diff --git a/qemucli/args.go b/qemucli/args.go
index 4280bb9..1ab0882 100644
--- a/qemucli/args.go
+++ b/qemucli/args.go
@@ -34,19 +34,20 @@ const (
 )
 
 var safeArgs = map[string]ArgAcceptedValue{
-	"accel":   ArgAcceptedValueKeyValue,
-	"boot":    ArgAcceptedValueString,
-	"m":       ArgAcceptedValueUint,
-	"smp":     ArgAcceptedValueUint,
-	"device":  ArgAcceptedValueKeyValue,
-	"netdev":  ArgAcceptedValueKeyValue,
-	"serial":  ArgAcceptedValueString,
-	"cdrom":   ArgAcceptedValueString,
-	"machine": ArgAcceptedValueKeyValue,
-	"cpu":     ArgAcceptedValueString,
-	"display": ArgAcceptedValueString,
-	"drive":   ArgAcceptedValueKeyValue,
-	"bios":    ArgAcceptedValueString,
+	"accel":     ArgAcceptedValueKeyValue,
+	"boot":      ArgAcceptedValueString,
+	"m":         ArgAcceptedValueUint,
+	"smp":       ArgAcceptedValueUint,
+	"device":    ArgAcceptedValueKeyValue,
+	"netdev":    ArgAcceptedValueKeyValue,
+	"serial":    ArgAcceptedValueString,
+	"cdrom":     ArgAcceptedValueString,
+	"machine":   ArgAcceptedValueKeyValue,
+	"cpu":       ArgAcceptedValueString,
+	"display":   ArgAcceptedValueString,
+	"drive":     ArgAcceptedValueKeyValue,
+	"bios":      ArgAcceptedValueString,
+        "nographic": ArgAcceptedValueNone,
 }
 
 type Arg interface {
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ func EncodeArg(a Arg) (string, *string, error) {
 			return "", nil, fmt.Errorf("arg returned a value while declaring no value (type %v)", reflect.TypeOf(a))
 		}
 
-		return argKey, nil, nil
+		return "-" + argKey, nil, nil
 	}
 
 	argValueStr := a.StringValue()
diff --git a/vm/cfg.go b/vm/cfg.go
index 2910eb2..e27277f 100644
--- a/vm/cfg.go
+++ b/vm/cfg.go
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@ func configureBaseVMCmd(logger *slog.Logger, cfg Config) (string, []qemucli.Arg,
 	baseCmd := "qemu-system"
 
 	args := []qemucli.Arg{
-		qemucli.MustNewStringArg("serial", "stdio"),
+	        qemucli.MustNewFlagArg("nographic"),
+                qemucli.MustNewStringArg("serial", "mon:stdio"),
 		qemucli.MustNewUintArg("m", cfg.MemoryAlloc),
 		qemucli.MustNewUintArg("smp", runtime.NumCPU()),
 	}