diff --git a/lib/lolcat/cat.rb b/lib/lolcat/cat.rb
index dedfbe9..09c3a6f 100644
--- a/lib/lolcat/cat.rb
+++ b/lib/lolcat/cat.rb
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ def self.cat!
       opt :speed, "Animation speed", :short => 's', :default => 20.0
       opt :invert, "Invert fg and bg", :short => 'i', :default => false
       opt :truecolor, "24-bit (truecolor)", :short => 't', :default => false
+      opt :rgbcolor, "Use 256 colors (disable truecolor)", :short => 'r', :default => false
       opt :force, "Force color even when stdout is not a tty", :short => 'f', :default => false
       opt :version, "Print version and exit", :short => 'v'
       opt :help, "Show this message", :short => 'h'
diff --git a/lib/lolcat/lol.rb b/lib/lolcat/lol.rb
index a487b01..110d21e 100644
--- a/lib/lolcat/lol.rb
+++ b/lib/lolcat/lol.rb
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ def self.println(str, defaults={}, opts={})
 
   def self.println_plain(str, defaults={}, opts={}, chomped)
     opts.merge!(defaults)
-    set_mode(opts[:truecolor]) unless @paint_init
+    set_mode(opts[:truecolor], opts[:rgbcolor]) unless @paint_init
     filtered = str.scan(ANSI_ESCAPE)
     filtered.each_with_index do |c, i|
       color = rainbow(opts[:freq], @os+i/opts[:spread])
@@ -112,11 +112,19 @@ def self.println_ani(str, opts={}, chomped)
     @os = @real_os
   end
 
-  def self.set_mode(truecolor)
+  def self.set_mode(truecolor, rgbcolor)
     # @paint_mode_detected = Paint.mode
     @paint_mode_detected = %w[truecolor 24bit].include?(ENV['COLORTERM']) ? 0xffffff : 256
     Paint.mode = truecolor ? 0xffffff : @paint_mode_detected
     STDERR.puts "DEBUG: Paint.mode = #{Paint.mode} (detected: #{@paint_mode_detected})" if ENV['LOLCAT_DEBUG']
+    if rgbcolor then
+      unless Paint.mode == 256 then
+        Paint.mode = 256
+        STDERR.puts "DEBUG: rgbcolor Paint.mode set to 256" if ENV['LOLCAT_DEBUG']
+      else
+        STDERR.puts "DEBUG: rgbcolor Paint.mode already 256" if ENV['LOLCAT_DEBUG']
+      end
+    end
     @paint_init = true
   end
 end