diff --git a/crates/television-screen/src/layout.rs b/crates/television-screen/src/layout.rs
index 70093c8..769ffd0 100644
--- a/crates/television-screen/src/layout.rs
+++ b/crates/television-screen/src/layout.rs
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ impl HelpBarLayout {
     }
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, Deserialize, Default)]
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, Deserialize, Default, PartialEq)]
 pub enum InputPosition {
     #[serde(rename = "top")]
     Top,
diff --git a/crates/television/app.rs b/crates/television/app.rs
index 612135f..ef9a9f7 100644
--- a/crates/television/app.rs
+++ b/crates/television/app.rs
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ impl App {
         channel: TelevisionChannel,
         config: Config,
         passthrough_keybindings: &[String],
+        input: Option<String>,
     ) -> Result<Self> {
         let (action_tx, action_rx) = mpsc::unbounded_channel();
         let (render_tx, _) = mpsc::unbounded_channel();
@@ -104,7 +105,7 @@ impl App {
         )?;
         debug!("{:?}", keymap);
         let television =
-            Arc::new(Mutex::new(Television::new(channel, config)));
+            Arc::new(Mutex::new(Television::new(channel, config, input)));
 
         Ok(Self {
             keymap,
diff --git a/crates/television/cli.rs b/crates/television/cli.rs
index 6d3f34f..1822981 100644
--- a/crates/television/cli.rs
+++ b/crates/television/cli.rs
@@ -44,6 +44,10 @@ pub struct Cli {
     #[arg(long, value_name = "STRING")]
     pub passthrough_keybindings: Option<String>,
 
+    /// Input text to pass to the channel to prefill the prompt
+    #[arg(short, long, value_name = "STRING")]
+    pub input: Option<String>,
+
     /// The working directory to start in
     #[arg(value_name = "PATH", index = 2)]
     pub working_directory: Option<String>,
@@ -97,6 +101,7 @@ pub struct PostProcessedCli {
     pub tick_rate: Option<f64>,
     pub frame_rate: Option<f64>,
     pub passthrough_keybindings: Vec<String>,
+    pub input: Option<String>,
     pub command: Option<Command>,
     pub working_directory: Option<String>,
     pub autocomplete_prompt: Option<String>,
@@ -145,6 +150,7 @@ impl From<Cli> for PostProcessedCli {
             tick_rate: cli.tick_rate,
             frame_rate: cli.frame_rate,
             passthrough_keybindings,
+            input: cli.input,
             command: cli.command,
             working_directory,
             autocomplete_prompt: cli.autocomplete_prompt,
@@ -332,6 +338,7 @@ mod tests {
             tick_rate: Some(50.0),
             frame_rate: Some(60.0),
             passthrough_keybindings: Some("q,ctrl-w,ctrl-t".to_string()),
+            input: None,
             command: None,
             working_directory: Some("/home/user".to_string()),
             autocomplete_prompt: None,
@@ -372,6 +379,7 @@ mod tests {
             tick_rate: Some(50.0),
             frame_rate: Some(60.0),
             passthrough_keybindings: None,
+            input: None,
             command: None,
             working_directory: None,
             autocomplete_prompt: None,
diff --git a/crates/television/main.rs b/crates/television/main.rs
index 5febd5f..79de6d6 100644
--- a/crates/television/main.rs
+++ b/crates/television/main.rs
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ async fn main() -> Result<()> {
         },
         config,
         &args.passthrough_keybindings,
+        args.input,
     ) {
         Ok(mut app) => {
             stdout().flush()?;
diff --git a/crates/television/picker.rs b/crates/television/picker.rs
index 7975396..e25ba2f 100644
--- a/crates/television/picker.rs
+++ b/crates/television/picker.rs
@@ -11,17 +11,17 @@ pub struct Picker {
 
 impl Default for Picker {
     fn default() -> Self {
-        Self::new()
+        Self::new(None)
     }
 }
 
 impl Picker {
-    fn new() -> Self {
+    pub fn new(input: Option<String>) -> Self {
         Self {
             state: ListState::default(),
             relative_state: ListState::default(),
             inverted: false,
-            input: Input::new(EMPTY_STRING.to_string()),
+            input: Input::new(input.unwrap_or(EMPTY_STRING.to_string())),
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/television/television.rs b/crates/television/television.rs
index 3be2b55..b75a0c5 100644
--- a/crates/television/television.rs
+++ b/crates/television/television.rs
@@ -56,11 +56,15 @@ pub struct Television {
 
 impl Television {
     #[must_use]
-    pub fn new(mut channel: TelevisionChannel, config: Config) -> Self {
-        let results_picker = match config.ui.input_bar_position {
-            InputPosition::Bottom => Picker::default().inverted(),
-            InputPosition::Top => Picker::default(),
-        };
+    pub fn new(
+        mut channel: TelevisionChannel,
+        config: Config,
+        input: Option<String>,
+    ) -> Self {
+        let mut results_picker = Picker::new(input.clone());
+        if config.ui.input_bar_position == InputPosition::Bottom {
+            results_picker = results_picker.inverted();
+        }
         let previewer = Previewer::new(Some(config.previewers.clone().into()));
         let keymap = Keymap::from(&config.keybindings);
         let builtin_channels = load_builtin_channels();
@@ -79,7 +83,7 @@ impl Television {
         );
         let colorscheme = (&Theme::from_name(&config.ui.theme)).into();
 
-        channel.find(EMPTY_STRING);
+        channel.find(&input.unwrap_or(EMPTY_STRING.to_string()));
         let spinner = Spinner::default();
         Self {
             action_tx: None,