diff --git a/cli_main.cpp b/cli_main.cpp
index 9a38e31..19d049c 100644
--- a/cli_main.cpp
+++ b/cli_main.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 
     std::filesystem::path configPath, csvPath, outputPath;
     std::string timeUnit;
+    int shiftTime;
 
     app.add_option("-c,--config", configPath, "Path to INI config file")
             ->required()
@@ -22,6 +23,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
     app.add_option("-u,--time-unit", timeUnit, "Time unit inside CSV: “ms” or “sec”")
             ->required()
             ->check(CLI::IsMember({"ms", "sec"}, CLI::ignore_case));
+    app.add_option("-s,--shift",shiftTime, "Time in sec to shift the subtitles by");
 
     CLI11_PARSE(app, argc, argv);
 
@@ -33,7 +35,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         return 1;
     }
 
-    auto chat = parseCSV(csvPath, multiplier);
+    auto chat = parseCSV(csvPath, multiplier, shiftTime);
     if (chat.empty()) {
         std::cerr << "Error: Failed to parse chat CSV or it's empty: " << csvPath << "\n";
         return 1;
diff --git a/gui_main.cpp b/gui_main.cpp
index bbc179d..1064b71 100644
--- a/gui_main.cpp
+++ b/gui_main.cpp
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ int main(int, char **) {
             nfdresult_t result = NFD_OpenDialogU8_With(&outPath, &args);
             if (result == NFD_OKAY) {
                 int multiplier = 1; // TODO: some way to customize time units
-                text_overlay.messages = parseCSV(outPath, multiplier);
+                text_overlay.messages = parseCSV(outPath, multiplier,0);
                 text_overlay.revalidatePreview = true;
                 NFD_FreePathU8(outPath);
             } else if (result == NFD_CANCEL) {
diff --git a/ytt_generator.h b/ytt_generator.h
index 411608b..1d95c2b 100644
--- a/ytt_generator.h
+++ b/ytt_generator.h
@@ -678,7 +678,7 @@ inline Color getRandomColor(const std::string &username) {
 }
 
 // dumb and simple way to parse CSV
-inline std::vector<ChatMessage> parseCSV(const std::filesystem::path &filename, int timeMultiplier) {
+inline std::vector<ChatMessage> parseCSV(const std::filesystem::path &filename, int timeMultiplier, int shiftTime) {
     std::vector<ChatMessage> messages;
     std::ifstream file(filename);
     std::string line;
@@ -700,7 +700,12 @@ inline std::vector<ChatMessage> parseCSV(const std::filesystem::path &filename,
         ChatMessage msg;
 
         std::getline(ss, field, ',');
-        msg.time = std::stoi(field) * timeMultiplier;
+        msg.time = std::stoi(field)  * timeMultiplier;
+        // would the message be shifted to a time < 0? then skip it
+        if(shiftTime < 0 && msg.time < -shiftTime){
+            continue;
+        }
+        msg.time += shiftTime*1000;
 
         std::getline(ss, msg.user.name, ',');