diff --git a/lib/guard.rb b/lib/guard.rb
index 4274f0e..38d90cc 100644
--- a/lib/guard.rb
+++ b/lib/guard.rb
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ module Guard
       @options  = options
       @listener = Listener.select_and_init
       @guards   = []
+
+      Notifier.turn_off unless options[:notify]
+
       self
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/guard/cli.rb b/lib/guard/cli.rb
index 2103a45..c3e4526 100644
--- a/lib/guard/cli.rb
+++ b/lib/guard/cli.rb
@@ -4,22 +4,23 @@ require 'guard/version'
 module Guard
   class CLI < Thor
     default_task :start
-    
-    method_option :clear, :type => :boolean, :default => false, :aliases => '-c', :banner => "Auto clear shell before each change/run_all/reload"
-    method_option :debug, :type => :boolean, :default => false, :aliases => '-d', :banner => "Print debug messages"
-    method_option :group, :type => :array,   :default => [],    :aliases => '-g', :banner => "Run only the passed groups"
-    
+
+    method_option :clear,  :type => :boolean, :default => false, :aliases => '-c', :banner => "Auto clear shell before each change/run_all/reload"
+    method_option :notify, :type => :boolean, :default => true,  :aliases => '-n', :banner => "Notifications feature (growl/libnotify)"
+    method_option :debug,  :type => :boolean, :default => false, :aliases => '-d', :banner => "Print debug messages"
+    method_option :group,  :type => :array,   :default => [],    :aliases => '-g', :banner => "Run only the passed groups"
+
     desc "start", "Starts Guard"
     def start
       ::Guard.start(options)
     end
-    
+
     desc "version", "Prints Guard's version information"
     def version
       ::Guard::UI.info "Guard version #{Guard::VERSION}"
     end
     map %w(-v --version) => :version
-    
+
     desc "init [GUARD]", "Generates a Guardfile into the current working directory, or insert the given GUARD"
     def init(guard_name = nil)
       if !File.exist?("Guardfile")
@@ -29,12 +30,12 @@ module Guard
         ::Guard::UI.error "Guardfile already exists at #{Dir.pwd}/Guardfile"
         exit 1
       end
-      
+
       if guard_name
         guard_class = ::Guard.get_guard_class(guard_name)
         guard_class.init(guard_name)
       end
     end
-    
+
   end
 end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/guard/notifier.rb b/lib/guard/notifier.rb
index f200375..d250a22 100644
--- a/lib/guard/notifier.rb
+++ b/lib/guard/notifier.rb
@@ -3,9 +3,13 @@ require 'pathname'
 
 module Guard
   module Notifier
-    
+
+    def self.turn_off
+      @disable = true
+    end
+
     def self.notify(message, options = {})
-      unless ENV["GUARD_ENV"] == "test"
+      unless @disable || ENV["GUARD_ENV"] == "test"
         image = options[:image] || :success
         title = options[:title] || "Guard"
         case Config::CONFIG['target_os']
@@ -20,9 +24,9 @@ module Guard
         end
       end
     end
-    
+
   private
-    
+
     def self.image_path(image)
       images_path = Pathname.new(File.dirname(__FILE__)).join('../../images')
       case image
@@ -37,7 +41,7 @@ module Guard
         image
       end
     end
-    
+
     def self.growl_installed?
       @installed ||= begin
         require 'growl'
@@ -47,7 +51,7 @@ module Guard
         false
       end
     end
-    
+
     def self.libnotify_installed?
       @installed ||= begin
         require 'libnotify'
@@ -57,6 +61,6 @@ module Guard
         false
       end
     end
-    
+
   end
 end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/guard/ui.rb b/lib/guard/ui.rb
index bb3f96e..62c8de4 100644
--- a/lib/guard/ui.rb
+++ b/lib/guard/ui.rb
@@ -1,46 +1,46 @@
 module Guard
   module UI
     class << self
-      
+
       def info(message, options = {})
         unless ENV["GUARD_ENV"] == "test"
           reset_line if options[:reset]
           puts reset_color(message) if message != ''
         end
       end
-      
+
       def error(message, options = {})
         unless ENV["GUARD_ENV"] == "test"
           reset_line if options[:reset]
           puts "ERROR: #{message}"
         end
       end
-      
+
       def debug(message, options = {})
         unless ENV["GUARD_ENV"] == "test"
           reset_line if options[:reset]
           puts "DEBUG: #{message}" if ::Guard.options && ::Guard.options[:debug]
         end
       end
-      
+
       def reset_line
         print "\r\e "
       end
-      
+
       def clear
         system("clear;")
       end
-      
+
     private
-      
+
       def reset_color(text)
         color(text, "\e[0m")
       end
-      
+
       def color(text, color_code)
         "#{color_code}#{text}\e[0m"
       end
-      
+
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/guard/dsl_spec.rb b/spec/guard/dsl_spec.rb
index 95e5f4b..097ff23 100644
--- a/spec/guard/dsl_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/guard/dsl_spec.rb
@@ -3,39 +3,39 @@ require 'guard/dsl'
 
 describe Guard::Dsl do
   subject { Guard::Dsl }
-  
+
   before(:each) do
     ::Guard.stub!(:add_guard)
   end
-  
+
   it "should write an error message when no Guardfile is found" do
     Dir.stub!(:pwd).and_return("no_guardfile_here")
-    
+
     Guard::UI.should_receive(:error).with("No Guardfile in current folder, please create one.")
     lambda { subject.evaluate_guardfile }.should raise_error
   end
-  
+
   it "should write an error message when Guardfile is not valid" do
     mock_guardfile_content("This Guardfile is invalid!")
-    
+
     Guard::UI.should_receive(:error).with(/Invalid Guardfile, original error is:\n/)
     lambda { subject.evaluate_guardfile }.should raise_error
   end
-  
+
   describe ".guardfile_include?" do
     it "should detect a guard specified as a string" do
       mock_guardfile_content("guard 'test'")
-      
+
       subject.guardfile_include?('test').should be_true
     end
-    
+
     it "should detect a guard specified as a symbol" do
       mock_guardfile_content("guard :test")
-      
+
       subject.guardfile_include?('test').should be_true
     end
   end
-  
+
   describe "#group" do
     before do
       mock_guardfile_content("
@@ -44,50 +44,50 @@ describe Guard::Dsl do
             watch('c')
           end
         end
-        
+
         group 'y' do
           guard 'another' do
             watch('c')
           end
         end")
     end
-    
+
     it "should evaluates only the specified group" do
       ::Guard.should_receive(:add_guard).with('test', anything, {})
       ::Guard.should_not_receive(:add_guard).with('another', anything, {})
       subject.evaluate_guardfile(:group => ['x'])
     end
-    
+
     it "should evaluates only the specified groups" do
       ::Guard.should_receive(:add_guard).with('test', anything, {})
       ::Guard.should_receive(:add_guard).with('another', anything, {})
       subject.evaluate_guardfile(:group => ['x', 'y'])
     end
   end
-  
+
   describe "#guard" do
     it "should load a guard specified as a string from the DSL" do
       mock_guardfile_content("guard 'test'")
-      
+
       ::Guard.should_receive(:add_guard).with('test', [], {})
       subject.evaluate_guardfile
     end
-    
+
     it "should load a guard specified as a symbol from the DSL" do
       mock_guardfile_content("guard :test")
-      
+
       ::Guard.should_receive(:add_guard).with(:test, [], {})
       subject.evaluate_guardfile
     end
-    
+
     it "should receive options when specified" do
       mock_guardfile_content("guard 'test', :opt_a => 1, :opt_b => 'fancy'")
-      
+
       ::Guard.should_receive(:add_guard).with('test', anything, { :opt_a => 1, :opt_b => 'fancy' })
       subject.evaluate_guardfile
     end
   end
-  
+
   describe "#watch" do
     it "should receive watchers when specified" do
       mock_guardfile_content("
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ describe Guard::Dsl do
           watch('a') { 'b' }
           watch('c')
         end")
-      
+
       ::Guard.should_receive(:add_guard).with('test', anything, {}) do |name, watchers, options|
         watchers.size.should == 2
         watchers[0].pattern.should     == 'a'
@@ -106,11 +106,11 @@ describe Guard::Dsl do
       subject.evaluate_guardfile
     end
   end
-  
+
 private
-  
+
   def mock_guardfile_content(content)
     File.stub!(:read).with(File.expand_path('../../../Guardfile', __FILE__)) { content }
   end
-  
+
 end
diff --git a/spec/guard/notifier_spec.rb b/spec/guard/notifier_spec.rb
index f9ce43b..5431536 100644
--- a/spec/guard/notifier_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/guard/notifier_spec.rb
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@ require 'spec_helper'
 
 describe Guard::Notifier do
   subject { Guard::Notifier }
-  
+
   describe "notify" do
     before(:each) { ENV["GUARD_ENV"] = 'special_test' }
-    
+
     if mac?
       require 'growl'
       it "should use Growl on Mac OS X" do
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ describe Guard::Notifier do
         subject.notify 'great', :title => 'Guard'
       end
     end
-    
+
     if linux?
       require 'libnotify'
       it "should use Libnotify on Linux" do
@@ -29,8 +29,28 @@ describe Guard::Notifier do
         subject.notify 'great', :title => 'Guard'
       end
     end
-    
+
+    context "turned off" do
+      before(:each) { subject.turn_off }
+
+      if mac?
+        require 'growl'
+        it "should do nothing" do
+          Growl.should_not_receive(:notify)
+          subject.notify 'great', :title => 'Guard'
+        end
+      end
+
+      if linux?
+        require 'libnotify'
+        it "should do nothing" do
+          Libnotify.should_not_receive(:show)
+          subject.notify 'great', :title => 'Guard'
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
     after(:each) { ENV["GUARD_ENV"] = 'test' }
   end
-  
+
 end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spec/guard_spec.rb b/spec/guard_spec.rb
index 3777ff1..dbd1c14 100644
--- a/spec/guard_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/guard_spec.rb
@@ -22,6 +22,11 @@ describe Guard do
       it "should init listener" do
         ::Guard.listener.should be_kind_of(Guard::Listener)
       end
+
+      it "should turn off notifier if notify option is false" do
+        ::Guard::Notifier.should_receive(:turn_off)
+        ::Guard.setup(:notify => false)
+      end
     end
 
     describe ".get_guard_class" do