diff --git a/openbr/openbr_plugin.cpp b/openbr/openbr_plugin.cpp
index d9f3510..9bcd6db 100644
--- a/openbr/openbr_plugin.cpp
+++ b/openbr/openbr_plugin.cpp
@@ -895,15 +895,13 @@ bool br::Context::checkSDKPath(const QString &sdkPath)
 // We create our own when the user hasn't
 static QCoreApplication *application = NULL;
 
-void br::Context::initialize(int &argc, char *argv[], QString sdkPath)
+void br::Context::initialize(int &argc, char *argv[], QString sdkPath, bool useGui)
 {
     qInstallMessageHandler(messageHandler);
 
-#ifdef _WIN32
-    bool useGui = true;
-#else // not _WIN32
-    bool useGui = (getenv("DISPLAY") != NULL);
-#endif // _WIN32
+#ifndef _WIN32
+    useGui = useGui && (getenv("DISPLAY") != NULL);
+#endif // not _WIN32
 
     // We take in argc as a reference due to:
     //   https://bugreports.qt-project.org/browse/QTBUG-5637
diff --git a/openbr/openbr_plugin.h b/openbr/openbr_plugin.h
index fd005d2..d50a183 100644
--- a/openbr/openbr_plugin.h
+++ b/openbr/openbr_plugin.h
@@ -794,11 +794,12 @@ public:
      *                 By default <tt>share/openbr/openbr.bib</tt> will be searched for relative to:
      *                   -# The working directory
      *                   -# The executable's location
+     * \param useGui Create a QApplication instead of a QCoreApplication.
      * \note Tiggers \em abort() on failure to locate <tt>share/openbr/openbr.bib</tt>.
      * \note <a href="http://qt-project.org/">Qt</a> users should instead call this <i>after</i> initializing QApplication.
      * \see finalize
      */
-    static void initialize(int &argc, char *argv[], QString sdkPath = "");
+    static void initialize(int &argc, char *argv[], QString sdkPath = "", bool useGui = true);
 
     /*!
      * \brief Call \em once at the end of the application to deallocate global variables.