diff --git a/layers/+email/mu4e/config.el b/layers/+email/mu4e/config.el
index 6b705d246..d71cd19ce 100644
--- a/layers/+email/mu4e/config.el
+++ b/layers/+email/mu4e/config.el
@@ -51,5 +51,8 @@
 (defvar mu4e-org-compose-support nil
   "If non-nil org-mu4e is configured.")
 
+(defvar mu4e-autorun-background-at-startup nil
+  "If non-nil, mu4e will automatically run in background at emacs startup.")
+
 (when mu4e-installation-path
   (add-to-list 'load-path mu4e-installation-path))
diff --git a/layers/+email/mu4e/packages.el b/layers/+email/mu4e/packages.el
index e1128f1ff..405cc5714 100644
--- a/layers/+email/mu4e/packages.el
+++ b/layers/+email/mu4e/packages.el
@@ -103,6 +103,9 @@
       (when (fboundp 'imagemagick-register-types)
         (imagemagick-register-types))
 
+      (when mu4e-autorun-background-at-startup
+        (mu4e t))
+
       (add-to-list 'mu4e-view-actions
                    '("View in browser" . mu4e-action-view-in-browser) t)