diff --git a/src/apps/terminal/Terminal.rdef b/src/apps/terminal/Terminal.rdef
index 2d07407e0c..6783749bd1 100644
--- a/src/apps/terminal/Terminal.rdef
+++ b/src/apps/terminal/Terminal.rdef
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ resource(101, "BEOS:M:STD_ICON") #'MICN' array {
 	$"FFFFFFFFFFFFFF0000000EFF00000EFF"
 };
 
-resource(1, "BEOS:APP_SIG") (#'MIMS') "application/x-vnd.Be-SHEL";
+resource(1, "BEOS:APP_SIG") (#'MIMS') "application/x-vnd.obos.terminal";
 
 resource(2, "BEOS:TYPE") (#'MIMS') "application/x-vnd.Be-elfexecutable";
 
diff --git a/src/apps/terminal/TerminalApp.cpp b/src/apps/terminal/TerminalApp.cpp
index 8ef0110cc8..389a7b79c4 100644
--- a/src/apps/terminal/TerminalApp.cpp
+++ b/src/apps/terminal/TerminalApp.cpp
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
-#include <iostream>
 #include <Autolock.h>
 #include <Path.h>
 #include <Point.h>
-#include "Constants.h"
-#include "TerminalApp.h"
-#include "TerminalWindow.h"
+
+#include <Constants.h>
+#include <TerminalApp.h>
+#include <TerminalWindow.h>
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <getopt.h>
 
 BPoint windowPoint(7,26);
 BPoint cascadeOffset(15,15);
@@ -101,12 +104,93 @@ TerminalApp::RefsReceived(BMessage *message)
 	} while (true);
 }
 
-// TODO: find the arguments for Terminal and implement them all
+void
+TerminalApp::PrintUsage(const char * execname) {
+	if (execname == 0) {
+		execname = "Terminal";
+	}
+	fprintf(stderr,"Usage: %s [OPTIONS] [SHELL]\n",execname);
+	fprintf(stderr,"Open a terminal window.\n");
+	fprintf(stderr,"\n");
+	fprintf(stderr,"  -curbg     COLOR  use COLOR as the cursor background color\n");
+	fprintf(stderr,"  -curfg     COLOR  use COLOR as the cursor foreground (text) color\n");
+	fprintf(stderr,"  -bg        COLOR  use COLOR as the background color\n");
+	fprintf(stderr,"  -fg        COLOR  use COLOR as the foreground (text) color\n");
+	fprintf(stderr,"  -g, -geom  NxM    use geometry N columns by M rows\n");
+	fprintf(stderr,"  -h, -help         print this help\n");
+	fprintf(stderr,"  -m, -meta         pass through the META key to the shell\n");
+	fprintf(stderr,"  -p, -pref  FILE   use FILE as a Terminal preference file\n");
+	fprintf(stderr,"  -selbg     COLOR  use COLOR as the selection background color\n");
+	fprintf(stderr,"  -selfg     COLOR  use COLOR as the selection foreground (text) color\n");
+	fprintf(stderr,"  -t, -title TITLE  use TITLE as the window title\n");
+	fprintf(stderr,"\n");
+	fprintf(stderr,"Report bugs to shatty@myrealbox.com\n");
+	fprintf(stderr,"\n");
+}
+
+struct option curbg_opt = { "curbg", required_argument, 0, 1 } ;
+struct option curfg_opt = { "curfg", required_argument, 0, 2 } ;
+struct option bg_opt = { "bg", required_argument, 0, 3 } ;
+struct option fg_opt = { "fg", required_argument, 0, 4 } ;
+struct option geom_opt = { "geom", required_argument, 0, 'g' } ;
+struct option help_opt = { "help", no_argument, 0, 'h' } ;
+struct option meta_opt = { "meta", no_argument, 0, 'm' } ;
+struct option pref_opt = { "pref", required_argument, 0, 'p' } ;
+struct option selbg_opt = { "selbg", required_argument, 0, 5 } ;
+struct option selfg_opt = { "selfg", required_argument, 0, 6 } ;
+struct option title_opt = { "title", required_argument, 0, 't' } ;
+
+struct option options[] =
+ { curbg_opt, curfg_opt, bg_opt, fg_opt, 
+   geom_opt, help_opt, meta_opt, pref_opt,
+   selbg_opt, selfg_opt, title_opt, 0
+ };
+
+// TODO: implement the arguments for Terminal
 void
 TerminalApp::ArgvReceived(int32 argc, const char *argv[], const char * cwd)
 {
-	const char * execname = (argc >= 1 ? argv[0] : "");
-	cout << execname << ": command line arguments not yet implemented" << endl;
+	if (argc <= 1) {
+		OpenTerminal();
+	} else if (argv[1][0] != '-') {
+		argc--;
+		printf("execvp(%ld,%s ...)\n",argc,argv[1]);
+		OpenTerminal();
+	} else {
+		const char * execname = (argc >= 1 ? argv[0] : "");
+		const char * title = 0;
+		int indexptr = 0;
+		int ch;
+		char * const * optargv = (char * const *)argv;
+		while ((ch = getopt_long_only(argc, optargv, "g:hmp:t:", options, &indexptr)) != -1) {
+			switch (ch) {
+			case 'h':
+				PrintUsage(execname);
+				return;
+			break;
+			case 't':
+				title = optarg;
+				printf("title is %s\n", title);
+			break;
+			case ':':
+				switch (optopt) {
+				case 't':
+					printf("-t without title\n");
+				break;
+				default:
+					printf("-%c missing argument\n", optopt);
+				}
+			break;
+			case '?':
+				printf("unknown arg %c\n", optopt);
+			break;
+			default:
+				printf("%s\n",argv[optind]);
+				return;
+			}
+		}
+		OpenTerminal();
+	}
 	return;
 }
 
@@ -114,7 +198,7 @@ void
 TerminalApp::ReadyToRun() 
 {
 	if (fWindowCount == 0) {
-		OpenTerminal();
+		Quit();
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/apps/terminal/TerminalApp.h b/src/apps/terminal/TerminalApp.h
index 457e9a3974..a8a115ee68 100644
--- a/src/apps/terminal/TerminalApp.h
+++ b/src/apps/terminal/TerminalApp.h
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ public:
 			void	CloseTerminal();
 	
 private:
+			void	PrintUsage(const char * execname);
 	int32			fWindowCount;
 	int32			fNext_Terminal_Window;