diff --git a/src/main.zig b/src/main.zig
index 7579eb5..251d5aa 100644
--- a/src/main.zig
+++ b/src/main.zig
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@ pub fn main() anyerror!void {
             .syntax_report_timing = "Report syntax highlighting time",
             .exec = "Execute a command on startup",
             .literal = "Disable :LINE and +LINE syntax",
+            .scratch = "Open a scratch (temporary) buffer on start",
+            .new_file = "Create a new untitled file on start",
             .version = "Show build version and exit",
         };
 
@@ -89,6 +91,8 @@ pub fn main() anyerror!void {
             .language = 'l',
             .exec = 'e',
             .literal = 'L',
+            .scratch = 'S',
+            .new_file = 'n',
             .version = 'v',
         };
 
@@ -110,6 +114,8 @@ pub fn main() anyerror!void {
         syntax_report_timing: bool,
         exec: ?[]const u8,
         literal: bool,
+        scratch: bool,
+        new_file: bool,
         version: bool,
     };
 
@@ -320,6 +326,12 @@ pub fn main() anyerror!void {
         try tui_proc.send(.{ "cmd", "show_home" });
     }
 
+    if (args.new_file) {
+        try tui_proc.send(.{ "cmd", "create_new_file", .{} });
+    } else if (args.scratch) {
+        try tui_proc.send(.{ "cmd", "create_scratch_buffer", .{} });
+    }
+
     if (args.exec) |exec_str| {
         var cmds = std.mem.splitScalar(u8, exec_str, ';');
         while (cmds.next()) |cmd| try tui_proc.send(.{ "cmd", cmd, .{} });
diff --git a/src/tui/editor.zig b/src/tui/editor.zig
index 942af27..a7c3644 100644
--- a/src/tui/editor.zig
+++ b/src/tui/editor.zig
@@ -4073,7 +4073,10 @@ pub const Editor = struct {
         } else if (ctx.args.match(.{tp.extract(&file_path)}) catch false) {
             try self.open_scratch(file_path, "", null);
             self.clamp();
-        } else return error.InvalidOpenScratchBufferArgument;
+        } else {
+            try self.open_scratch("*scratch*", "", null);
+            self.clamp();
+        }
     }
     pub const open_scratch_buffer_meta: Meta = .{ .arguments = &.{ .string, .string } };
 
diff --git a/src/tui/mainview.zig b/src/tui/mainview.zig
index 8752c7c..af1d4c4 100644
--- a/src/tui/mainview.zig
+++ b/src/tui/mainview.zig
@@ -465,7 +465,8 @@ const cmds = struct {
             }
         }
         try command.executeName("create_scratch_buffer", command.fmt(.{name.items}));
-        try command.executeName("change_file_type", .{});
+        if (tp.env.get().str("language").len == 0)
+            try command.executeName("change_file_type", .{});
     }
     pub const create_new_file_meta: Meta = .{ .description = "Create: New File…" };
 
diff --git a/src/tui/tui.zig b/src/tui/tui.zig
index e68ea6d..e21dc91 100644
--- a/src/tui/tui.zig
+++ b/src/tui/tui.zig
@@ -868,7 +868,7 @@ const cmds = struct {
 
     pub fn exit_overlay_mode(self: *Self, _: Ctx) Result {
         self.rdr_.cursor_disable();
-        if (self.input_mode_outer_ == null) return;
+        if (self.input_mode_outer_ == null) return enter_mode_default(self, .{});
         if (self.input_mode_) |*mode| mode.deinit();
         self.input_mode_ = self.input_mode_outer_;
         self.input_mode_outer_ = null;
@@ -1290,7 +1290,8 @@ pub fn message(comptime fmt: anytype, args: anytype) void {
     tp.self_pid().send(.{ "message", std.fmt.bufPrint(&buf, fmt, args) catch @panic("too large") }) catch {};
 }
 
-pub fn render_file_icon(self: *renderer.Plane, icon: []const u8, color: u24) void {    var cell = self.cell_init();
+pub fn render_file_icon(self: *renderer.Plane, icon: []const u8, color: u24) void {
+    var cell = self.cell_init();
     _ = self.at_cursor_cell(&cell) catch return;
     if (!(color == 0xFFFFFF or color == 0x000000 or color == 0x000001)) {
         cell.set_fg_rgb(@intCast(color)) catch {};
@@ -1307,4 +1308,3 @@ pub fn render_match_cell(self: *renderer.Plane, y: usize, x: usize, theme_: *con
     cell.set_style(theme_.editor_match);
     _ = self.putc(&cell) catch {};
 }
-