diff --git a/espanso/src/cli/launcher/daemon.rs b/espanso/src/cli/launcher/daemon.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..27cff0b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/espanso/src/cli/launcher/daemon.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of espanso.
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2019-2021 Federico Terzi
+ *
+ * espanso is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * espanso is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with espanso.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+use std::process::Command;
+
+use anyhow::Result;
+use thiserror::Error;
+
+use crate::cli::PathsOverrides;
+
+pub fn launch_daemon(paths_overrides: &PathsOverrides) -> Result<()> {
+  let espanso_exe_path = std::env::current_exe()?;
+  let mut command = Command::new(&espanso_exe_path.to_string_lossy().to_string());
+  command.args(&["daemon", "--show-welcome"]);
+
+  // We only inject the paths that were explicitly overrided because otherwise
+  // the migration process might create some incompatibilities.
+  // For example, after the migration the "packages" dir could have been
+  // moved to a different one, and that might cause the daemon to crash
+  // if we inject the old packages dir that was automatically resolved.
+  if let Some(config_override) = &paths_overrides.config {
+    command.env(
+      "ESPANSO_CONFIG_DIR",
+      config_override.to_string_lossy().to_string(),
+    );
+  }
+  if let Some(packages_override) = &paths_overrides.packages {
+    command.env(
+      "ESPANSO_PACKAGE_DIR",
+      packages_override.to_string_lossy().to_string(),
+    );
+  }
+  if let Some(runtime_override) = &paths_overrides.runtime {
+    command.env(
+      "ESPANSO_RUNTIME_DIR",
+      runtime_override.to_string_lossy().to_string(),
+    );
+  }
+
+  let mut child = command.spawn()?;
+  let result = child.wait()?;
+
+  if result.success() {
+    Ok(())
+  } else {
+    Err(DaemonError::NonZeroExitCode.into())
+  }
+}
+
+#[derive(Error, Debug)]
+pub enum DaemonError {
+  #[error("unexpected error, 'espanso daemon' returned a non-zero exit code.")]
+  NonZeroExitCode,
+}
diff --git a/espanso/src/cli/launcher/mod.rs b/espanso/src/cli/launcher/mod.rs
index 132f55f..fc0f3bd 100644
--- a/espanso/src/cli/launcher/mod.rs
+++ b/espanso/src/cli/launcher/mod.rs
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ use crate::preferences::Preferences;
 use super::{CliModule, CliModuleArgs};
 
 mod accessibility;
+mod daemon;
 mod util;
 
 // TODO: test also with modulo feature disabled
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ fn launcher_main(args: CliModuleArgs) -> i32 {
   // TODO: should we create a non-gui wizard? We can also use it for the non-modulo versions of espanso
 
   let paths = args.paths.expect("missing paths in launcher main");
+  let paths_overrides  = args.paths_overrides.expect("missing paths overrides in launcher main");
   let icon_paths = crate::icon::load_icon_paths(&paths.runtime).expect("unable to load icon paths");
 
   let preferences =
@@ -116,14 +118,14 @@ fn launcher_main(args: CliModuleArgs) -> i32 {
   // This page could also be used when the user starts espanso, but an instance is already running.
 
   // Only show the wizard if a panel should be displayed
-  if is_welcome_page_enabled
+  let should_launch_daemon = if is_welcome_page_enabled
     || is_move_bundle_page_enabled
     || is_legacy_version_page_enabled
     || is_migrate_page_enabled
     || is_add_path_page_enabled
     || is_accessibility_page_enabled
   {
-    espanso_modulo::wizard::show(WizardOptions {
+    let successful = espanso_modulo::wizard::show(WizardOptions {
       version: crate::VERSION.to_string(),
       is_welcome_page_enabled,
       is_move_bundle_page_enabled,
@@ -152,10 +154,18 @@ fn launcher_main(args: CliModuleArgs) -> i32 {
         on_completed: Some(on_completed_handler),
       },
     });
-  }
+
+    successful
+  } else {
+    true
+  };
 
   // TODO: initialize config directory if not present
 
+  if should_launch_daemon {
+    daemon::launch_daemon(&paths_overrides).expect("failed to launch daemon");
+  }
+
   0
 }
 
diff --git a/espanso/src/cli/mod.rs b/espanso/src/cli/mod.rs
index 091ed4f..bf0ec74 100644
--- a/espanso/src/cli/mod.rs
+++ b/espanso/src/cli/mod.rs
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
  * along with espanso.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  */
 
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+
 use clap::ArgMatches;
 use espanso_config::{config::ConfigStore, matches::store::MatchStore};
 use espanso_path::Paths;
@@ -66,6 +68,7 @@ pub struct CliModuleArgs {
   pub match_store: Option<Box<dyn MatchStore>>,
   pub is_legacy_config: bool,
   pub paths: Option<Paths>,
+  pub paths_overrides: Option<PathsOverrides>,
   pub cli_args: Option<ArgMatches<'static>>,
 }
 
@@ -76,7 +79,14 @@ impl Default for CliModuleArgs {
       match_store: None,
       is_legacy_config: false,
       paths: None,
+      paths_overrides: None,
       cli_args: None,
     }
   }
 }
+
+pub struct PathsOverrides {
+  pub config: Option<PathBuf>,
+  pub runtime: Option<PathBuf>,
+  pub packages: Option<PathBuf>,
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/espanso/src/main.rs b/espanso/src/main.rs
index 7f8f1eb..76110bc 100644
--- a/espanso/src/main.rs
+++ b/espanso/src/main.rs
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ use simplelog::{
   CombinedLogger, ConfigBuilder, LevelFilter, SharedLogger, TermLogger, TerminalMode, WriteLogger,
 };
 
-use crate::cli::LogMode;
+use crate::cli::{LogMode, PathsOverrides};
 
 mod cli;
 mod engine;
@@ -390,6 +390,12 @@ fn main() {
         force_runtime_path.as_deref(),
       );
 
+      cli_args.paths_overrides = Some(PathsOverrides {
+        config: force_config_path,
+        packages: force_package_path,
+        runtime: force_runtime_path,
+      });
+
       info!("reading configs from: {:?}", paths.config);
       info!("reading packages from: {:?}", paths.packages);
       info!("using runtime dir: {:?}", paths.runtime);