diff --git a/man/feh.pre b/man/feh.pre
index cdfaa155..2044c4a7 100644
--- a/man/feh.pre
+++ b/man/feh.pre
@@ -173,6 +173,9 @@ digital cameras and similar.
 If the ImageMagick convert binary is available,
 .Nm
 will use it to load file types such as svg, xcf, and otf.
+Additionally
+.Cm --force-conversion
+can be used to skip the regular imlib2 image loading before trying to convert.
 .
 .Pp
 .
@@ -339,6 +342,15 @@ zero causes
 to try indefinitely.
 Negative values restore the default by disabling conversion altogether.
 .
+.It Cm --force-conversion
+.
+Force image conversion and skip the regular imlib2 image loading.
+If
+.Cm --conversion-timeout
+is not set or negative,
+.Cm --conversion-timeout
+will be set to zero.
+.
 .It Cm --class Ar class
 .
 Set the X11 class hint to
diff --git a/src/help.raw b/src/help.raw
index 0e99c689..bf8a425e 100644
--- a/src/help.raw
+++ b/src/help.raw
@@ -98,6 +98,9 @@ OPTIONS
  -Y, --hide-pointer        Hide the pointer
      --conversion-timeout  INT  Load unknown files with dcraw or ImageMagick,
                            timeout after INT seconds (0: no timeout)
+     --force-conversion    Force image conversion and skip the regular imlib2
+                           image loading. Use conversion timeout of 0 if
+                           timeout is not set or negative.
      --min-dimension WxH   Only show images with width >= W and height >= H
      --max-dimension WxH   Only show images with width <= W and height <= H
      --scroll-step COUNT   scroll COUNT pixels when movement key is pressed
diff --git a/src/imlib.c b/src/imlib.c
index eb3f5224..20e4bc4a 100644
--- a/src/imlib.c
+++ b/src/imlib.c
@@ -336,6 +336,11 @@ int feh_load_image(Imlib_Image * im, feh_file * file)
 
 	D(("filename is %s, image is %p\n", file->filename, im));
 
+	if (opt.force_conversion && opt.conversion_timeout < 0) {
+		D(("Conversion forced without conversion timeout! Setting timeout to zero (infinite).\n"));
+		opt.conversion_timeout = 0;
+	}
+
 	if (!file || !file->filename)
 		return 0;
 
@@ -348,7 +353,11 @@ int feh_load_image(Imlib_Image * im, feh_file * file)
 		}
 	}
 	else {
-		if (feh_is_image(file, 0)) {
+		if (opt.force_conversion) {
+			/* Use unknown error for later processing of converted image */
+			err = IMLIB_LOAD_ERROR_UNKNOWN;
+		}
+		else if (feh_is_image(file, 0)) {
 			*im = imlib_load_image_with_error_return(file->filename, &err);
 		} else {
 			feh_err = LOAD_ERROR_MAGICBYTES;
@@ -360,12 +369,14 @@ int feh_load_image(Imlib_Image * im, feh_file * file)
 			(err == IMLIB_LOAD_ERROR_UNKNOWN) ||
 			(err == IMLIB_LOAD_ERROR_NO_LOADER_FOR_FILE_FORMAT))) {
 		if (feh_file_is_raw(file->filename)) {
+			D(("Trying image conversion with dcraw.\n"));
 			image_source = SRC_DCRAW;
 			tmpname = feh_dcraw_load_image(file->filename);
 			if (!tmpname) {
 				feh_err = LOAD_ERROR_DCRAW;
 			}
 		} else {
+			D(("Trying image conversion with imagemagick.\n"));
 			image_source = SRC_MAGICK;
 			feh_err = LOAD_ERROR_IMLIB;
 			tmpname = feh_magick_load_image(file->filename);
diff --git a/src/options.c b/src/options.c
index 3f405faa..3bbd7b31 100644
--- a/src/options.c
+++ b/src/options.c
@@ -430,6 +430,7 @@ static void feh_parse_option_array(int argc, char **argv, int finalrun)
 		{"cache-size"    , 1, 0, OPTION_cache_size},
 		{"on-last-slide" , 1, 0, OPTION_on_last_slide},
 		{"conversion-timeout" , 1, 0, OPTION_conversion_timeout},
+		{"force-conversion" , 0, 0, OPTION_force_conversion},
 		{"version-sort"  , 0, 0, OPTION_version_sort},
 		{"offset"        , 1, 0, OPTION_offset},
 #ifdef HAVE_INOTIFY
@@ -830,6 +831,9 @@ static void feh_parse_option_array(int argc, char **argv, int finalrun)
 		case OPTION_conversion_timeout:
 			opt.conversion_timeout = atoi(optarg);
 			break;
+		case OPTION_force_conversion:
+			opt.force_conversion = 1;
+			break;
 		case OPTION_version_sort:
 			opt.version_sort = 1;
 			break;
diff --git a/src/options.h b/src/options.h
index 2aed6a61..0ef814ce 100644
--- a/src/options.h
+++ b/src/options.h
@@ -148,6 +148,7 @@ struct __fehoptions {
 	double slideshow_delay;
 
 	signed int conversion_timeout;
+	int force_conversion;
 
 	Imlib_Font menu_fn;
 };
@@ -250,6 +251,7 @@ OPTION_no_recursive,
 OPTION_cache_size,
 OPTION_on_last_slide,
 OPTION_conversion_timeout,
+OPTION_force_conversion,
 OPTION_version_sort,
 OPTION_offset,
 OPTION_auto_reload,