diff --git a/src/conf/args.rs b/src/conf/args.rs
index b18256c..0824fb4 100644
--- a/src/conf/args.rs
+++ b/src/conf/args.rs
@@ -126,6 +126,10 @@ pub struct Args {
     #[clap(long, value_name = "project")]
     pub project: Option<String>,
 
+    /// Configuration passed as a TOML string
+    #[clap(long)]
+    pub config_toml: Option<String>,
+
     #[clap()]
     /// What to do: either a job, or a path, or both
     pub args: Vec<String>,
diff --git a/src/conf/settings.rs b/src/conf/settings.rs
index 8881baf..027869b 100644
--- a/src/conf/settings.rs
+++ b/src/conf/settings.rs
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ impl Settings {
     /// * the package level `bacon.toml` file in package-root/.bacon.toml
     /// * the package level `bacon.toml` file in package-root/.config/.bacon.toml
     /// * the file whose path is in environment variable `BACON_CONFIG`
+    /// * the content of the `--config-toml` argument
     /// * args given as arguments, coming from the cli call
     pub fn read(
         args: &Args,
@@ -122,6 +123,12 @@ impl Settings {
             }
         }
 
+        if let Some(toml) = &args.config_toml {
+            let config = toml::from_str(toml)?;
+            info!("config loaded from --config-toml: {:#?}", &config);
+            settings.apply_config(&config);
+        }
+
         settings.apply_args(args);
         settings.check()?;
         info!("settings: {:#?}", &settings);