diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 99178284..05334403 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -165,11 +165,16 @@ if steamworks == true
     if build_static == true
         la = '-static-libgcc -static-libstdc++'
     endif
+    shim_args = ['-DGAME_LAUNCH_NAME="' + exe_name + '"']
+    if get_option('steam_appid') != ''
+        shim_args += '-DSTEAM_APPID=' + get_option('steam_appid')
+    endif
+
     executable(meson.project_name(),
         sources: files('steamshim/steamshim_parent.cpp'),
         dependencies: steamlib,
         include_directories: (steamworks_path + '/public'),
-        cpp_args: '-DGAME_LAUNCH_NAME="' + exe_name + '"',
+        cpp_args: shim_args,
         link_args: la.split(),
         install: (host_system != 'windows'))
 endif
diff --git a/steamshim/steamshim_parent.cpp b/steamshim/steamshim_parent.cpp
index ef9a8f03..5b0b624f 100644
--- a/steamshim/steamshim_parent.cpp
+++ b/steamshim/steamshim_parent.cpp
@@ -593,11 +593,15 @@ static bool setEnvironmentVars(PipeType pipeChildRead, PipeType pipeChildWrite)
 
 static bool initSteamworks(PipeType fd)
 {
+#ifndef STEAM_APPID
     // this can fail for many reasons:
     //  - you forgot a steam_appid.txt in the current working directory.
     //  - you don't have Steam running
     //  - you don't own the game listed in steam_appid.txt
     if (!SteamAPI_Init())
+#else
+    if (SteamAPI_RestartAppIfNecessary(STEAM_APPID))
+#endif
         return 0;
 
     GSteamStats = SteamUserStats();