diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index bd48a167c..643f1fae4 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -191,6 +191,7 @@
 #include "replay/replay_play.hpp"
 #include "replay/replay_recorder.hpp"
 #include "states_screens/story_mode_lobby.hpp"
+#include "states_screens/main_menu_screen.hpp"
 #include "states_screens/state_manager.hpp"
 #include "states_screens/dialogs/message_dialog.hpp"
 #include "tracks/track.hpp"
@@ -484,6 +485,8 @@ int handleCmdLinePreliminary()
         UserConfigParams::m_log_errors_to_console=true;
     if(CommandLine::has("--no-console"))
         UserConfigParams::m_log_errors_to_console=false;
+    if(CommandLine::has("--online"))
+        MainMenuScreen::m_enable_online=true;
     if(CommandLine::has("--log=nocolor"))
     {
         Log::disableColor();
diff --git a/src/states_screens/main_menu_screen.cpp b/src/states_screens/main_menu_screen.cpp
index fe6f3dfb3..c25ebf12e 100644
--- a/src/states_screens/main_menu_screen.cpp
+++ b/src/states_screens/main_menu_screen.cpp
@@ -64,6 +64,8 @@ using namespace Online;
 
 DEFINE_SCREEN_SINGLETON( MainMenuScreen );
 
+bool MainMenuScreen::m_enable_online = false;
+
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 MainMenuScreen::MainMenuScreen() : Screen("main.stkgui")
@@ -111,11 +113,10 @@ void MainMenuScreen::init()
         w->setBadge(LOADING_BADGE);
     }
 
-    IconButtonWidget* online = getWidget<IconButtonWidget>("online");
-    if(CurrentUser::get()->getID())
-        online->setLabel(_("Online"));
-    else
-        online->setLabel(_("Login"));
+    m_online = getWidget<IconButtonWidget>("online");
+
+    if(!m_enable_online)
+        m_online->setDeactivated();
 
     LabelWidget* w = getWidget<LabelWidget>("info_addons");
     const core::stringw &news_text = NewsManager::get()->getNextNewsMessage();
@@ -141,7 +142,10 @@ void MainMenuScreen::init()
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 void MainMenuScreen::onUpdate(float delta)
+
 {
+    m_online->setLabel(CurrentUser::get()->getID() ? _("Online")
+                                                   : _("Login" )  );
     IconButtonWidget* addons_icon = getWidget<IconButtonWidget>("addons");
     if (addons_icon != NULL)
     {
diff --git a/src/states_screens/main_menu_screen.hpp b/src/states_screens/main_menu_screen.hpp
index 20c474c7e..f469a9909 100644
--- a/src/states_screens/main_menu_screen.hpp
+++ b/src/states_screens/main_menu_screen.hpp
@@ -20,7 +20,8 @@
 
 #include "guiengine/screen.hpp"
 
-namespace GUIEngine { class Widget; class ListWidget; }
+namespace GUIEngine { class Widget; class ListWidget;
+                      class IconButtonWidget;         }
 
 /**
   * \brief Handles the main menu
@@ -31,9 +32,14 @@ class MainMenuScreen : public GUIEngine::Screen, public GUIEngine::ScreenSinglet
 private:
     friend class GUIEngine::ScreenSingleton<MainMenuScreen>;
 
+    /** Keep the widget to avoid looking it up every frame. */
+    GUIEngine::IconButtonWidget* m_online;
+
     MainMenuScreen();
 
 public:
+    /** Temporary disable the online menu while it is being worked at. */
+    static bool m_enable_online;
 
     virtual void onUpdate(float delta) OVERRIDE;