diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index ea3a4aa9..70767693 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -59,10 +59,18 @@ void Q_DECL_UNUSED initRCCIconTheme()
 
 std::unique_ptr<QCoreApplication> createApplication(int& argc, char* argv[])
 {
-    for (int i = 1; i < argc; ++i) {
-        if (!qstrcmp(argv[i], "--exportTo"))
+    std::vector<std::string> args(argv, argv + argc);
+
+    const std::vector<std::string> nonGUIOptions = {"--version", "-v", "--help", "-h", "--help-all", "--exportTo"};
+
+    // create command line app if one of the command-line only options are used
+    for (const std::string& arg : args) {
+        if (std::find(nonGUIOptions.begin(), nonGUIOptions.end(), arg) != nonGUIOptions.end()) {
             return std::make_unique<QCoreApplication>(argc, argv);
+        }
     }
+
+    // otherwise create full GUI QT app
     return std::make_unique<QApplication>(argc, argv);
 }