diff --git a/prism/src/prism/Prism.java b/prism/src/prism/Prism.java
index 081662dc..f4ffa203 100644
--- a/prism/src/prism/Prism.java
+++ b/prism/src/prism/Prism.java
@@ -233,18 +233,34 @@ public class Prism implements PrismSettingsListener
 	}
 
 	/**
-	 * Read in PRISM settings from a file (.prism in user's home directory).
+	 * Read in PRISM settings from the default file (.prism in user's home directory).
 	 * If no file exists, attempt to create a new one with default settings.
 	 */
 	public void loadUserSettingsFile()
+	{
+		loadUserSettingsFile(null);
+	}
+	
+	/**
+	 * Read in PRISM settings from a specified file.
+	 * If the file is null, use the default (.prism in user's home directory).
+	 * If no file exists, attempt to create a new one with default settings.
+	 */
+	public void loadUserSettingsFile(File settingsFile)
 	{
 		// load user's default settings
 		try {
-			settings.loadSettingsFile();
+			if (settingsFile == null)
+				settings.loadSettingsFile();
+			else
+				settings.loadSettingsFile(settingsFile);
 		} catch (PrismException e) {
 			// if there were no user defaults to load, create them
 			try {
-				settings.saveSettingsFile();
+				if (settingsFile == null)
+					settings.saveSettingsFile();
+				else
+					settings.saveSettingsFile(settingsFile);
 			} catch (PrismException ex) {
 				mainLog.printWarning("Failed to create new PRISM settings file.");
 			}
diff --git a/prism/src/prism/PrismCL.java b/prism/src/prism/PrismCL.java
index 3d27c9a0..82792080 100644
--- a/prism/src/prism/PrismCL.java
+++ b/prism/src/prism/PrismCL.java
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ public class PrismCL implements PrismModelListener
 	// files/filenames
 	private String mainLogFilename = "stdout";
 	private String techLogFilename = "stdout";
+	private String settingsFilename = null;
 	private String modelFilename = null;
 	private String importStatesFilename = null;
 	private String importLabelsFilename = null;
@@ -426,6 +427,10 @@ public class PrismCL implements PrismModelListener
 
 			// parse command line arguments
 			parseArguments(args);
+			
+			// load setting file if requested
+			if (settingsFilename != null)
+				prism.loadUserSettingsFile(new File(settingsFilename));
 
 			// initialise
 			prism.initialise();
@@ -839,6 +844,14 @@ public class PrismCL implements PrismModelListener
 					printVersion();
 					exit();
 				}
+				// load settings
+				else if (sw.equals("settings")) {
+					if (i < args.length - 1) {
+						settingsFilename = args[++i].trim();
+					} else {
+						errorAndExit("Incomplete -" + sw + " switch");
+					}
+				}
 				// print a list of all keywords (hidden option)
 				else if (sw.equals("keywords")) {
 					printListOfKeywords();
@@ -1633,6 +1646,7 @@ public class PrismCL implements PrismModelListener
 		mainLog.println();
 		mainLog.println("-help .......................... Display this help message");
 		mainLog.println("-version ....................... Display tool version");
+		mainLog.println("-settings <file>................ Load settings from <file>");
 		mainLog.println();
 		mainLog.println("-pf <props> (or -pctl or -csl) . Model check properties <props>");
 		mainLog.println("-property <n> (or -prop <n>) ... Only model check property <n>");
diff --git a/prism/src/prism/PrismSettings.java b/prism/src/prism/PrismSettings.java
index 0fdf9b89..e534d22d 100644
--- a/prism/src/prism/PrismSettings.java
+++ b/prism/src/prism/PrismSettings.java
@@ -500,8 +500,11 @@ public class PrismSettings implements Observer
 	
 	public synchronized void saveSettingsFile() throws PrismException
 	{
-		File file = getLocationForSettingsFile();
-		
+		saveSettingsFile(getLocationForSettingsFile());
+	}
+	
+	public synchronized void saveSettingsFile(File file) throws PrismException
+	{
 		try
 		{
 			FileWriter out = new FileWriter(file);
@@ -545,8 +548,11 @@ public class PrismSettings implements Observer
 	
 	public synchronized void loadSettingsFile() throws PrismException
 	{
-		File file = getLocationForSettingsFile();
-		
+		loadSettingsFile(getLocationForSettingsFile());
+	}
+	
+	public synchronized void loadSettingsFile(File file) throws PrismException
+	{
 		BufferedReader reader;
 		String line = null;
 		String key = "";