diff --git a/config.def.h b/config.def.h
index 9855e21..97a4842 100644
--- a/config.def.h
+++ b/config.def.h
@@ -10,3 +10,8 @@ static const char *colorname[NUMCOLS] = {
 
 /* treat a cleared input like a wrong password (color) */
 static const int failonclear = 1;
+
+/* time in seconds before the monitor shuts down */
+static int monitortime = 3;
+/* time in seconds before the monitor shuts down, if visual_unlock is enabled */
+static const int monitortime_vu = 0;
diff --git a/slock.c b/slock.c
index b5a9b04..c9ddfb2 100644
--- a/slock.c
+++ b/slock.c
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 /* See LICENSE file for license details. */
+#include <X11/Xmd.h>
 #define _XOPEN_SOURCE 500
 #if HAVE_SHADOW_H
 #include <shadow.h>
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@
 #include <grp.h>
 #include <pwd.h>
 #include <stdarg.h>
+#include <stdbool.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <string.h>
@@ -16,6 +18,7 @@
 #include <spawn.h>
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <X11/extensions/Xrandr.h>
+#include <X11/extensions/dpms.h>
 #include <X11/keysym.h>
 #include <X11/Xlib.h>
 #include <X11/Xutil.h>
@@ -45,6 +48,8 @@ struct xrandr {
 	int errbase;
 };
 
+bool visual_unlock = false;
+
 #include "config.h"
 
 static void
@@ -272,7 +277,8 @@ lockscreen(Display *dpy, struct xrandr *rr, int screen)
 
 		/* input is grabbed: we can lock the screen */
 		if (ptgrab == GrabSuccess && kbgrab == GrabSuccess) {
-			XMapRaised(dpy, lock->win);
+			if (!visual_unlock)
+				XMapRaised(dpy, lock->win);
 			if (rr->active)
 				XRRSelectInput(dpy, lock->win, RRScreenChangeNotifyMask);
 
@@ -301,7 +307,7 @@ lockscreen(Display *dpy, struct xrandr *rr, int screen)
 static void
 usage(void)
 {
-	die("usage: slock [-v] [cmd [arg ...]]\n");
+	die("usage: slock [-u] [-v] [cmd [arg ...]]\n");
 }
 
 int
@@ -315,14 +321,20 @@ main(int argc, char **argv) {
 	const char *hash;
 	Display *dpy;
 	int s, nlocks, nscreens;
-
-	ARGBEGIN {
-	case 'v':
-		puts("slock-"VERSION);
-		return 0;
-	default:
-		usage();
-	} ARGEND
+	CARD16 standby, suspend, off;
+	BOOL dpms_state;
+
+	if (argc > 1 && strcmp(argv[1], "-u") == 0) {
+		visual_unlock = true;
+	} else {
+		ARGBEGIN {
+		case 'v':
+			puts("slock-"VERSION);
+			return 0;
+		default:
+			usage();
+		} ARGEND
+	}
 
 	/* validate drop-user and -group */
 	errno = 0;
@@ -375,6 +387,25 @@ main(int argc, char **argv) {
 	if (nlocks != nscreens)
 		return 1;
 
+	/* DPMS magic to disable the monitor */
+	if (visual_unlock) monitortime = monitortime_vu;
+
+	if (!DPMSCapable(dpy))
+		die("slock: DPMSCapable failed\n");
+	if (!DPMSInfo(dpy, &standby, &dpms_state))
+		die("slock: DPMSInfo failed\n");
+	if (!DPMSEnable(dpy) && !dpms_state)
+		die("slock: DPMSEnable failed\n");
+	if (!DPMSGetTimeouts(dpy, &standby, &suspend, &off))
+		die("slock: DPMSGetTimeouts failed\n");
+	if (!standby || !suspend || !off)
+		die("slock: at least one DPMS variable is zero\n");
+	if (!DPMSSetTimeouts(dpy, monitortime, monitortime, monitortime))
+		die("slock: DPMSSetTimeouts failed\n");
+	if (!DPMSSetTimeouts(dpy, monitortime, monitortime, monitortime))
+		die("slock: DPMSSetTimeouts failed\n");
+	XSync(dpy, 0);
+
 	/* run post-lock command */
 	if (argc > 0) {
 		pid_t pid;
@@ -389,5 +420,11 @@ main(int argc, char **argv) {
 	/* everything is now blank. Wait for the correct password */
 	readpw(dpy, &rr, locks, nscreens, hash);
 
+	/* reset DPMS values to inital ones */
+	DPMSSetTimeouts(dpy, standby, suspend, off);
+	if (!dpms_state)
+		DPMSDisable(dpy);
+	XSync(dpy, 0);
+
 	return 0;
 }