diff --git a/AUTHORS b/AUTHORS
index 2bf68e873..539b5c349 100644
--- a/AUTHORS
+++ b/AUTHORS
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ Contributors:
     * Daniele Varrazzo
     * Daniel Kukula (dkuku)
     * Kian-Meng Ang (kianmeng)
+    * Mathieu Gascon-Lefebvre (mlefebvre)
 
 Creator:
 --------
diff --git a/changelog.rst b/changelog.rst
index 952583ebd..74e0d1857 100644
--- a/changelog.rst
+++ b/changelog.rst
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 Upcoming:
 =========
 
+Features:
+---------
+* Add a configuration option to execute commands on startup ([related issue](https://github.com/dbcli/pgcli/issues/247)).
+
 Bug fixes:
 ----------
 
diff --git a/pgcli/main.py b/pgcli/main.py
index 3d42dca8a..fbc02d8a8 100644
--- a/pgcli/main.py
+++ b/pgcli/main.py
@@ -241,6 +241,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.float_format = c["data_formats"]["float"]
         auth.keyring_initialize(c["main"].as_bool("keyring"), logger=self.logger)
         self.show_bottom_toolbar = c["main"].as_bool("show_bottom_toolbar")
+        self.startup_command = c["main"]["startup_command"]
 
         self.pgspecial.pset_pager(
             self.config["main"].as_bool("enable_pager") and "on" or "off"
@@ -778,6 +779,10 @@ def run_cli(self):
             print("Home: http://pgcli.com")
 
         try:
+            if self.startup_command:
+                print(f"Executing startup command: {self.startup_command}")
+                self.handle_watch_command(self.startup_command)
+
             while True:
                 try:
                     text = self.prompt_app.prompt()
diff --git a/pgcli/pgclirc b/pgcli/pgclirc
index 6654ce92e..5799f972f 100644
--- a/pgcli/pgclirc
+++ b/pgcli/pgclirc
@@ -158,6 +158,9 @@ enable_pager = True
 # Use keyring to automatically save and load password in a secure manner
 keyring = True
 
+# Command to run at startup. Multiple commands can be specified if separated by a semicolon.
+startup_command = ''
+
 # Custom colors for the completion menu, toolbar, etc.
 [colors]
 completion-menu.completion.current = 'bg:#ffffff #000000'