diff --git a/plymouth.c b/plymouth.c
index f2658f6..48a69e8 100644
--- a/plymouth.c
+++ b/plymouth.c
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 #include <stdarg.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
+#include <fcntl.h>
+#include <ctype.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
@@ -174,6 +176,30 @@ bool ply_update_status(int hook, const char* name)
     return true;
 }
 
+bool kernel_command_has_argument(const char *argument)
+{
+    char buf[4096];
+    int fd;
+    fd = open("/proc/cmdline", O_RDONLY);
+    
+    if( fd < 0 ) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    if(read(fd, buf, 4095) < 0) {
+        close(fd);
+        return false;
+    }
+    close(fd);
+    char *found_arg = strstr(buf, argument);
+    if(found_arg == NULL)
+        return false;
+
+    if(found_arg == buf || found_arg[-1] == ' ') {
+        char endch = *(found_arg+strlen(argument));
+        return (isspace(endch) || endch == '\0') ? true : false;
+    }
+    return false;
+}
 
 bool ply_update_rootfs_rw()
 {
@@ -236,7 +262,10 @@ int rc_plugin_hook(RC_HOOK hook, const char *name)
     case RC_HOOK_RUNLEVEL_STOP_IN:
         /* Start the Plymouth daemon and show splash when system is being shut
          * down. */
-        if(strcmp(name, RC_LEVEL_SHUTDOWN) == 0) {
+        if(strcmp(name, RC_LEVEL_SHUTDOWN) == 0 &&
+		(kernel_command_has_argument("splash") ||
+		kernel_command_has_argument("splash=shutdown")))
+	{
             DBG("ply_start(PLY_MODE_SHUTDOWN)");
             if(!ply_start(PLY_MODE_SHUTDOWN)
                     || !ply_update_rootfs_rw())
@@ -249,7 +278,10 @@ int rc_plugin_hook(RC_HOOK hook, const char *name)
         /* Start the Plymouth daemon and show splash when entering the boot
          * runlevel. Required /proc and /sys should already be mounted in
          * sysinit runlevel. */
-        if(strcmp(name, bootlevel) == 0) {
+        if(strcmp(name, bootlevel) == 0 &&
+		(kernel_command_has_argument("splash") ||
+		kernel_command_has_argument("splash=silent")))
+	{
             DBG("ply_start(PLY_MODE_BOOT)");
             if(!ply_start(PLY_MODE_BOOT))
                 rv = 1;