diff --git a/qutebrowser/app.py b/qutebrowser/app.py
index b44cd6a6d..bcf5bed9a 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/app.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/app.py
@@ -230,16 +230,19 @@ class Application(QApplication):
         self._open_startpage()
         self._open_quickstart()
 
-    def process_args(self, args):
+    def process_args(self, args, ipc=False):
         """Process commandline args.
 
         URLs to open have no prefix, commands to execute begin with a colon.
 
         Args:
             args: A list of arguments to process.
+            ipc: Whether the arguments were transmitted over IPC.
         """
-        # FIXME handle win_id with IPC
-        win_id = 0
+        if ipc:
+            win_id = mainwindow.MainWindow.spawn()
+        else:
+            win_id = 0
         for cmd in args:
             if cmd.startswith(':'):
                 log.init.debug("Startup cmd {}".format(cmd))
diff --git a/qutebrowser/utils/ipc.py b/qutebrowser/utils/ipc.py
index bbf2fe91c..7598efb5d 100644
--- a/qutebrowser/utils/ipc.py
+++ b/qutebrowser/utils/ipc.py
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ class IPCServer(QObject):
                 return
             log.ipc.debug("Processing: {}".format(decoded))
             app = objreg.get('app')
-            app.process_args(args)
+            app.process_args(args, ipc=True)
 
     @pyqtSlot()
     def on_timeout(self):