diff --git a/cli/Cargo.toml b/cli/Cargo.toml
index b85ec191..2bb5ea74 100644
--- a/cli/Cargo.toml
+++ b/cli/Cargo.toml
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ color-eyre = { workspace = true }
 number_prefix = { workspace = true }
 ctrlc = { workspace = true }
 qr2term = { workspace = true }
-arboard = { workspace = true, features = [
+arboard = { optional = true, workspace = true, features = [
     "wayland-data-control",
 ] } # Wayland by default, fallback to X11.
 tracing = { workspace = true, features = ["log", "log-always"] }
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ tracing-subscriber = { workspace = true, features = ["env-filter"] }
 trycmd = { workspace = true }
 
 [features]
+clipboard = ["dep:arboard"]
 # TLS implementations for websocket connections via async-tungstenite
 # required for optional wss connection to the mailbox server
 tls = ["magic-wormhole/tls"]
@@ -56,5 +57,5 @@ native-tls = ["magic-wormhole/native-tls"]
 experimental-transfer-v2 = ["magic-wormhole/experimental-transfer-v2"]
 experimental = ["experimental-transfer-v2"]
 
-default = ["magic-wormhole/default", "magic-wormhole/forwarding"]
+default = ["clipboard", "magic-wormhole/default", "magic-wormhole/forwarding"]
 all = ["default", "magic-wormhole/native-tls"]
diff --git a/cli/src/main.rs b/cli/src/main.rs
index c2f12834..ebe3ba5a 100644
--- a/cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/cli/src/main.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ mod util;
 
 use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
 
-use arboard::Clipboard;
 use async_std::sync::Arc;
 use clap::{Args, CommandFactory, Parser, Subcommand};
 use color_eyre::{eyre, eyre::Context};
@@ -18,6 +17,9 @@ use magic_wormhole::{
 use std::{io::Write, path::PathBuf};
 use tracing_subscriber::EnvFilter;
 
+#[cfg(feature = "clipboard")]
+use arboard::Clipboard;
+
 fn install_ctrlc_handler(
 ) -> eyre::Result<impl Fn() -> futures::future::BoxFuture<'static, ()> + Clone> {
     use async_std::sync::{Condvar, Mutex};
@@ -279,12 +281,6 @@ async fn main() -> eyre::Result<()> {
             .init();
     };
 
-    let mut clipboard = Clipboard::new()
-        .map_err(|err| {
-            tracing::warn!("Failed to initialize clipboard support: {}", err);
-        })
-        .ok();
-
     match app.command {
         WormholeCommand::Send {
             common,
@@ -304,7 +300,6 @@ async fn main() -> eyre::Result<()> {
                     true,
                     transfer::APP_CONFIG,
                     Some(&sender_print_code),
-                    clipboard.as_mut(),
                 )),
                 ctrl_c(),
             )
@@ -342,7 +337,6 @@ async fn main() -> eyre::Result<()> {
                     true,
                     transfer::APP_CONFIG,
                     Some(&sender_print_code),
-                    clipboard.as_mut(),
                 ));
                 match futures::future::select(connect_fut, ctrl_c()).await {
                     Either::Left((result, _)) => result?,
@@ -382,7 +376,6 @@ async fn main() -> eyre::Result<()> {
                     false,
                     transfer::APP_CONFIG,
                     None,
-                    clipboard.as_mut(),
                 ));
                 match futures::future::select(connect_fut, ctrl_c()).await {
                     Either::Left((result, _)) => result?,
@@ -456,7 +449,6 @@ async fn main() -> eyre::Result<()> {
                     true,
                     app_config,
                     Some(&server_print_code),
-                    clipboard.as_mut(),
                 ));
                 let (wormhole, _code, relay_hints) =
                     match futures::future::select(connect_fut, ctrl_c()).await {
@@ -484,17 +476,8 @@ async fn main() -> eyre::Result<()> {
             tracing::warn!("This is an unstable feature. Make sure that your peer is running the exact same version of the program as you. Also, please report all bugs and crashes.");
             let mut app_config = forwarding::APP_CONFIG;
             app_config.app_version.transit_abilities = parse_transit_args(&common);
-            let (wormhole, _code, relay_hints) = parse_and_connect(
-                &mut term,
-                common,
-                code,
-                None,
-                false,
-                app_config,
-                None,
-                clipboard.as_mut(),
-            )
-            .await?;
+            let (wormhole, _code, relay_hints) =
+                parse_and_connect(&mut term, common, code, None, false, app_config, None).await?;
 
             let offer = forwarding::connect(
                 wormhole,
@@ -578,7 +561,6 @@ async fn parse_and_connect(
     is_send: bool,
     mut app_config: magic_wormhole::AppConfig<impl serde::Serialize + Send + Sync + 'static>,
     print_code: Option<&PrintCodeFn>,
-    clipboard: Option<&mut Clipboard>,
 ) -> eyre::Result<(Wormhole, magic_wormhole::Code, Vec<transit::RelayHint>)> {
     // TODO handle relay servers with multiple endpoints better
     let mut relay_hints: Vec<transit::RelayHint> = common_args
@@ -623,10 +605,19 @@ async fn parse_and_connect(
 
             /* Print code and also copy it to clipboard */
             if is_send {
-                if let Some(clipboard) = clipboard {
-                    match clipboard.set_text(mailbox_connection.code().to_string()) {
-                        Ok(()) => tracing::info!("Code copied to clipboard"),
-                        Err(err) => tracing::warn!("Failed to copy code to clipboard: {}", err),
+                #[cfg(feature = "clipboard")]
+                {
+                    let clipboard = Clipboard::new()
+                        .map_err(|err| {
+                            tracing::warn!("Failed to initialize clipboard support: {}", err);
+                        })
+                        .ok();
+
+                    if let Some(mut clipboard) = clipboard {
+                        match clipboard.set_text(mailbox_connection.code().to_string()) {
+                            Ok(()) => tracing::info!("Code copied to clipboard"),
+                            Err(err) => tracing::warn!("Failed to copy code to clipboard: {}", err),
+                        }
                     }
                 }
 
@@ -747,11 +738,17 @@ fn sender_print_code(
         is_leader: false,
     }
     .to_string();
-    writeln!(
-        term,
-        "\nThis wormhole's code is: {} (it has been copied to your clipboard)",
-        style(&code).bold()
-    )?;
+
+    if cfg!(feature = "clipboard") {
+        writeln!(
+            term,
+            "\nThis wormhole's code is: {} (it has been copied to your clipboard)",
+            style(&code).bold()
+        )?;
+    } else {
+        writeln!(term, "\nThis wormhole's code is: {}", style(&code).bold())?;
+    }
+
     writeln!(term, "This is equivalent to the following link: \u{001B}]8;;{}\u{001B}\\{}\u{001B}]8;;\u{001B}\\", &uri, &uri)?;
     let qr =
         qr2term::generate_qr_string(&uri).context("Failed to generate QR code for send link")?;
@@ -776,7 +773,16 @@ fn server_print_code(
     code: &magic_wormhole::Code,
     _: &Option<url::Url>,
 ) -> eyre::Result<()> {
-    writeln!(term, "\nThis wormhole's code is: {}", style(&code).bold())?;
+    if cfg!(feature = "clipboard") {
+        writeln!(
+            term,
+            "\nThis wormhole's code is: {} (it has been copied to your clipboard)",
+            style(&code).bold()
+        )?;
+    } else {
+        writeln!(term, "\nThis wormhole's code is: {}", style(&code).bold())?;
+    }
+
     writeln!(
         term,
         "On the other side, enter that code into a Magic Wormhole client\n"