diff --git a/kittens/icat/main.py b/kittens/icat/main.py
index 80ec9138f..8cc022c11 100644
--- a/kittens/icat/main.py
+++ b/kittens/icat/main.py
@@ -138,6 +138,14 @@ Whether to surround graphics commands with escape sequences that allow them to p
 programs like tmux. The default is to detect when running inside tmux and automatically use
 the tmux passthrough escape codes. Note that when this option is enabled it implies
 :option:`--unicode-placeholder` as well.
+
+
+--image-id
+type=int
+default=0
+The graphics protocol id to use for the created image. Normally, a random id is created if needed.
+This option allows control of the id. When multiple images are sent, sequential ids starting from the specified id
+are used. Valid ids are from 1 to 4294967295. Numbers outside this range are automatically wrapped.
 '''
 
 help_text = (
diff --git a/tools/cmd/icat/main.go b/tools/cmd/icat/main.go
index 6ae0134a9..06d320bae 100644
--- a/tools/cmd/icat/main.go
+++ b/tools/cmd/icat/main.go
@@ -240,8 +240,16 @@ func main(cmd *cli.Command, o *Options, args []string) (rc int, err error) {
 	if passthrough_mode != no_passthrough {
 		use_unicode_placeholder = true
 	}
+	base_id := uint32(opts.ImageId)
 	for num_of_items > 0 {
 		imgd := <-output_channel
+		if base_id != 0 {
+			imgd.image_id = base_id
+			base_id++
+			if base_id == 0 {
+				base_id++
+			}
+		}
 		imgd.use_unicode_placeholder = use_unicode_placeholder
 		imgd.passthrough_mode = passthrough_mode
 		num_of_items--
diff --git a/tools/cmd/icat/transmit.go b/tools/cmd/icat/transmit.go
index 8fa2668dc..f6f76115c 100644
--- a/tools/cmd/icat/transmit.go
+++ b/tools/cmd/icat/transmit.go
@@ -313,19 +313,21 @@ func transmit_image(imgd *image_data) {
 	if f == nil {
 		f = transmit_stream
 	}
-	if imgd.use_unicode_placeholder {
-		for imgd.image_id&0xFF000000 == 0 || imgd.image_id&0x00FFFF00 == 0 {
-			// Generate a 32-bit image id using rejection sampling such that the most
-			// significant byte and the two bytes in the middle are non-zero to avoid
-			// collisions with applications that cannot represent non-zero most
-			// significant bytes (which is represented by the third combining character)
-			// or two non-zero bytes in the middle (which requires 24-bit color mode).
-			imgd.image_id = next_random()
-		}
-	} else {
-		if len(imgd.frames) > 1 {
-			for imgd.image_number == 0 {
-				imgd.image_number = next_random()
+	if imgd.image_id == 0 {
+		if imgd.use_unicode_placeholder {
+			for imgd.image_id&0xFF000000 == 0 || imgd.image_id&0x00FFFF00 == 0 {
+				// Generate a 32-bit image id using rejection sampling such that the most
+				// significant byte and the two bytes in the middle are non-zero to avoid
+				// collisions with applications that cannot represent non-zero most
+				// significant bytes (which is represented by the third combining character)
+				// or two non-zero bytes in the middle (which requires 24-bit color mode).
+				imgd.image_id = next_random()
+			}
+		} else {
+			if len(imgd.frames) > 1 {
+				for imgd.image_number == 0 {
+					imgd.image_number = next_random()
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}