diff --git a/src/app/app.cpp b/src/app/app.cpp
index aacf33e94..70d26f286 100644
--- a/src/app/app.cpp
+++ b/src/app/app.cpp
@@ -124,9 +124,10 @@ App::App()
   m_instance = this;
 }
 
-void App::initialize(int argc, const char* argv[])
+void App::initialize(const AppOptions& options)
 {
-  AppOptions options(argc, argv);
+  if (options.startUI())
+    m_guiSystem.reset(new ui::GuiSystem);
 
   // Initializes the application loading the modules, setting the
   // graphics mode, loading the configuration and resources, etc.
diff --git a/src/app/app.h b/src/app/app.h
index 9f9237bcf..32e05548a 100644
--- a/src/app/app.h
+++ b/src/app/app.h
@@ -33,8 +33,13 @@ namespace raster {
   class Layer;
 }
 
+namespace ui {
+  class GuiSystem;
+}
+
 namespace app {
 
+  class AppOptions;
   class Document;
   class DocumentExporter;
   class INotificationDelegate;
@@ -65,7 +70,7 @@ namespace app {
     // Runs the Aseprite application. In GUI mode it's the top-level
     // window, in console/scripting it just runs the specified
     // scripts.
-    void initialize(int argc, const char* argv[]);
+    void initialize(const AppOptions& options);
     void run();
 
     tools::ToolBox* getToolBox() const;
@@ -91,6 +96,7 @@ namespace app {
     static App* m_instance;
 
     base::SystemConsole m_systemConsole;
+    base::UniquePtr<ui::GuiSystem> m_guiSystem;
     Modules* m_modules;
     LegacyModules* m_legacy;
     bool m_isGui;
diff --git a/src/main/main.cpp b/src/main/main.cpp
index 93968858e..794962c41 100644
--- a/src/main/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main/main.cpp
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #endif
 
 #include "app/app.h"
+#include "app/app_options.h"
 #include "app/console.h"
 #include "app/resource_finder.h"
 #include "app/send_crash.h"
@@ -30,7 +31,6 @@
 #include "she/error.h"
 #include "she/scoped_handle.h"
 #include "she/system.h"
-#include "ui/base.h"
 
 #include <cstdlib>
 #include <ctime>
@@ -67,9 +67,10 @@ int app_main(int argc, char* argv[])
 
   try {
     base::MemoryDump memoryDump;
-    she::ScopedHandle<she::System> system(she::create_system());
     MemLeak memleak;
-    ui::GuiSystem guiSystem;
+
+    app::AppOptions options(argc, const_cast<const char**>(argv));
+    she::ScopedHandle<she::System> system(she::create_system());
     app::App app;
 
     // Change the name of the memory dump file
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@ int app_main(int argc, char* argv[])
         memoryDump.setFileName(filename);
     }
 
-    app.initialize(argc, const_cast<const char**>(argv));
+    app.initialize(options);
     app.run();
     return 0;
   }