diff --git a/src/vorta/application.py b/src/vorta/application.py
index fe595f9d..7d91bb17 100644
--- a/src/vorta/application.py
+++ b/src/vorta/application.py
@@ -54,8 +54,9 @@ class VortaApp(QtSingleApplication):
             self.setStyleSheet(qdarkstyle.load_stylesheet_pyqt5())
 
         args = parse_args()
-        if hasattr(args, 'foreground') and args.foreground:
-            self.open_main_window_action()
+        if not (hasattr(args, 'background') and args.background):
+            if (hasattr(args, 'foreground') and args.foreground) or SettingsModel.get(key='foreground').value:
+                self.open_main_window_action()
 
         self.backup_started_event.connect(self.backup_started_event_response)
         self.backup_finished_event.connect(self.backup_finished_event_response)
diff --git a/src/vorta/autostart.py b/src/vorta/autostart.py
index fb7fc567..a6b5cd76 100644
--- a/src/vorta/autostart.py
+++ b/src/vorta/autostart.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ LINUX_STARTUP_FILE = """\
 [Desktop Entry]
 Name=Vorta
 GenericName=Backup Software
-Exec={}
+Exec={} --background
 Terminal=false
 Icon=vorta
 Categories=Utility
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ X-GNOME-Autostart-Delay=20
 
 def open_app_at_startup(enabled=True):
     """
-    This function adds/removes the current app bundle from Login items in macOS or most Linux desktops
+    On macOS, this function adds/removes the current app bundle from Login items
+    while on Linux it adds a .desktop file at ~/.config/autostart
     """
     if sys.platform == 'darwin':
         from Foundation import NSDictionary
@@ -51,7 +52,7 @@ def open_app_at_startup(enabled=True):
         if enabled:
             if Path('/.flatpak-info').exists():
                 # Vorta runs as flatpak
-                autostart_file_path.write_text(LINUX_STARTUP_FILE.format('flatpak run com.borgbase.vorta'))
+                autostart_file_path.write_text(LINUX_STARTUP_FILE.format('flatpak run com.borgbase.Vorta'))
             else:
                 autostart_file_path.write_text(LINUX_STARTUP_FILE.format('vorta'))
 
diff --git a/src/vorta/models.py b/src/vorta/models.py
index 9407455e..6bd73a85 100644
--- a/src/vorta/models.py
+++ b/src/vorta/models.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ from datetime import datetime, timedelta
 
 import peewee as pw
 from playhouse.migrate import SqliteMigrator, migrate
+from PyQt5.QtWidgets import QApplication, QSystemTrayIcon
 
 from vorta.i18n import trans_late
 from vorta.utils import slugify, uses_dark_mode
@@ -218,7 +219,7 @@ def get_misc_settings():
             'key': 'autostart', 'value': False, 'type': 'checkbox',
             'label': trans_late('settings',
                                 'Automatically start Vorta at login')
-        }
+        },
     ]
     if sys.platform == 'darwin':
         settings += [
@@ -233,6 +234,14 @@ def get_misc_settings():
                                     'Include pre-release versions when checking for updates')
             },
         ]
+    if sys.platform.startswith('linux'):
+        settings += [
+            {
+                'key': 'foreground', 'value': False, 'type': 'checkbox',
+                'label': trans_late('settings',
+                                    'Run Vorta in the foreground when started manually')
+            },
+        ]
 
     return settings
 
@@ -257,6 +266,8 @@ def init_db(con):
         if created and setting['key'] == "use_light_icon":
             # Check if macOS with enabled dark mode or Linux with GNOME DE
             s.value = bool(uses_dark_mode()) or 'GNOME' in os.environ.get('XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP', '')
+        if created and setting['key'] == "foreground":
+            s.value = not bool(is_system_tray_available())
         s.label = setting['label']
         s.save()
 
@@ -354,3 +365,12 @@ def init_db(con):
                     ArchiveModel.insert_many(data[i:i + size], fields=fields).execute()
 
         _apply_schema_update(current_schema, 13)
+
+
+def is_system_tray_available():
+    ''' Can only be called when the event loop isn't running yet '''
+    app = QApplication([])
+    tray = QSystemTrayIcon()
+    is_available = tray.isSystemTrayAvailable()
+    app.quit()
+    return is_available
diff --git a/src/vorta/utils.py b/src/vorta/utils.py
index 9dcca377..3cfadb1c 100644
--- a/src/vorta/utils.py
+++ b/src/vorta/utils.py
@@ -180,6 +180,11 @@ def parse_args():
     parser.add_argument('--foreground', '-f',
                         action='store_true',
                         help="Don't fork into background and open main window on startup.")
+    if sys.platform.startswith("linux"):
+        parser.add_argument('--background', '-b',
+                            action='store_true',
+                            help="Fork into background. This option takes precedence over other settings.")
+
     return parser.parse_known_args()[0]