diff --git a/src/GUI/QtLauncher.cxx b/src/GUI/QtLauncher.cxx
index 29cf4f7b7..c92df7e20 100644
--- a/src/GUI/QtLauncher.cxx
+++ b/src/GUI/QtLauncher.cxx
@@ -556,6 +556,30 @@ void restartTheApp()
     qApp->exit(-1);
 }
 
+void startLaunchOnExit(const std::vector<std::string>& originalCommandLine)
+{
+    QStringList fgArgs;
+    for (const auto& arg : originalCommandLine) {
+        fgArgs.append(QString::fromStdString(arg));
+    }
+
+    QProcess proc;
+#if defined(Q_OS_MAC)
+    QDir dir(qApp->applicationDirPath()); // returns the 'MacOS' dir
+    dir.cdUp();                           // up to 'contents' dir
+    dir.cdUp();                           // up to .app dir
+
+    QStringList args;
+    // see 'man open' for details, but '-n' ensures we launch a new instance,
+    // and we want to pass remaining arguments to us, not open.
+    args << "-n" << dir.absolutePath() << "--args" << fgArgs;
+    qDebug() << "args" << args;
+    proc.startDetached("open", args);
+#else
+    proc.startDetached(qApp->applicationFilePath(), fgArgs);
+#endif
+}
+
 void launcherSetSceneryPaths()
 {
     globals->clear_fg_scenery();
diff --git a/src/GUI/QtLauncher.hxx b/src/GUI/QtLauncher.hxx
index 6bb1f0a5d..6c07875d9 100644
--- a/src/GUI/QtLauncher.hxx
+++ b/src/GUI/QtLauncher.hxx
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
+#include <string>
+#include <vector>
+
 class SGPath;
 
 namespace flightgear
@@ -58,6 +61,11 @@ namespace flightgear
    */
   void restartTheApp();
 
+  /**
+ @ brief helper to re-open the launcher once FLightGear exits cleanly
+ */
+  void startLaunchOnExit(const std::vector<std::string>& originalCommandLine);
+
   void launcherSetSceneryPaths();
 
     bool showSetupRootDialog(bool usingDefaultRoot);
diff --git a/src/GUI/qml/Settings.qml b/src/GUI/qml/Settings.qml
index 6652738d0..8db1ac4ff 100644
--- a/src/GUI/qml/Settings.qml
+++ b/src/GUI/qml/Settings.qml
@@ -161,6 +161,14 @@ Item {
                         defaultValue: false
                         keywords: ["develop", "developer"]
                         setting: "develop"
+                    },
+
+                    SettingCheckbox {
+                        id: restartLauncher
+                        label: qsTr("Re-open FlightGear on exit")
+                        description: qsTr("Re-open this window when exiting FlightGear, to start another flight immediately.")
+                        keywords: ["restart", "reopen"]
+                        setting: "restart-launcher"
                     }
                 ]
 
@@ -168,6 +176,7 @@ Item {
                     if (!showConsoleWin.hidden && showConsoleWin.checked) _config.setArg("console");
                     _config.setEnableDisableOption("sentry",  enableCrashReporting.checked);
                     if (developerMode.checked) _config.setArg("developer");
+                    if (restartLauncher.checked) _config.setArg("restart-launcher");
                 }
             }
 
diff --git a/src/Main/main.cxx b/src/Main/main.cxx
index f739dbc8f..00e8ea8af 100755
--- a/src/Main/main.cxx
+++ b/src/Main/main.cxx
@@ -807,8 +807,10 @@ int fgMainInit( int argc, char **argv )
 
     fgOSCloseWindow();
     fgShutdownHome();
-    
-     simgear::Emesary::GlobalTransmitter::instance()->NotifyAll(mln_stopped);
+
+    const bool requestLauncherRestart = fgGetBool("/sim/restart-launcher-on-exit");
+
+    simgear::Emesary::GlobalTransmitter::instance()->NotifyAll(mln_stopped);
 
     simgear::clearEffectCache();
 
@@ -821,5 +823,15 @@ int fgMainInit( int argc, char **argv )
     // objects (eg, airports, navaids, runways).
     delete flightgear::NavDataCache::instance();
 
+#if defined(HAVE_QT)
+    if (requestLauncherRestart) {
+        string_list originalArgs;
+        for (int arg = 1; arg < argc; ++arg) {
+            originalArgs.push_back(argv[arg]);
+        }
+        flightgear::addSentryBreadcrumb("Requested to restart launcher", "info");
+        flightgear::startLaunchOnExit(originalArgs);
+    }
+#endif
     return result;
 }
diff --git a/src/Main/options.cxx b/src/Main/options.cxx
index 6c9165669..52bc2ab70 100644
--- a/src/Main/options.cxx
+++ b/src/Main/options.cxx
@@ -2001,12 +2001,12 @@ struct OptionDesc {
     {"developer",                    true,  OPTION_IGNORE | OPTION_BOOL, "", false, "", nullptr },
     {"jsbsim-output-directive-file", true,  OPTION_STRING, "/sim/jsbsim/output-directive-file", false, "", nullptr },
     {"disable-gui",                  false, OPTION_FUNC, "", false, "", fgOptDisableGUI },
-    {"graphics-preset", true, OPTION_STRING, "/sim/rendering/preset", false, "", nullptr},
+    {"graphics-preset",              true,  OPTION_STRING, "/sim/rendering/preset", false, "", nullptr},
     {"composite-viewer",             true,  OPTION_INT,    "/sim/rendering/composite-viewer-enabled", false, "", nullptr},
+    {"restart-launcher",             false, OPTION_BOOL, "/sim/restart-launcher-on-exit", true, "", nullptr},
     {nullptr,                        false, 0,             nullptr, false, nullptr, nullptr}
 };
 
-
 namespace flightgear
 {