diff --git a/cmd/micro/micro.go b/cmd/micro/micro.go
index 230c62c0..1e554c51 100644
--- a/cmd/micro/micro.go
+++ b/cmd/micro/micro.go
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import (
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"sort"
-	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/go-errors/errors"
 	isatty "github.com/mattn/go-isatty"
@@ -25,7 +24,6 @@ var (
 
 	// Command line flags
 	flagVersion   = flag.Bool("version", false, "Show the version number and information")
-	flagStartPos  = flag.String("startpos", "", "LINE,COL to start the cursor at when opening a buffer.")
 	flagConfigDir = flag.String("config-dir", "", "Specify a custom location for the configuration directory")
 	flagOptions   = flag.Bool("options", false, "Show all option help")
 	optionFlags   map[string]*string
@@ -36,8 +34,7 @@ func InitFlags() {
 		fmt.Println("Usage: micro [OPTIONS] [FILE]...")
 		fmt.Println("-config-dir dir")
 		fmt.Println("    \tSpecify a custom location for the configuration directory")
-		fmt.Println("-startpos LINE,COL")
-		fmt.Println("+LINE:COL")
+		fmt.Println("[FILE]:LINE:COL")
 		fmt.Println("    \tSpecify a line and column to start the cursor at when opening a buffer")
 		fmt.Println("    \tThis can also be done by opening file:LINE:COL")
 		fmt.Println("-options")
@@ -109,16 +106,6 @@ func LoadInput() []*buffer.Buffer {
 		// Option 1
 		// We go through each file and load it
 		for i := 0; i < len(args); i++ {
-			if strings.HasPrefix(args[i], "+") {
-				if strings.Contains(args[i], ":") {
-					split := strings.Split(args[i], ":")
-					*flagStartPos = split[0][1:] + "," + split[1]
-				} else {
-					*flagStartPos = args[i][1:] + ",0"
-				}
-				continue
-			}
-
 			buf, err := buffer.NewBufferFromFile(args[i], buffer.BTDefault)
 			if err != nil {
 				screen.TermMessage(err)
diff --git a/internal/buffer/buffer.go b/internal/buffer/buffer.go
index 36bb6cff..ba595cee 100644
--- a/internal/buffer/buffer.go
+++ b/internal/buffer/buffer.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 	"unicode/utf8"
@@ -118,7 +119,7 @@ type Buffer struct {
 // and an error if the file is a directory
 func NewBufferFromFile(path string, btype BufType) (*Buffer, error) {
 	var err error
-	filename, cursorPosition := GetPathAndCursorPosition(path)
+	filename, cursorPos := GetPathAndCursorPosition(path)
 	filename, err = ReplaceHome(filename)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -133,12 +134,17 @@ func NewBufferFromFile(path string, btype BufType) (*Buffer, error) {
 
 	defer file.Close()
 
+	cursorLoc, err := ParseCursorLocation(cursorPos)
+	if err != nil {
+		cursorLoc = Loc{-1, -1}
+	}
+
 	var buf *Buffer
 	if err != nil {
 		// File does not exist -- create an empty buffer with that name
 		buf = NewBufferFromString("", filename, btype)
 	} else {
-		buf = NewBuffer(file, FSize(file), filename, cursorPosition, btype)
+		buf = NewBuffer(file, FSize(file), filename, cursorLoc, btype)
 	}
 
 	return buf, nil
@@ -146,13 +152,13 @@ func NewBufferFromFile(path string, btype BufType) (*Buffer, error) {
 
 // NewBufferFromString creates a new buffer containing the given string
 func NewBufferFromString(text, path string, btype BufType) *Buffer {
-	return NewBuffer(strings.NewReader(text), int64(len(text)), path, nil, btype)
+	return NewBuffer(strings.NewReader(text), int64(len(text)), path, Loc{-1, -1}, btype)
 }
 
 // NewBuffer creates a new buffer from a given reader with a given path
 // Ensure that ReadSettings and InitGlobalSettings have been called before creating
 // a new buffer
-func NewBuffer(r io.Reader, size int64, path string, cursorPosition []string, btype BufType) *Buffer {
+func NewBuffer(r io.Reader, size int64, path string, startcursor Loc, btype BufType) *Buffer {
 	absPath, _ := filepath.Abs(path)
 
 	b := new(Buffer)
@@ -210,20 +216,19 @@ func NewBuffer(r io.Reader, size int64, path string, cursorPosition []string, bt
 		os.Mkdir(config.ConfigDir+"/buffers/", os.ModePerm)
 	}
 
-	// cursorLocation, err := GetBufferCursorLocation(cursorPosition, b)
-	// b.startcursor = Cursor{
-	// 	Loc: cursorLocation,
-	// 	buf: b,
-	// }
-	// TODO flagstartpos
-	if b.Settings["savecursor"].(bool) || b.Settings["saveundo"].(bool) {
-		err := b.Unserialize()
-		if err != nil {
-			screen.TermMessage(err)
+	if startcursor.X != -1 && startcursor.Y != -1 {
+		b.StartCursor = startcursor
+	} else {
+		if b.Settings["savecursor"].(bool) || b.Settings["saveundo"].(bool) {
+			err := b.Unserialize()
+			if err != nil {
+				screen.TermMessage(err)
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
 	b.AddCursor(NewCursor(b, b.StartCursor))
+	b.GetActiveCursor().Relocate()
 
 	if !b.Settings["fastdirty"].(bool) {
 		if size > LargeFileThreshold {
@@ -727,3 +732,28 @@ func (b *Buffer) Retab() {
 
 	b.isModified = dirty
 }
+
+// ParseCursorLocation turns a cursor location like 10:5 (LINE:COL)
+// into a loc
+func ParseCursorLocation(cursorPositions []string) (Loc, error) {
+	startpos := Loc{0, 0}
+	var err error
+
+	// if no positions are available exit early
+	if cursorPositions == nil {
+		return startpos, errors.New("No cursor positions were provided.")
+	}
+
+	startpos.Y, err = strconv.Atoi(cursorPositions[0])
+	startpos.Y -= 1
+	if err == nil {
+		if len(cursorPositions) > 1 {
+			startpos.X, err = strconv.Atoi(cursorPositions[1])
+			if startpos.X > 0 {
+				startpos.X -= 1
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	return startpos, err
+}