diff --git a/thonny/__init__.py b/thonny/__init__.py
index 22f75f3b5..934bfdfa9 100644
--- a/thonny/__init__.py
+++ b/thonny/__init__.py
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ def get_ipc_file_path():
     if not sys.platform == "win32":
         os.chmod(ipc_dir, 0o700)
 
-    _ipc_file = os.path.join(ipc_dir, "ipc.sock")
+    _ipc_file = os.path.join(ipc_dir, get_profile() + "-ipc.sock")
     return _ipc_file
 
 
@@ -296,13 +296,29 @@ def get_sys_path_directory_containg_plugins() -> str:
     return get_user_site_packages_dir_for_base(get_user_base_directory_for_plugins())
 
 
+def get_profile() -> str:
+    try:
+        idx = sys.argv.index("--profile")
+    except ValueError:
+        return "default"
+
+    if len(sys.argv) > idx + 1:
+        return sys.argv[idx + 1]
+
+    return "default"
+
+
 def _compute_thonny_user_dir():
     env_var = os.environ.get("THONNY_USER_DIR", "")
     if env_var:
         # back-end processes always choose this path
         return os.path.expanduser(env_var)
 
-    # Following is only for the front-end process
+    return os.path.join(_compute_thonny_profiles_dir(), get_profile())
+
+
+def _compute_thonny_profiles_dir():
+    # Following is used only in the front-end process
     from thonny.common import is_private_python, running_in_virtual_environment
     from thonny.misc_utils import get_roaming_appdata_dir
 
diff --git a/thonny/main.py b/thonny/main.py
index ae0a6fa02..cef0780fb 100644
--- a/thonny/main.py
+++ b/thonny/main.py
@@ -207,6 +207,13 @@ def _parse_arguments_to_dict(raw_args: List[str]) -> Dict[str, Any]:
         "--version", help="Show Thonny version and exit", action="version", version=get_version()
     )
 
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--profile",
+        help="The profile to create or open. If not specified, the default profile is used. Profile name must be a valid directory name.",
+        default="default",
+        metavar="<profile_name>",
+    )
+
     parser.add_argument(
         "files",
         help="",
diff --git a/thonny/workbench.py b/thonny/workbench.py
index d36cfa0fb..fb5c99399 100644
--- a/thonny/workbench.py
+++ b/thonny/workbench.py
@@ -280,6 +280,9 @@ def poll_events(self) -> None:
 
         self._event_polling_id = self.after(20, self.poll_events)
 
+    def get_profile(self) -> str:
+        return self._initial_args.get("profile", "default")
+
     def _load_stuff_from_command_line(self, parsed_args: Dict[str, Any]) -> None:
         logger.info("Processing arguments %r", parsed_args)
         try:
@@ -2764,6 +2767,11 @@ def update_title(self, event=None) -> None:
             title_text = "Portable Thonny"
         else:
             title_text = "Thonny"
+
+        profile = self.get_profile()
+        if profile != "default":
+            title_text += f"〈 {profile} 〉"
+
         if editor is not None:
             title_text += "  -  " + editor.get_long_description()