diff --git a/crates/gpui/src/app.rs b/crates/gpui/src/app.rs
index 00b50e1e417cf2..1db4af4e6e21fe 100644
--- a/crates/gpui/src/app.rs
+++ b/crates/gpui/src/app.rs
@@ -270,6 +270,8 @@ pub struct App {
     pub(crate) tracked_entities: FxHashMap<WindowId, FxHashSet<EntityId>>,
     #[cfg(any(test, feature = "test-support", debug_assertions))]
     pub(crate) name: Option<&'static str>,
+    /// Represents the application identifier, which can be set via a command-line argument.
+    pub app_id: Option<String>,
 }
 
 impl App {
@@ -334,6 +336,7 @@ impl App {
 
                 #[cfg(any(test, feature = "test-support", debug_assertions))]
                 name: None,
+                app_id: None,
             }),
         });
 
diff --git a/crates/zed/src/main.rs b/crates/zed/src/main.rs
index 6ec65acb40188a..88d0ec26af6a46 100644
--- a/crates/zed/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/zed/src/main.rs
@@ -578,6 +578,8 @@ fn main() {
             open_listener.open_urls(urls)
         }
 
+        cx.app_id = args.app_id; // None, by default
+
         match open_rx
             .try_next()
             .ok()
@@ -1005,6 +1007,10 @@ struct Args {
     /// Instructs zed to run as a dev server on this machine. (not implemented)
     #[arg(long)]
     dev_server_token: Option<String>,
+
+    /// Instructs zed to use custom app_id for window managers.
+    #[arg(long)]
+    app_id: Option<String>,
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
diff --git a/crates/zed/src/zed.rs b/crates/zed/src/zed.rs
index adb1d2b03f490d..c319ae6e5820fb 100644
--- a/crates/zed/src/zed.rs
+++ b/crates/zed/src/zed.rs
@@ -123,7 +123,11 @@ pub fn build_window_options(display_uuid: Option<Uuid>, cx: &mut App) -> WindowO
             .into_iter()
             .find(|display| display.uuid().ok() == Some(uuid))
     });
-    let app_id = ReleaseChannel::global(cx).app_id();
+    if cx.app_id.is_none() {
+        let default_app_id = ReleaseChannel::global(cx).app_id().to_string();
+        cx.app_id = Some(default_app_id);
+    }
+
     let window_decorations = match std::env::var("ZED_WINDOW_DECORATIONS") {
         Ok(val) if val == "server" => gpui::WindowDecorations::Server,
         Ok(val) if val == "client" => gpui::WindowDecorations::Client,
@@ -143,7 +147,7 @@ pub fn build_window_options(display_uuid: Option<Uuid>, cx: &mut App) -> WindowO
         is_movable: true,
         display_id: display.map(|display| display.id()),
         window_background: cx.theme().window_background_appearance(),
-        app_id: Some(app_id.to_owned()),
+        app_id: cx.app_id.to_owned(),
         window_decorations: Some(window_decorations),
         window_min_size: Some(gpui::Size {
             width: px(360.0),