diff --git a/amodem/__main__.py b/amodem/__main__.py
index 4d3ac8d..28079ac 100644
--- a/amodem/__main__.py
+++ b/amodem/__main__.py
@@ -124,10 +124,13 @@ def create_parser(description, interface_factory):
     sender.add_argument(
         '-g', '--gain', type=float, default=1.0,
         help='Modulator gain (defaults to 1)')
+    sender.add_argument(
+        '--silence', type=float, default=0.0,
+        help='Extra silence before sending the data (in seconds)')
     sender.set_defaults(
         main=lambda config, args: main.send(
             config, src=wrap(Compressor, args.src, args.zlib), dst=args.dst,
-            gain=args.gain
+            gain=args.gain, extra_silence=args.silence
         ),
         calib=lambda config, args: calib.send(
             config=config, dst=args.dst,
diff --git a/amodem/main.py b/amodem/main.py
index fa7da27..cbcab5a 100644
--- a/amodem/main.py
+++ b/amodem/main.py
@@ -10,12 +10,12 @@ from . import framing, common, stream, detect, sampling
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
-def send(config, src, dst, gain=1.0):
+def send(config, src, dst, gain=1.0, extra_silence=0.0):
     sender = _send.Sender(dst, config=config, gain=gain)
     Fs = config.Fs
 
     # pre-padding audio with silence (priming the audio sending queue)
-    sender.write(np.zeros(int(Fs * config.silence_start)))
+    sender.write(np.zeros(int(Fs * (config.silence_start + extra_silence))))
 
     sender.start()