diff --git a/src/lay/lay/layApplication.cc b/src/lay/lay/layApplication.cc
index 4d26993e9..54a6acf18 100644
--- a/src/lay/lay/layApplication.cc
+++ b/src/lay/lay/layApplication.cc
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@
 #include "dbLibrary.h"
 #include "dbLibraryManager.h"
 #include "dbInit.h"
+#include "dbLayoutToNetlist.h"
 #include "tlExceptions.h"
 #include "tlException.h"
 #include "tlAssert.h"
@@ -496,6 +497,10 @@ ApplicationBase::parse_cmd (int &argc, char **argv)
 
       m_files.push_back (std::make_pair (rdb_file, std::make_pair (std::string (args [++i]), std::string ())));
 
+    } else if (a == "-mn" && (i + 1) < argc) {
+
+      m_files.push_back (std::make_pair (l2ndb_file, std::make_pair (std::string (args [++i]), std::string ())));
+
     } else if (a[0] == '-') {
 
       throw tl::Exception (tl::to_string (QObject::tr ("Unknown option: ")) + a);
@@ -951,6 +956,7 @@ ApplicationBase::usage ()
   r += tl::to_string (QObject::tr ("  -lx                 With -l: add other layers as well")) + "\n";
   r += tl::to_string (QObject::tr ("  -lf                 With -l: use the lyp file as it is (no expansion to multiple layouts)")) + "\n";
   r += tl::to_string (QObject::tr ("  -m <database file>  Load RDB (report database) file (into previous layout view)")) + "\n";
+  r += tl::to_string (QObject::tr ("  -mn <database file> Load L2NDB (layout to netlist database) file (into previous layout view)")) + "\n";
   r += tl::to_string (QObject::tr ("  -n <technology>     Technology to use for next layout(s) on command line")) + "\n";
   r += tl::to_string (QObject::tr ("  -nn <tech file>     Technology file (.lyt) to use for next layout(s) on command line")) + "\n";
   r += tl::to_string (QObject::tr ("  -p <plugin>         Load the plugin (can be used multiple times)")) + "\n";
@@ -1069,7 +1075,7 @@ ApplicationBase::run ()
           mw->current_view ()->set_active_cellview_index (0);
         }
 
-      } else {
+      } else if (f->first == rdb_file) {
 
         if (mw->current_view () == 0) {
           mw->create_view ();
@@ -1082,6 +1088,19 @@ ApplicationBase::run ()
           mw->current_view ()->open_rdb_browser (rdb_index, mw->current_view ()->active_cellview_index ());
         }
 
+      } else if (f->first == l2ndb_file) {
+
+        if (mw->current_view () == 0) {
+          mw->create_view ();
+        }
+
+        if (mw->current_view () != 0) {
+          std::auto_ptr <db::LayoutToNetlist> db (new db::LayoutToNetlist ());
+          db->load (f->second.first);
+          int l2ndb_index = mw->current_view ()->add_l2ndb (db.release ());
+          mw->current_view ()->open_l2ndb_browser (l2ndb_index, mw->current_view ()->active_cellview_index ());
+        }
+
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/lay/lay/layApplication.h b/src/lay/lay/layApplication.h
index 40cb2d1a9..52382231f 100644
--- a/src/lay/lay/layApplication.h
+++ b/src/lay/lay/layApplication.h
@@ -332,7 +332,8 @@ private:
     layout_file,
     layout_file_with_tech,
     layout_file_with_tech_file,
-    rdb_file
+    rdb_file,
+    l2ndb_file
   };
 
   std::vector <std::pair<file_type, std::pair<std::string, std::string> > > m_files;