diff --git a/helix-term/src/application.rs b/helix-term/src/application.rs
index c55d4c983926e..77ee27deff2e5 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/application.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/application.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,15 @@
-use helix_core::syntax;
+use helix_core::{syntax, Selection};
 use helix_lsp::{lsp, util::lsp_pos_to_pos, LspProgressMap};
 use helix_view::{theme, Editor};
 
-use crate::{args::Args, compositor::Compositor, config::Config, job::Jobs, ui};
+use crate::{
+    args::Args,
+    commands::{align_view, Align},
+    compositor::Compositor,
+    config::Config,
+    job::Jobs,
+    ui,
+};
 
 use log::error;
 
@@ -78,20 +85,30 @@ impl Application {
         compositor.push(editor_view);
 
         if !args.files.is_empty() {
-            let first = &args.files[0]; // we know it's not empty
+            let first = &args.files[0].0; // we know it's not empty
             if first.is_dir() {
                 editor.new_file(Action::VerticalSplit);
                 compositor.push(Box::new(ui::file_picker(first.clone())));
             } else {
                 let nr_of_files = args.files.len();
                 editor.open(first.to_path_buf(), Action::VerticalSplit)?;
-                for file in args.files {
+                for (file, row, col) in args.files {
                     if file.is_dir() {
                         return Err(anyhow::anyhow!(
                             "expected a path to file, found a directory. (to open a directory pass it as first argument)"
                         ));
                     } else {
-                        editor.open(file.to_path_buf(), Action::Load)?;
+                        editor.open(file, Action::Load)?;
+                        // let docid = editor.open(file, Action::Load)?;
+                        // editor.document_mut(docid).unwrap().set_selection();
+                        // FIXME: current is incorrect since it will only work for current
+                        // document, other files loaded in background will result in panic
+                        let (view, doc) = current!(editor);
+                        let pos = Selection::point(doc.text().line_to_char(row) + col);
+                        doc.set_selection(view.id, pos.clone());
+                        if pos != Selection::point(0) {
+                            align_view(doc, view, Align::Center);
+                        }
                     }
                 }
                 editor.set_status(format!("Loaded {} files.", nr_of_files));
diff --git a/helix-term/src/args.rs b/helix-term/src/args.rs
index f0ef09eb012e7..a6f08053fac39 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/args.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/args.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ pub struct Args {
     pub display_help: bool,
     pub display_version: bool,
     pub verbosity: u64,
-    pub files: Vec<PathBuf>,
+    pub files: Vec<(PathBuf, usize, usize)>,
 }
 
 impl Args {
@@ -39,15 +39,31 @@ impl Args {
                         }
                     }
                 }
-                arg => args.files.push(PathBuf::from(arg)),
+                arg => args.files.push(parse_file(arg)),
             }
         }
 
         // push the remaining args, if any to the files
-        for filename in iter {
-            args.files.push(PathBuf::from(filename));
+        for arg in iter {
+            args.files.push(parse_file(arg));
         }
 
         Ok(args)
     }
 }
+
+/// Parse arg into [`PathBuf`] and position.
+pub(crate) fn parse_file(s: &str) -> (PathBuf, usize, usize) {
+    split_path_pos(s).unwrap_or_else(|| (PathBuf::from(s), 0, 0))
+}
+
+/// Split file.rs:10:2 into [`PathBuf`] and position.
+///
+/// Does not validate if file.rs is a file or directory.
+fn split_path_pos(s: &str) -> Option<(PathBuf, usize, usize)> {
+    let mut s = s.rsplitn(3, ':');
+    let col: usize = s.next()?.parse().ok()?;
+    let row: usize = s.next()?.parse().ok()?;
+    let path = s.next()?.into();
+    Some((path, row.saturating_sub(1), col.saturating_sub(1)))
+}
diff --git a/helix-term/src/commands.rs b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
index 5fc96cd920c7e..2680966896c26 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/commands.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ use insert::*;
 use movement::Movement;
 
 use crate::{
+    args,
     compositor::{self, Component, Compositor},
     ui::{self, Picker, Popup, Prompt, PromptEvent},
 };
@@ -117,13 +118,13 @@ impl<'a> Context<'a> {
     }
 }
 
-enum Align {
+pub(crate) enum Align {
     Top,
     Center,
     Bottom,
 }
 
-fn align_view(doc: &Document, view: &mut View, align: Align) {
+pub(crate) fn align_view(doc: &Document, view: &mut View, align: Align) {
     let pos = doc.selection(view.id).cursor();
     let line = doc.text().char_to_line(pos);
 
@@ -1251,8 +1252,15 @@ mod cmd {
         args: &[&str],
         _event: PromptEvent,
     ) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-        let path = args.get(0).context("wrong argument count")?;
-        let _ = cx.editor.open(path.into(), Action::Replace)?;
+        let arg = args.get(0).context("wrong argument count")?;
+        let (path, row, col) = args::parse_file(arg);
+        let _ = cx.editor.open(path, Action::Replace)?;
+        let (view, doc) = current!(cx.editor);
+        let pos = Selection::point(doc.text().line_to_char(row) + col);
+        doc.set_selection(view.id, pos.clone());
+        if pos != Selection::point(0) {
+            align_view(doc, view, Align::Center);
+        }
         Ok(())
     }
 
diff --git a/helix-term/src/ui/mod.rs b/helix-term/src/ui/mod.rs
index 288d3d2ecbb9a..71afae7cf6779 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/ui/mod.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/ui/mod.rs
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ pub fn file_picker(root: PathBuf) -> Picker<PathBuf> {
         },
         move |editor: &mut Editor, path: &PathBuf, action| {
             editor
-                .open(path.into(), action)
+                .open(path.clone(), action)
                 .expect("editor.open failed");
         },
     )