diff --git a/onionshare/__init__.py b/onionshare/__init__.py
index e2374c5f..86f03b84 100644
--- a/onionshare/__init__.py
+++ b/onionshare/__init__.py
@@ -106,7 +106,6 @@ def main(cwd=None):
 
     # Create the Web object
     web = Web(common, False, receive)
-    web.stay_open = stay_open
 
     # Start the Onion object
     onion = Onion(common)
@@ -120,7 +119,7 @@ def main(cwd=None):
 
     # Start the onionshare app
     try:
-        app = OnionShare(common, onion, local_only, stay_open, shutdown_timeout)
+        app = OnionShare(common, onion, local_only, shutdown_timeout)
         app.set_stealth(stealth)
         app.choose_port()
         app.start_onion_service()
@@ -144,7 +143,7 @@ def main(cwd=None):
         print('')
 
     # Start OnionShare http service in new thread
-    t = threading.Thread(target=web.start, args=(app.port, app.stay_open, common.settings.get('slug')))
+    t = threading.Thread(target=web.start, args=(app.port, stay_open, common.settings.get('slug')))
     t.daemon = True
     t.start()
 
diff --git a/onionshare/onionshare.py b/onionshare/onionshare.py
index e7306510..09d32cb2 100644
--- a/onionshare/onionshare.py
+++ b/onionshare/onionshare.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ class OnionShare(object):
     OnionShare is the main application class. Pass in options and run
     start_onion_service and it will do the magic.
     """
-    def __init__(self, common, onion, local_only=False, stay_open=False, shutdown_timeout=0):
+    def __init__(self, common, onion, local_only=False, shutdown_timeout=0):
         self.common = common
 
         self.common.log('OnionShare', '__init__')
@@ -47,9 +47,6 @@ class OnionShare(object):
         # do not use tor -- for development
         self.local_only = local_only
 
-        # automatically close when download is finished
-        self.stay_open = stay_open
-
         # optionally shut down after N hours
         self.shutdown_timeout = shutdown_timeout
         # init timing thread
@@ -60,7 +57,7 @@ class OnionShare(object):
 
         self.stealth = stealth
         self.onion.stealth = stealth
-    
+
     def choose_port(self):
         """
         Choose a random port.
diff --git a/onionshare_gui/__init__.py b/onionshare_gui/__init__.py
index a46fe009..c3df057b 100644
--- a/onionshare_gui/__init__.py
+++ b/onionshare_gui/__init__.py
@@ -64,7 +64,6 @@ def main():
     # Parse arguments
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(formatter_class=lambda prog: argparse.HelpFormatter(prog,max_help_position=48))
     parser.add_argument('--local-only', action='store_true', dest='local_only', help=strings._("help_local_only"))
-    parser.add_argument('--stay-open', action='store_true', dest='stay_open', help=strings._("help_stay_open"))
     parser.add_argument('--shutdown-timeout', metavar='<int>', dest='shutdown_timeout', default=0, help=strings._("help_shutdown_timeout"))
     parser.add_argument('--debug', action='store_true', dest='debug', help=strings._("help_debug"))
     parser.add_argument('--filenames', metavar='filenames', nargs='+', help=strings._('help_filename'))
@@ -79,7 +78,6 @@ def main():
     config = args.config
 
     local_only = bool(args.local_only)
-    stay_open = bool(args.stay_open)
     shutdown_timeout = int(args.shutdown_timeout)
     debug = bool(args.debug)
 
@@ -103,7 +101,7 @@ def main():
     onion = Onion(common)
 
     # Start the OnionShare app
-    app = OnionShare(common, onion, local_only, stay_open, shutdown_timeout)
+    app = OnionShare(common, onion, local_only, shutdown_timeout)
 
     # Launch the gui
     gui = OnionShareGui(common, onion, qtapp, app, filenames, config, local_only)
diff --git a/onionshare_gui/mode.py b/onionshare_gui/mode.py
index b6910375..d425341e 100644
--- a/onionshare_gui/mode.py
+++ b/onionshare_gui/mode.py
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ class Mode(QtWidgets.QWidget):
             self.app.choose_port()
 
             # Start http service in new thread
-            t = threading.Thread(target=self.web.start, args=(self.app.port, self.app.stay_open, self.common.settings.get('slug')))
+            t = threading.Thread(target=self.web.start, args=(self.app.port, not self.common.settings.get('close_after_first_download'), self.common.settings.get('slug')))
             t.daemon = True
             t.start()
 
@@ -161,8 +161,6 @@ class Mode(QtWidgets.QWidget):
                 self.starting_server_error.emit(e.args[0])
                 return
 
-            self.app.stay_open = not self.common.settings.get('close_after_first_download')
-
         self.common.log('Mode', 'start_server', 'Starting an onion thread')
         self.t = OnionThread(self.common, function=start_onion_service, kwargs={'self': self})
         self.t.daemon = True
diff --git a/onionshare_gui/share_mode/__init__.py b/onionshare_gui/share_mode/__init__.py
index 9c98554d..91046ad9 100644
--- a/onionshare_gui/share_mode/__init__.py
+++ b/onionshare_gui/share_mode/__init__.py
@@ -262,8 +262,8 @@ class ShareMode(Mode):
             self.downloads_in_progress -= 1
             self.update_downloads_in_progress()
 
-            # close on finish?
-            if not self.web.stay_open:
+            # Close on finish?
+            if self.common.settings.get('close_after_first_download'):
                 self.server_status.stop_server()
                 self.status_bar.clearMessage()
                 self.server_status_label.setText(strings._('closing_automatically', True))
diff --git a/test/test_onionshare.py b/test/test_onionshare.py
index 19b488df..7592a777 100644
--- a/test/test_onionshare.py
+++ b/test/test_onionshare.py
@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@ class TestOnionShare:
         assert onionshare_obj.stealth is None
         assert onionshare_obj.cleanup_filenames == []
         assert onionshare_obj.local_only is False
-        assert onionshare_obj.stay_open is False
 
     def test_set_stealth_true(self, onionshare_obj):
         onionshare_obj.set_stealth(True)