diff --git a/client/src/main/java/org/mvndaemon/mvnd/client/DefaultClient.java b/client/src/main/java/org/mvndaemon/mvnd/client/DefaultClient.java
index 9ef484db9..83ecc1707 100644
--- a/client/src/main/java/org/mvndaemon/mvnd/client/DefaultClient.java
+++ b/client/src/main/java/org/mvndaemon/mvnd/client/DefaultClient.java
@@ -71,6 +71,16 @@ public static void main(String[] argv) throws Exception {
                 } else {
                     throw new IllegalArgumentException("-l and --log-file need to be followed by a path");
                 }
+
+            } else if (arg.startsWith("-D")) {
+                /* This needs to be done very early, otherwise various DeamonParameters do not work properly */
+                final int eqPos = arg.indexOf('=');
+                if (eqPos >= 0) {
+                    System.setProperty(arg.substring(2, eqPos), arg.substring(eqPos + 1));
+                } else {
+                    System.setProperty(arg.substring(2), "");
+                }
+                args.add(arg);
             } else {
                 if (!batchMode && ("-B".equals(arg) || "--batch-mode".equals(arg))) {
                     batchMode = true;
diff --git a/common/src/main/java/org/mvndaemon/mvnd/common/Environment.java b/common/src/main/java/org/mvndaemon/mvnd/common/Environment.java
index 14b405f22..5641e10de 100644
--- a/common/src/main/java/org/mvndaemon/mvnd/common/Environment.java
+++ b/common/src/main/java/org/mvndaemon/mvnd/common/Environment.java
@@ -174,14 +174,18 @@ public enum Environment {
     MVND_DUPLICATE_DAEMON_GRACE_PERIOD("mvnd.duplicateDaemonGracePeriod", null, "10 seconds", true, true),
     ;
 
-    static Properties properties = System.getProperties();
+    static Properties properties;
 
     public static void setProperties(Properties properties) {
         Environment.properties = properties;
     }
 
     public static String getProperty(String property) {
-        return properties.getProperty(property);
+        Properties props = Environment.properties;
+        if (props == null) {
+            props = System.getProperties();
+        }
+        return props.getProperty(property);
     }
 
     private final String property;