diff --git a/doc/src/manual/getting-started.md b/doc/src/manual/getting-started.md
index b648cf8699470..f7e83747cbb07 100644
--- a/doc/src/manual/getting-started.md
+++ b/doc/src/manual/getting-started.md
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ julia [switches] -- [programfile] [args...]
 |:---                                   |:---|
 |`-v`, `--version`                      |Display version information|
 |`-h`, `--help`                         |Print this message|
+|`--project`, `--project=<dir>`         |Start with current directory `@.` or with `dir` as the home project|
 |`-J`, `--sysimage <file>`              |Start up with the given system image file|
 |`-H`, `--home <dir>`                   |Set location of `julia` executable|
 |`--startup-file={yes\|no}`             |Load `~/.julia/config/startup.jl`|
diff --git a/src/jloptions.c b/src/jloptions.c
index 83c5121a5bff5..42de9f0f9560f 100644
--- a/src/jloptions.c
+++ b/src/jloptions.c
@@ -78,6 +78,8 @@ static const char opts[]  =
     " -h, --help                Print this message\n\n"
 
     // startup options
+    " --project, --project=<dir>\n"
+    "                           Start with current directory `@.` or with `dir` as the home project\n"
     " -J, --sysimage <file>     Start up with the given system image file\n"
     " -H, --home <dir>          Set location of `julia` executable\n"
     " --startup-file={yes|no}   Load `~/.julia/config/startup.jl`\n"