diff --git a/docs/ENVIRONMENT_VARS.md b/docs/ENVIRONMENT_VARS.md
index 868d11e..3d27569 100644
--- a/docs/ENVIRONMENT_VARS.md
+++ b/docs/ENVIRONMENT_VARS.md
@@ -6,4 +6,4 @@ lowfi has some more specific options, usually as a result of minor feature reque
 If you have some behavior you'd like to change, which is quite specific, then see if one of these options suits you.
 
 * `LOWFI_FIXED_MPRIS_NAME` - Limits the number of lowfi instances to one, but ensures the player name is always `lowfi`.
-* `LOWFI_DISABLE_UI` - Disables the UI.
+* `LOWFI_DISABLE_UI` - Disables the UI. This requires MPRIS, so that you can still actually control lowfi.
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 97d1405..67feff6 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -89,6 +89,10 @@ enum Commands {
     },
 }
 
+pub fn env(name: &str) -> bool {
+    std::env::var(name).is_ok_and(|x| x == "1")
+}
+
 /// Returns the application data directory used for persistency.
 ///
 /// The function returns the platform-specific user data directory with
@@ -121,7 +125,7 @@ async fn main() -> eyre::Result<()> {
     }
 
     let stream = audio::stream()?;
-    let environment = ui::Environment::ready(args.alternate)?;
+    let environment = ui::Environment::ready(&args)?;
     let (mut player, mut tasks) = Player::init(args, stream.mixer())
         .await
         .inspect_err(|_| environment.cleanup(false).unwrap())?;
diff --git a/src/ui.rs b/src/ui.rs
index 1c045cb..3c17369 100644
--- a/src/ui.rs
+++ b/src/ui.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ use crate::player::Current;
 use tokio::{sync::broadcast, time::Instant};
 
 pub mod environment;
-pub mod task;
+pub mod init;
 pub use environment::Environment;
 pub mod input;
 pub mod interface;
diff --git a/src/ui/environment.rs b/src/ui/environment.rs
index a03bafe..a0add50 100644
--- a/src/ui/environment.rs
+++ b/src/ui/environment.rs
@@ -15,16 +15,29 @@ pub struct Environment {
 
     /// Whether the terminal is in an alternate screen or not.
     alternate: bool,
+
+    /// Whether the UI is actually enabled at all.
+    /// This will effectively make the environment just do nothing.
+    enabled: bool,
 }
 
 impl Environment {
     /// This prepares the terminal, returning an [Environment] helpful
     /// for cleaning up afterwards.
-    pub fn ready(alternate: bool) -> super::Result<Self> {
+    pub fn ready(args: &crate::Args) -> super::Result<Self> {
+        let enabled = !crate::env("LOWFI_DISABLE_UI");
+        if !enabled {
+            return Ok(Environment {
+                enhancement: false,
+                alternate: args.alternate,
+                enabled,
+            });
+        }
+
         let mut lock = stdout().lock();
 
         crossterm::execute!(lock, Hide)?;
-        if alternate {
+        if args.alternate {
             crossterm::execute!(lock, EnterAlternateScreen, MoveTo(0, 0))?;
         }
 
@@ -39,8 +52,9 @@ impl Environment {
         }
 
         let environment = Self {
+            enabled,
             enhancement,
-            alternate,
+            alternate: args.alternate,
         };
 
         panic::set_hook(Box::new(move |info| {
@@ -54,6 +68,10 @@ impl Environment {
     /// Uses the information collected from initialization to safely close down
     /// the terminal & restore it to it's previous state.
     pub fn cleanup(&self, elegant: bool) -> super::Result<()> {
+        if !self.enabled {
+            return Ok(());
+        };
+
         let mut lock = stdout().lock();
 
         if self.alternate {
diff --git a/src/ui/task.rs b/src/ui/init.rs
similarity index 100%
rename from src/ui/task.rs
rename to src/ui/init.rs
diff --git a/src/ui/interface.rs b/src/ui/interface.rs
index b82113a..306a725 100644
--- a/src/ui/interface.rs
+++ b/src/ui/interface.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ use crate::{
     ui::{self, State},
     Args,
 };
-use std::{env, io::stdout, time::Duration};
+use std::{io::stdout, time::Duration};
 
 pub mod clock;
 pub mod components;
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ impl TryFrom<&Args> for Params {
         let delta = 1.0 / f32::from(args.fps);
         let delta = Duration::from_secs_f32(delta);
 
-        let disabled = env::var("LOWFI_DISABLE_UI").is_ok_and(|x| x == "1");
+        let disabled = crate::env("LOWFI_DISABLE_UI");
         if disabled && !cfg!(feature = "mpris") {
             return Err(ui::Error::RejectedDisable);
         }