static unsigned int doubleclicktimeout = 300;
 static unsigned int tripleclicktimeout = 600;
 
+/* alt screens */
+static bool allowaltscreen = true;
+
 /* frames per second st should at maximum draw to the screen */
 static unsigned int xfps = 60;
 static unsigned int actionfps = 30;
 
 st \- simple terminal
 .SH SYNOPSIS
 .B st
+.RB [ \-a ]
 .RB [ \-c
 .IR class ]
 .RB [ \-f
 is a simple terminal emulator.
 .SH OPTIONS
 .TP
+.B \-a
+disable alternate screens in terminal
+.TP
 .BI \-c " class"
 defines the window class (default $TERM).
 .TP
 
 
 #define USAGE \
        "st " VERSION " (c) 2010-2013 st engineers\n" \
-       "usage: st [-v] [-c class] [-f font] [-g geometry] [-o file]" \
+       "usage: st [-a] [-v] [-c class] [-f font] [-g geometry] [-o file]" \
        " [-t title] [-w windowid] [-e command ...]\n"
 
 /* XEMBED messages */
                                break;
                        case 1049: /* = 1047 and 1048 */
                        case 47:
-                       case 1047: {
+                       case 1047:
+                               if (!allowaltscreen)
+                                       break;
+
                                alt = IS_SET(MODE_ALTSCREEN);
                                if(alt) {
                                        tclearregion(0, 0, term.col-1,
                                        tswapscreen();
                                if(*args != 1049)
                                        break;
-                       }
-                               /* pass through */
+                               /* FALLTRU */
                        case 1048:
                                tcursor((set) ? CURSOR_SAVE : CURSOR_LOAD);
                                break;
 
        for(i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
                switch(argv[i][0] != '-' || argv[i][2] ? -1 : argv[i][1]) {
+               case 'a':
+                       allowaltscreen = false;
+                       break;
                case 'c':
                        if(++i < argc)
                                opt_class = argv[i];