diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 6f97efa..fa99806 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
+	"runtime/pprof"
 )
 
 var base_link string
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@ func usage() {
 	fmt.Println("  -F, --listfav\tlists favourited canvas courses with name and ID")
 	fmt.Println("  -v, --verbose\tprints with verbose output")
 	fmt.Println("  -h, --help\tdisplays this help message")
+	fmt.Println("  -p, --profile\twrites cpu profile to a file")
 }
 
 func main() {
@@ -32,6 +34,7 @@ func main() {
 	var listall bool
 	var listfav bool
 	var help bool
+	var cpuprofile string
 
 	flag.StringVar(&code, "code", "", "5 character attendance code")
 	flag.StringVar(&code, "c", "", "5 character attendance code")
@@ -45,9 +48,27 @@ func main() {
 	flag.BoolVar(&verbose, "v", false, "verbose output")
 	flag.BoolVar(&help, "help", false, "view usage message")
 	flag.BoolVar(&help, "h", false, "view usage message")
+	flag.StringVar(&cpuprofile, "p", "", "CPU profiling report location")
+	flag.StringVar(&cpuprofile, "profile", "", "CPU profiling report location")
 
 	flag.Parse()
 
+	if cpuprofile != "" {
+		cpuf, err := os.Create(cpuprofile)
+		if err != nil {
+			fmt.Println(err)
+			os.Exit(1)
+		}
+		defer cpuf.Close()
+
+		err = pprof.StartCPUProfile(cpuf)
+		if err != nil {
+			fmt.Println(err)
+			os.Exit(1)
+		}
+		defer pprof.StopCPUProfile()
+	}
+
 	if code == "" && course == -1 && !listall && !listfav && !help {
 		usage()
 		os.Exit(1)