diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c186481..00e4418 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -12,6 +12,6 @@ A basic clipboard manager for Wayland.
 
 Install the binary in your path, then run it in your Sway session by adding `exec clipman -d` at the beginning of your config.
 
-You can configure how many unique history items to preserve (default: 15) by editing directly the source.
+You should edit `main.go` directly to configure how many unique history items to preserve (default: 15).
 
 To query the history and select items, run the binary as `clipman -s`. You can assign it to a keybinding: `bindsym $mod+h exec clipman -s`.
diff --git a/demon.go b/demon.go
index 01f7128..16fed38 100644
--- a/demon.go
+++ b/demon.go
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ func filter(history []string, text string) []string {
 	return history
 }
 
-func listen(history []string, histfile string) error {
+func listen(history []string, histfile string, persist bool) error {
 
 	for {
 
@@ -85,6 +85,14 @@ func listen(history []string, histfile string) error {
 			return err
 		}
 
+		if persist {
+			// make the copy buffer available to all applications,
+			// even when the source has disappeared
+			if err := exec.Command("wl-copy", text).Run(); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+
 		// writing to json is time consuming, so it's fine to sleep less and
 		// get ready to detect new events sooner.
 		// also because if we copied once, we might copy soon after.
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 4c4f534..0afa085 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ var (
 	app        = kingpin.New("clipman", "A clipboard manager for Wayland")
 	asDemon    = app.Flag("demon", "Run as a demon to record clipboard events").Short('d').Default("false").Bool()
 	asSelector = app.Flag("select", "Select an item from clipboard history").Short('s').Default("false").Bool()
+	noPersist  = app.Flag("no-persist", "Don't persist a copy buffer after a program exits").Short('P').Default("false").Bool()
 )
 
 var (
@@ -44,7 +45,8 @@ func main() {
 	}
 
 	if *asDemon {
-		if err := listen(history, histfile); err != nil {
+		persist := !*noPersist
+		if err := listen(history, histfile, persist); err != nil {
 			log.Fatal(err)
 		}
 	} else if *asSelector {