diff --git a/securedrop_client/app.py b/securedrop_client/app.py
index ea9c7c820..85cf1db6c 100644
--- a/securedrop_client/app.py
+++ b/securedrop_client/app.py
@@ -105,6 +105,9 @@ def arg_parser() -> ArgumentParser:
         type=expand_to_absolute,
         help=('SecureDrop Client home directory for storing files and state. '
               '(Default {})'.format(DEFAULT_SDC_HOME)))
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '--proxy', action='store_true',
+        help='Use proxy AppVM name to connect to server.')
     return parser
 
 
@@ -139,7 +142,8 @@ def start_app(args, qt_args) -> None:
     Session = sessionmaker(bind=engine)
     session = Session()
 
-    client = Client("http://localhost:8081/", gui, session, args.sdc_home)
+    client = Client("http://localhost:8081/", gui, session,
+                    args.sdc_home, args.proxy)
     client.setup()
 
     configure_signal_handlers(app)
@@ -151,13 +155,14 @@ def start_app(args, qt_args) -> None:
 
 
 def run() -> None:
-    config_file = "/etc/securdrop-client/client.ini"
+    config_file = "/etc/securedrop-client/client.ini"
     args, qt_args = arg_parser().parse_known_args()
-    if args.sdc_home == DEFAULT_SDC_HOME and \
+    if args.sdc_home == expand_to_absolute(DEFAULT_SDC_HOME) and \
             os.path.exists(config_file):  # pragma: no cover
         config = configparser.ConfigParser()
         config.read(config_file)
         args.sdc_home = config["client"]["homedir"]
+        args.proxy = config["client"]["use_securedrop_proxy"]
     # reinsert the program's name
     qt_args.insert(0, 'securedrop-client')
     start_app(args, qt_args)
diff --git a/securedrop_client/logic.py b/securedrop_client/logic.py
index cd7277aee..4d1fe9f87 100644
--- a/securedrop_client/logic.py
+++ b/securedrop_client/logic.py
@@ -85,7 +85,8 @@ class Client(QObject):
 
     finish_api_call = pyqtSignal()  # Acknowledges reciept of an API call.
 
-    def __init__(self, hostname, gui, session, home: str) -> None:
+    def __init__(self, hostname, gui, session,
+                 home: str, proxy: bool = False) -> None:
         """
         The hostname, gui and session objects are used to coordinate with the
         various other layers of the application: the location of the SecureDrop
@@ -103,6 +104,7 @@ def __init__(self, hostname, gui, session, home: str) -> None:
         self.sync_flag = os.path.join(home, 'sync_flag')
         self.home = home  # The "home" directory for client files.
         self.data_dir = os.path.join(self.home, 'data')  # File data.
+        self.proxy = proxy
 
     def setup(self):
         """
@@ -159,7 +161,8 @@ def login(self, username, password, totp):
         Given a username, password and time based one-time-passcode (TOTP),
         create a new instance representing the SecureDrop api and authenticate.
         """
-        self.api = sdclientapi.API(self.hostname, username, password, totp)
+        self.api = sdclientapi.API(self.hostname, username,
+                                   password, totp, self.proxy)
         self.call_api(self.api.authenticate, self.on_authenticate,
                       self.on_login_timeout)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_app.py b/tests/test_app.py
index 01381a2ae..ccb5e3c44 100644
--- a/tests/test_app.py
+++ b/tests/test_app.py
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ def test_start_app(safe_tmpdir):
     mock_qt_args = mock.MagicMock()
     sdc_home = str(safe_tmpdir)
     mock_args.sdc_home = sdc_home
+    mock_args.proxy = False
 
     with mock.patch('securedrop_client.app.configure_logging') as conf_log, \
             mock.patch('securedrop_client.app.QApplication') as mock_app, \
@@ -68,7 +69,7 @@ def test_start_app(safe_tmpdir):
         mock_win.assert_called_once_with()
         mock_client.assert_called_once_with('http://localhost:8081/',
                                             mock_win(), mock_session_class(),
-                                            sdc_home)
+                                            sdc_home, False)
 
 
 PERMISSIONS_CASES = [