diff --git a/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/MainForm.cs b/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/MainForm.cs
index d6f1ef967e..1cfbc8dc04 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/MainForm.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/MainForm.cs
@@ -178,10 +178,6 @@ namespace BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk
 				{
 					_chromeless = true;
 				}
-				else if (arg.StartsWith("--gdi"))
-				{
-					Global.Config.DispMethod = Config.EDispMethod.GdiPlus;
-				}
 				else if (arg.StartsWith("--fullscreen"))
 				{
 					startFullscreen = true;
diff --git a/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/Program.cs b/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/Program.cs
index 38866f8fb7..45c6c1c078 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/Program.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/Program.cs
@@ -69,6 +69,16 @@ namespace BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk
 			Global.Config.ResolveDefaults();
 			HawkFile.ArchiveHandlerFactory = new SevenZipSharpArchiveHandler();
 
+			//super hacky! this needs to be done first. still not worth the trouble to make this system fully proper
+			for (int i = 0; i < args.Length; i++)
+			{
+				var arg = args[i].ToLower();
+				if (arg.StartsWith("--gdi"))
+				{
+					Global.Config.DispMethod = Config.EDispMethod.GdiPlus;
+				}
+			}
+
 #if WINDOWS
 			try { GlobalWin.DSound = SoundEnumeration.Create(); }
 			catch