diff --git a/cmd/cli/start.go b/cmd/cli/start.go
index 648132f..a637709 100644
--- a/cmd/cli/start.go
+++ b/cmd/cli/start.go
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/urfave/cli/v3"
 )
 
-var selfcall bool
+var detach bool
 
 func startCommand() *cli.Command {
 	cmd := &cli.Command{
@@ -43,16 +43,19 @@ qubesome start -git https://github.com/qubesome/sample-dotfiles i3
 			&cli.StringFlag{
 				Name:        "runner",
 				Destination: &runner,
+				Usage:       "sets what runner to be used, this will override the value set at the qubesome.config. Options: docker or podman.",
 			},
 			&cli.BoolFlag{
 				Name:        "interactive",
 				Aliases:     []string{"i"},
 				Destination: &interactive,
+				Usage:       "enables interactive mode, which runs the profile container but holds any windows manager execution. Use this for troubleshooting.",
 			},
 			&cli.BoolFlag{
-				Sources:     cli.EnvVars("QUBESOME_SELFCALL"),
-				Destination: &selfcall,
-				Hidden:      true,
+				Name:        "detach",
+				Aliases:     []string{"d"},
+				Destination: &detach,
+				Usage:       "start the profile process in the background. This cannot be used in conjunction with --interactive nor --debug.",
 			},
 		},
 		Arguments: []cli.Argument{
@@ -66,11 +69,18 @@ qubesome start -git https://github.com/qubesome/sample-dotfiles i3
 		Action: func(ctx context.Context, cmd *cli.Command) error {
 			// When a profile is started, it starts an inception server
 			// so that the containerised Windows Manager is able to execute
-			// new container workloads. This self-calls qubesome and leave it
-			// running so that the main process exits right away.
-			if !debug && !interactive && !selfcall {
-				cmd := exec.Command(os.Args[0], os.Args[1:]...) //nolint
-				cmd.Env = append(cmd.Env, "QUBESOME_SELFCALL=true")
+			// new container workloads.
+			// Running on detached mode makes a background call to qubesome,
+			// leaving it running so that the main process can exit right away.
+			if !debug && !interactive && detach {
+				var args []string
+				for _, arg := range os.Args[1:] {
+					if arg == "-d" || arg == "-detach" {
+						continue
+					}
+					args = append(args, arg)
+				}
+				cmd := exec.Command(os.Args[0], args...) //nolint
 				cmd.Env = append(cmd.Env, os.Environ()...)
 				cmd.Stdout = nil
 				cmd.Stderr = nil
@@ -80,10 +90,10 @@ qubesome start -git https://github.com/qubesome/sample-dotfiles i3
 				}
 
 				if err := cmd.Start(); err != nil {
-					return fmt.Errorf("failed to daemonise profile start: %w", err)
+					return fmt.Errorf("failed to run profile start in detach mode: %w", err)
 				}
 
-				fmt.Printf("[%d] profile start as daemon\n", cmd.Process.Pid)
+				fmt.Printf("[%d] %q profile start detached\n", cmd.Process.Pid, targetProfile)
 				os.Exit(0)
 			}