diff --git a/cli/src/main/scala-2.11/coursier/cli/Helper.scala b/cli/src/main/scala-2.11/coursier/cli/Helper.scala
index fdd230cbe..571885178 100644
--- a/cli/src/main/scala-2.11/coursier/cli/Helper.scala
+++ b/cli/src/main/scala-2.11/coursier/cli/Helper.scala
@@ -273,11 +273,13 @@ class Helper(
       }
   }
 
+  val userEnabledProfiles = profile.toSet
 
   val startRes = Resolution(
     dependencies.toSet,
     forceVersions = forceVersions,
-    filter = Some(dep => keepOptional || !dep.optional)
+    filter = Some(dep => keepOptional || !dep.optional),
+    profileActivation = Some(core.Resolution.userProfileActivation(userEnabledProfiles))
   )
 
   val loggerFallbackMode =
diff --git a/cli/src/main/scala-2.11/coursier/cli/Options.scala b/cli/src/main/scala-2.11/coursier/cli/Options.scala
index 5439722a2..4fa545714 100644
--- a/cli/src/main/scala-2.11/coursier/cli/Options.scala
+++ b/cli/src/main/scala-2.11/coursier/cli/Options.scala
@@ -74,6 +74,10 @@ case class CommonOptions(
   @Help("Print dependencies as an inversed tree (dependees as children)")
   @Short("T")
     reverseTree: Boolean,
+  @Help("Enable profile")
+  @Value("profile")
+  @Short("F")
+    profile: List[String],
   @Recurse
     cacheOptions: CacheOptions
 ) {
diff --git a/core/shared/src/main/scala/coursier/core/Resolution.scala b/core/shared/src/main/scala/coursier/core/Resolution.scala
index c65d06acf..466e273ed 100644
--- a/core/shared/src/main/scala/coursier/core/Resolution.scala
+++ b/core/shared/src/main/scala/coursier/core/Resolution.scala
@@ -453,6 +453,14 @@ object Resolution {
             }
         }
 
+  def userProfileActivation(userProfiles: Set[String])(
+    id: String,
+    activation: Activation,
+    props: Map[String, String]
+  ): Boolean =
+    userProfiles(id) ||
+      defaultProfileActivation(id, activation, props)
+
   /**
    * Default dependency filter used during resolution.
    *