diff --git a/ui/src/main/java/dev/quoije/umd/ui/PlayerApp.java b/ui/src/main/java/dev/quoije/umd/ui/PlayerApp.java
index 19e49b3..084ec5e 100644
--- a/ui/src/main/java/dev/quoije/umd/ui/PlayerApp.java
+++ b/ui/src/main/java/dev/quoije/umd/ui/PlayerApp.java
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@ import dev.quoije.umd.player.PlaybackEngine;
 import dev.quoije.umd.playlist.Playlist;
 import dev.quoije.umd.rco.RcoFile;
 import dev.quoije.umd.rco.vsmx.Vsmx;
+import dev.quoije.umd.rco.vsmx.interpreter.VsmxBaseObject;
+import dev.quoije.umd.rco.vsmx.interpreter.VsmxFunction;
 import dev.quoije.umd.rco.vsmx.interpreter.VsmxInterpreter;
 import dev.quoije.umd.rco.vsmx.interpreter.VsmxNativeObject;
 import dev.quoije.umd.rco.vsmx.objects.Controller;
@@ -66,6 +68,9 @@ public final class PlayerApp extends Application {
     private int videoBufferIndex = 0;
     private volatile boolean skipRequested = false;
 
+    private volatile VsmxInterpreter menuInterpreter;
+    private volatile VsmxBaseObject mmActivate;
+
     @Override
     public void start(Stage stage) {
         // Gradle's --args splits on whitespace; rejoin so paths with spaces work.
@@ -119,6 +124,10 @@ public final class PlayerApp extends Application {
                 skipRequested = true;
                 return;
             }
+            case M -> {
+                openMenuDirectly();
+                return;
+            }
             default -> { }
         }
 
@@ -136,6 +145,15 @@ public final class PlayerApp extends Application {
         }
     }
 
+    private void openMenuDirectly() {
+        VsmxBaseObject fn = mmActivate;
+        VsmxInterpreter interpreter = menuInterpreter;
+        if (fn instanceof VsmxFunction function && interpreter != null) {
+            System.err.println("[debug] opening menu directly");
+            interpreter.interpretFunction(function, null, new VsmxBaseObject[0]);
+        }
+    }
+
     private void loadMenu(String isoPath) {
         try (UmdIsoReader iso = new UmdIsoReader(Path.of(isoPath))) {
             Playlist playlist = Playlist.parse(iso);
@@ -189,6 +207,8 @@ public final class PlayerApp extends Application {
             interpreter.run(globals);
             controller = (Controller) controllerObject.getObject();
             moviePlayer = (MoviePlayer) movieplayer.getObject();
+            menuInterpreter = interpreter;
+            mmActivate = globals.getPropertyValue("mm_activate");
             controller.callCallback(interpreter, "onAutoPlay", null);
         } catch (Exception e) {
             e.printStackTrace();