diff --git a/.vscode/launch.json b/.vscode/launch.json
index 6676991..aca86dd 100644
--- a/.vscode/launch.json
+++ b/.vscode/launch.json
@@ -44,6 +44,14 @@
       "justMyCode": true,
       "args": ["--debug"]
     },
+    {
+      "name": "meshtastic listen",
+      "type": "python",
+      "request": "launch",
+      "module": "meshtastic",
+      "justMyCode": true,
+      "args": ["--listen", "--debug"]
+    },
     {
       "name": "meshtastic debug getPref",
       "type": "python",
diff --git a/meshtastic/__main__.py b/meshtastic/__main__.py
index 6a2f31c..0077ce0 100644
--- a/meshtastic/__main__.py
+++ b/meshtastic/__main__.py
@@ -761,6 +761,9 @@ def onConnected(interface):
             qr = pyqrcode.create(url)
             print(qr.terminal())
 
+        if args.listen:
+            closeNow = False
+
         have_tunnel = platform.system() == "Linux"
         if have_tunnel and args.tunnel:
             # pylint: disable=C0415
@@ -987,7 +990,7 @@ def common():
 
             have_tunnel = platform.system() == "Linux"
             if (
-                args.noproto or args.reply or (have_tunnel and args.tunnel)
+                args.noproto or args.reply or (have_tunnel and args.tunnel) or args.listen
             ):  # loop until someone presses ctrlc
                 while True:
                     time.sleep(1000)
@@ -1335,6 +1338,12 @@ def initParser():
         action="store_true",
     )
 
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--listen",
+        help="Just stay open and listen to the protobuf stream.",
+        action="store_true",
+    )
+
     have_tunnel = platform.system() == "Linux"
     if have_tunnel:
         parser.add_argument(