diff --git a/radicle-cli/src/commands/node.rs b/radicle-cli/src/commands/node.rs
index 387bbd31..df89d539 100644
--- a/radicle-cli/src/commands/node.rs
+++ b/radicle-cli/src/commands/node.rs
@@ -22,12 +22,14 @@ pub const HELP: Help = Help {
 Usage
 
     rad node status [<option>...]
-    rad node start [<option>...]
+    rad node start [--daemon|-d] [<option>...] [-- <node-option>...]
     rad node stop [<option>...]
     rad node connect <nid> <addr> [<option>...]
     rad node routing [<option>...]
     rad node tracking [--repos|--nodes] [<option>...]
 
+    For `<node-option>` see `radicle-node --help`.
+
 Options
 
     --help          Print help
@@ -41,12 +43,20 @@ pub struct Options {
 }
 
 pub enum Operation {
-    Connect { nid: NodeId, addr: Address },
+    Connect {
+        nid: NodeId,
+        addr: Address,
+    },
     Routing,
-    Start,
+    Start {
+        daemon: bool,
+        options: Vec<OsString>,
+    },
     Status,
     Stop,
-    Tracking { mode: TrackingMode },
+    Tracking {
+        mode: TrackingMode,
+    },
 }
 
 #[derive(Default)]
@@ -71,6 +81,8 @@ impl Args for Options {
     fn from_args(args: Vec<OsString>) -> anyhow::Result<(Self, Vec<OsString>)> {
         use lexopt::prelude::*;
 
+        let mut daemon = false;
+        let mut options = vec![];
         let mut parser = lexopt::Parser::from_args(args);
         let mut op: Option<OperationName> = None;
         let mut tracking_mode = TrackingMode::default();
@@ -111,6 +123,12 @@ impl Args for Options {
                 Long("nodes") if matches!(op, Some(OperationName::Tracking)) => {
                     tracking_mode = TrackingMode::Nodes
                 }
+                Long("daemon") | Short('d') if matches!(op, Some(OperationName::Start)) => {
+                    daemon = true;
+                }
+                Value(val) if matches!(op, Some(OperationName::Start)) => {
+                    options.push(val);
+                }
                 _ => return Err(anyhow!(arg.unexpected())),
             }
         }
@@ -121,7 +139,7 @@ impl Args for Options {
                 addr: addr.ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("an address must be provided"))?,
             },
             OperationName::Routing => Operation::Routing,
-            OperationName::Start => Operation::Start,
+            OperationName::Start => Operation::Start { daemon, options },
             OperationName::Status => Operation::Status,
             OperationName::Stop => Operation::Stop,
             OperationName::Tracking => Operation::Tracking {
@@ -145,7 +163,7 @@ pub fn run(options: Options, ctx: impl term::Context) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
                 radicle::node::routing::Table::reader(profile.home.node().join(ROUTING_DB_FILE))?;
             routing::run(&store)?;
         }
-        Operation::Start => control::start()?,
+        Operation::Start { daemon, options } => control::start(daemon, options)?,
         Operation::Status => {
             let node = Node::new(profile.socket());
             control::status(&node);
diff --git a/radicle-cli/src/commands/node/control.rs b/radicle-cli/src/commands/node/control.rs
index a794dfcc..d12f59d9 100644
--- a/radicle-cli/src/commands/node/control.rs
+++ b/radicle-cli/src/commands/node/control.rs
@@ -1,10 +1,34 @@
+use std::ffi::OsString;
+use std::fs::OpenOptions;
+use std::process;
+
 use radicle::node::{Address, Handle as _, NodeId};
 use radicle::Node;
 
 use crate::terminal as term;
 
-pub fn start() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-    todo!()
+pub fn start(daemon: bool, options: Vec<OsString>) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    if daemon {
+        let home = radicle::profile::home()?;
+        let log = OpenOptions::new()
+            .append(true)
+            .create(true)
+            .open(home.node().join("node.log"))?;
+        process::Command::new("radicle-node")
+            .args(options)
+            .stdin(process::Stdio::null())
+            .stdout(process::Stdio::from(log))
+            .stderr(process::Stdio::null())
+            .spawn()?;
+    } else {
+        let mut child = process::Command::new("radicle-node")
+            .args(options)
+            .spawn()?;
+
+        child.wait()?;
+    }
+
+    Ok(())
 }
 
 pub fn stop(node: Node) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
diff --git a/radicle-node/src/logger.rs b/radicle-node/src/logger.rs
index e7114da0..7f3fb8f2 100644
--- a/radicle-node/src/logger.rs
+++ b/radicle-node/src/logger.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 //! Logging module.
-use std::io;
+use std::io::{self, Write};
 
 use chrono::prelude::*;
 use colored::*;
@@ -18,35 +18,28 @@ impl Log for Logger {
         if self.enabled(record.metadata()) {
             let target = record.target();
 
-            if record.level() == Level::Error {
-                write(record, target, io::stderr());
-            } else {
-                write(record, target, io::stdout());
-            }
+            let message = format!(
+                "{:<5} {:<8} {}",
+                record.level(),
+                target.cyan(),
+                record.args()
+            );
 
-            fn write(record: &log::Record, target: &str, mut stream: impl io::Write) {
-                let message = format!(
-                    "{:<5} {:<8} {}",
-                    record.level(),
-                    target.cyan(),
-                    record.args()
-                );
+            let message = format!(
+                "{} {}",
+                Local::now().to_rfc3339_opts(SecondsFormat::Millis, true),
+                message,
+            );
 
-                let message = format!(
-                    "{} {}",
-                    Local::now().to_rfc3339_opts(SecondsFormat::Millis, true),
-                    message,
-                );
+            let message = match record.level() {
+                Level::Error => message.red(),
+                Level::Warn => message.yellow(),
+                Level::Info => message.normal(),
+                Level::Debug => message.dimmed(),
+                Level::Trace => message.white().dimmed(),
+            };
 
-                let message = match record.level() {
-                    Level::Error => message.red(),
-                    Level::Warn => message.yellow(),
-                    Level::Info => message.normal(),
-                    Level::Debug => message.dimmed(),
-                    Level::Trace => message.white().dimmed(),
-                };
-                writeln!(stream, "{message}").expect("write shouldn't fail");
-            }
+            writeln!(io::stdout(), "{message}").expect("write shouldn't fail");
         }
     }