diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 63dd768d..b9e2927a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ If you try to send an image the "echo server" will send a path to the downloaded
 - `DEBUG` - show debug and verbose logs, set in any value
 - `WHATSAPP_API_PORT` - listen port for HTTP server (default: `3000`)
 - `WHATSAPP_API_HOSTNAME` - Hostname for HTTP server (default: `localhost`)
+- `WHATSAPP_START_SESSION` - start session with that name right after launching the app
 
 ## Webhooks
 
diff --git a/src/config.service.ts b/src/config.service.ts
index 35895eff..ff1a4f68 100644
--- a/src/config.service.ts
+++ b/src/config.service.ts
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ export class WhatsappConfigService {
         return types ? types.split(',') : null
     }
 
+    get startSession(): string | undefined {
+        return this.configService.get('WHATSAPP_START_SESSION', undefined)
+    }
+
     get(name: string): any {
         return this.configService.get(name)
     }
diff --git a/src/whatsapp.service.ts b/src/whatsapp.service.ts
index beb7cc1e..ef5a0943 100644
--- a/src/whatsapp.service.ts
+++ b/src/whatsapp.service.ts
@@ -221,6 +221,9 @@ export class WhatsappSessionManager implements OnApplicationShutdown {
         this.log.setContext('WhatsappSessionManager')
         this.cleanDownloadsFolder(this.config.filesFolder)
         this.sessions = {}
+        if (config.startSession) {
+            this.startSession(config.startSession)
+        }
     }
 
     async startSession(name: string) {