diff --git a/cmd/dynamo-browse/main.go b/cmd/dynamo-browse/main.go
index b2213d2..a5efea6 100644
--- a/cmd/dynamo-browse/main.go
+++ b/cmd/dynamo-browse/main.go
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ func main() {
 	var flagTable = flag.String("t", "", "dynamodb table name")
 	var flagLocal = flag.String("local", "", "local endpoint")
 	var flagDebug = flag.String("debug", "", "file to log debug messages")
+	var flagWorkspace = flag.String("w", "", "workspace file")
 	flag.Parse()
 
 	ctx := context.Background()
@@ -37,11 +38,11 @@ func main() {
 		cli.Fatalf("cannot load AWS config: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	wsManager := workspaces.New(workspaces.MetaInfo{
-		Command: "sqs-browse",
-	})
-	//ws, err := wsManager.CreateTemp()
-	ws, err := wsManager.Open("temp.workspace")
+	closeFn := logging.EnableLogging(*flagDebug)
+	defer closeFn()
+
+	wsManager := workspaces.New(workspaces.MetaInfo{Command: "dynamo-browse"})
+	ws, err := wsManager.OpenOrCreate(*flagWorkspace)
 	if err != nil {
 		cli.Fatalf("cannot create workspace: %v", ws)
 	}
@@ -83,9 +84,6 @@ func main() {
 
 	p := tea.NewProgram(model, tea.WithAltScreen())
 
-	closeFn := logging.EnableLogging(*flagDebug)
-	defer closeFn()
-
 	// Pre-determine if layout has dark background.  This prevents calls for creating a list to hang.
 	if lipgloss.HasDarkBackground() {
 		if colorScheme := osstyle.CurrentColorScheme(); colorScheme == osstyle.ColorSchemeLightMode {
diff --git a/internal/common/workspaces/manager.go b/internal/common/workspaces/manager.go
index da08a4d..3a1834d 100644
--- a/internal/common/workspaces/manager.go
+++ b/internal/common/workspaces/manager.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package workspaces
 import (
 	"github.com/asdine/storm"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+	"log"
 	"os"
 )
 
@@ -18,11 +19,19 @@ func New(metaInfo MetaInfo) *Manager {
 	return &Manager{metainfo: metaInfo}
 }
 
+func (m *Manager) OpenOrCreate(filename string) (*Workspace, error) {
+	if filename == "" {
+		return m.CreateTemp()
+	}
+	return m.Open(filename)
+}
+
 func (m *Manager) Open(filename string) (*Workspace, error) {
 	db, err := storm.Open(filename)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, errors.Wrapf(err, "cannot open workspace at %v", filename)
 	}
+	log.Printf("open workspace: %v", filename)
 	return &Workspace{db: db}, nil
 }