diff --git a/rust/cli_player/src/cli_args.rs b/rust/cli_player/src/cli_args.rs
index 65268c8..7bed537 100644
--- a/rust/cli_player/src/cli_args.rs
+++ b/rust/cli_player/src/cli_args.rs
@@ -28,6 +28,10 @@ pub struct CliArgs {
 
     #[clap(long, value_enum)]
     pub dev_screen: Option<TestDevScreen>,
+
+    /// Run as server instead of as client
+    #[clap(long, short)]
+    pub serve: bool,
 }
 
 impl CliArgs {
diff --git a/rust/cli_player/src/main.rs b/rust/cli_player/src/main.rs
index aa4eceb..ea79e98 100644
--- a/rust/cli_player/src/main.rs
+++ b/rust/cli_player/src/main.rs
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ use tui::Terminal;
 
 use cli_player::cli_args::{cli_args, TestDevScreen};
 use cli_player::client::Client;
+use cli_player::server::run_server;
 use cli_player::ui_screens::configure_game_rules::GameRulesConfigurationScreen;
 use cli_player::ui_screens::game_screen::GameScreen;
 use cli_player::ui_screens::input_screen::InputScreen;
@@ -138,7 +139,11 @@ async fn run_app<B: Backend>(terminal: &mut Terminal<B>) -> Res {
 #[tokio::main]
 pub async fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
     env_logger::Builder::from_env(Env::default()).init();
-    cli_args(); // Avoid a crash if help argument is triggered
+
+    if cli_args().serve {
+        run_server().await;
+        return Ok(());
+    }
 
     // setup terminal
     enable_raw_mode()?;
diff --git a/rust/cli_player/src/server.rs b/rust/cli_player/src/server.rs
index 6f0fbb3..29669fc 100644
--- a/rust/cli_player/src/server.rs
+++ b/rust/cli_player/src/server.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,21 @@ use sea_battle_backend::utils::network_utils;
 
 use crate::cli_args::cli_args;
 
+pub async fn run_server() {
+    let local_set = task::LocalSet::new();
+
+    local_set
+        .run_until(async move {
+            sea_battle_backend::server::start_server(Args {
+                listen_address: cli_args().listen_address.clone(),
+                cors: None,
+            })
+            .await
+            .expect("Failed to run local server!")
+        })
+        .await;
+}
+
 pub async fn start_server_if_missing() {
     if !network_utils::is_port_open(cli_args().listen_port()).await {
         log::info!(
@@ -15,16 +30,7 @@ pub async fn start_server_if_missing() {
         std::thread::spawn(move || {
             let rt = Builder::new_current_thread().enable_all().build().unwrap();
 
-            let local_set = task::LocalSet::new();
-
-            rt.block_on(local_set.run_until(async move {
-                sea_battle_backend::server::start_server(Args {
-                    listen_address: cli_args().listen_address.clone(),
-                    cors: None,
-                })
-                .await
-                .expect("Failed to run local server!")
-            }));
+            rt.block_on(run_server());
         });
 
         network_utils::wait_for_port(cli_args().listen_port()).await;