.[ch] (meta_prefs_set_compositing_manager): new
+          function.
+        * src/core/main.c (meta_parse_options): turn the compositing
+          manager on or off as necessary.
+
 2008-08-30  Thomas Thurman  <tthurman@gnome.org>
 
         * src/core/window.c (process_property_notify): moving all
diff --git a/src/core/main.c b/src/core/main.c
index ee5245858..3d7706aaf 100644
--- a/src/core/main.c
+++ b/src/core/main.c
@@ -217,8 +217,17 @@ typedef struct
   gboolean disable_sm;
   gboolean print_version;
   gboolean sync;
+  gboolean composite;
+  gboolean no_composite;
 } MetaArguments;
 
+#ifdef HAVE_COMPOSITE_EXTENSIONS
+#define COMPOSITE_OPTS_FLAGS 0
+#else /* HAVE_COMPOSITE_EXTENSIONS */
+/* No compositor, so don't show the arguments in --help */
+#define COMPOSITE_OPTS_FLAGS G_OPTION_FLAG_HIDDEN
+#endif /* HAVE_COMPOSITE_EXTENSIONS */
+
 /**
  * Parses argc and argv and returns the
  * arguments that Metacity understands in meta_args.
@@ -235,7 +244,8 @@ static void
 meta_parse_options (int *argc, char ***argv,
                     MetaArguments *meta_args)
 {
-  MetaArguments my_args = {NULL, NULL, NULL, FALSE, FALSE, FALSE};
+  MetaArguments my_args = {NULL, NULL, NULL,
+                           FALSE, FALSE, FALSE, FALSE, FALSE};
   GOptionEntry options[] = {
     {
       "sm-disable", 0, 0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE,
@@ -256,7 +266,7 @@ meta_parse_options (int *argc, char ***argv,
       "ID"
     },
     {
-      "display", 0, 0, G_OPTION_ARG_STRING,
+      "display", 'd', 0, G_OPTION_ARG_STRING,
       &my_args.display_name, N_("X Display to use"),
       "DISPLAY"
     },
@@ -278,6 +288,18 @@ meta_parse_options (int *argc, char ***argv,
       N_("Make X calls synchronous"),
       NULL
     },
+    {
+      "composite", 'c', COMPOSITE_OPTS_FLAGS, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE,
+      &my_args.composite,
+      N_("Turn compositing on"),
+      NULL
+    },
+    {
+      "no-composite", 0, COMPOSITE_OPTS_FLAGS, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE,
+      &my_args.no_composite,
+      N_("Turn compositing off"),
+      NULL
+    },
     {NULL}
   };
   GOptionContext *ctx;
@@ -473,7 +495,10 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
   g_free (meta_args.save_file);
   g_free (meta_args.display_name);
   g_free (meta_args.client_id);
-  
+
+  if (meta_args.composite || meta_args.no_composite)
+    meta_prefs_set_compositing_manager (meta_args.composite);
+
   if (!meta_display_open ())
     meta_exit (META_EXIT_ERROR);
   
diff --git a/src/core/prefs.c b/src/core/prefs.c
index fb3ffa198..82a4c2c99 100644
--- a/src/core/prefs.c
+++ b/src/core/prefs.c
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
  */
 #define KEY_TITLEBAR_FONT "/apps/metacity/general/titlebar_font"
 #define KEY_NUM_WORKSPACES "/apps/metacity/general/num_workspaces"
+#define KEY_COMPOSITOR "/apps/metacity/general/compositing_manager"
 #define KEY_GNOME_ACCESSIBILITY "/desktop/gnome/interface/accessibility"
 
 #define KEY_COMMAND_PREFIX "/apps/metacity/keybinding_commands/command_"
@@ -2944,6 +2945,24 @@ meta_prefs_get_compositing_manager (void)
   return compositing_manager;
 }
 
+void
+meta_prefs_set_compositing_manager (gboolean whether)
+{
+  GError *err = NULL;
+
+  gconf_client_set_bool (default_client,
+                         KEY_COMPOSITOR,
+                         whether,
+                         &err);
+
+  if (err)
+    {
+      meta_warning (_("Error setting compositor status: %s\n"),
+                    err->message);
+      g_error_free (err);
+    }
+}
+
 #ifndef HAVE_GCONF
 static void
 init_button_layout(void)
diff --git a/src/include/prefs.h b/src/include/prefs.h
index d6ccaac89..3e188531d 100644
--- a/src/include/prefs.h
+++ b/src/include/prefs.h
@@ -113,6 +113,13 @@ const char* meta_prefs_get_cursor_theme      (void);
 int         meta_prefs_get_cursor_size       (void);
 gboolean    meta_prefs_get_compositing_manager (void);
 
+/**
+ * Sets whether the compositor is turned on.
+ *
+ * \param whether   TRUE to turn on, FALSE to turn off
+ */
+void meta_prefs_set_compositing_manager (gboolean whether);
+
 /* Screen bindings */
 #define META_KEYBINDING_WORKSPACE_1              "switch_to_workspace_1"
 #define META_KEYBINDING_WORKSPACE_2              "switch_to_workspace_2"