diff --git a/features/layout/registration.feature b/features/layout/registration.feature
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5a71c60
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features/layout/registration.feature
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+Feature: layout registration
+
+  Scenario: sends the #register message to the layout with the display
+    Given a file named layout.rb with:
+      """
+      class Layout
+        def register display
+          puts display
+        end
+      end
+      """
+    When I run uhwm with option -r./layout -l Layout
+    Then the current output must contain current display
diff --git a/features/steps/filesystem_steps.rb b/features/steps/filesystem_steps.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a951c6f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features/steps/filesystem_steps.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+Given /^a file named ([^ ]+) with:$/ do |path, content|
+  write_file path, content
+end
diff --git a/features/steps/output_steps.rb b/features/steps/output_steps.rb
index 330452a..46fc2d0 100644
--- a/features/steps/output_steps.rb
+++ b/features/steps/output_steps.rb
@@ -24,9 +24,18 @@ options:
     -v, --version                    enable verbose mode
     -d, --debug                      enable debug mode
     -r, --require PATH               require ruby feature
+    -l, --layout LAYOUT              specify layout
   eoh
 end
 
 Then /^the current output must match \/([^\/]+)\/([a-z]*)$/ do |pattern, options|
   uhwm_wait_output Regexp.new(pattern, options)
 end
+
+Then /^the current output must contain:$/ do |content|
+  uhwm_wait_output content.to_s
+end
+
+Then /^the current output must contain current display$/ do
+  uhwm_wait_output ENV['DISPLAY']
+end
diff --git a/lib/uh/wm/cli.rb b/lib/uh/wm/cli.rb
index cc61bce..c52f073 100644
--- a/lib/uh/wm/cli.rb
+++ b/lib/uh/wm/cli.rb
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ module Uh
             require feature
             @env.log "Loaded `#{feature}' ruby feature"
           end
+
+          opts.on '-l', '--layout LAYOUT', 'specify layout' do |layout|
+            @env.layout_class = self.class.const_get layout.to_sym
+          end
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/lib/uh/wm/env.rb b/lib/uh/wm/env.rb
index 8c18592..029ab97 100644
--- a/lib/uh/wm/env.rb
+++ b/lib/uh/wm/env.rb
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ module Uh
       def_delegator :@output, :print
 
       attr_reader   :output
-      attr_accessor :verbose, :debug
+      attr_accessor :verbose, :debug, :layout_class
 
       def initialize output
         @output = output
@@ -26,6 +26,15 @@ module Uh
         !!@debug
       end
 
+      def layout
+        @layout ||= if layout_class
+          layout_class.new
+        else
+          require 'uh/layout'
+          ::Uh::Layout.new
+        end
+      end
+
       def logger
         @logger ||= Logger.new(@output).tap do |o|
           o.level = debug? ? LOGGER_LEVEL_DEBUG :
diff --git a/lib/uh/wm/runner.rb b/lib/uh/wm/runner.rb
index cf16f54..24c0675 100644
--- a/lib/uh/wm/runner.rb
+++ b/lib/uh/wm/runner.rb
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ module Uh
         end
       end
 
+      extend Forwardable
+      def_delegator :@env, :layout
+
       attr_reader :env, :events, :manager
 
       def initialize env, manager: nil, stopped: false
@@ -29,6 +32,7 @@ module Uh
 
       def register_event_hooks
         register_manager_hooks
+        register_layout_event_hooks
         register_key_bindings_hooks
       end
 
@@ -53,6 +57,12 @@ module Uh
         end
       end
 
+      def register_layout_event_hooks
+        @events.on(:connected) do |display|
+          layout.register display
+        end
+      end
+
       def register_key_bindings_hooks
         @events.on(:key, :q) { stop! }
       end
diff --git a/spec/uh/wm/cli_spec.rb b/spec/uh/wm/cli_spec.rb
index 86b4d2e..24cb07c 100644
--- a/spec/uh/wm/cli_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/uh/wm/cli_spec.rb
@@ -130,6 +130,15 @@ module Uh
           end
         end
 
+        context 'with layout option' do
+          let(:arguments) { %w[-l Object] }
+
+          it 'assigns the layout class in the env' do
+            cli.parse_arguments!
+            expect(cli.env.layout_class).to eq Object
+          end
+        end
+
         context 'with invalid option' do
           let(:arguments) { %w[--unknown-option] }
 
diff --git a/spec/uh/wm/env_spec.rb b/spec/uh/wm/env_spec.rb
index ea41de3..77cf3f3 100644
--- a/spec/uh/wm/env_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/uh/wm/env_spec.rb
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@ module Uh
         expect(env).not_to be_debug
       end
 
+      it 'has no layout_class set' do
+        expect(env.layout_class).not_to be
+      end
+
       describe '#verbose?' do
         context 'when verbose mode is disabled' do
           before { env.verbose = false }
@@ -49,6 +53,24 @@ module Uh
         end
       end
 
+      describe '#layout' do
+        context 'when a layout class is set' do
+          let(:some_layout) { Class.new }
+
+          before { env.layout_class = some_layout }
+
+          it 'returns a new instance of this layout class' do
+            expect(env.layout).to be_an_instance_of some_layout
+          end
+        end
+
+        context 'when a layout class is not set' do
+          it 'returns an instance of the default layout' do
+            expect(env.layout).to be_an_instance_of ::Uh::Layout
+          end
+        end
+      end
+
       describe '#logger' do
         it 'returns a logger' do
           expect(env.logger).to be_a Logger
diff --git a/spec/uh/wm/runner_spec.rb b/spec/uh/wm/runner_spec.rb
index 8a9a500..c56d94b 100644
--- a/spec/uh/wm/runner_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/uh/wm/runner_spec.rb
@@ -1,8 +1,14 @@
+SomeLayout = Class.new do
+  define_method(:register) { |*args| }
+end
+
 module Uh
   module WM
     RSpec.describe Runner do
-      let(:env)         { Env.new(StringIO.new) }
-      subject(:runner)  { described_class.new env }
+      let(:env) do
+        Env.new(StringIO.new).tap { |o| o.layout_class = SomeLayout }
+      end
+      subject(:runner) { described_class.new env }
 
       describe '.run' do
         subject(:run) { described_class.run env, stopped: true }
@@ -82,6 +88,12 @@ module Uh
           runner.events.emit :connected
         end
 
+        it 'registers layout hook for :connected event' do
+          runner.register_event_hooks
+          expect(env.layout).to receive(:register).with :display
+          runner.events.emit :connected, args: :display
+        end
+
         it 'registers key bindings event hooks' do
           runner.register_event_hooks
           expect(runner.events[:key, :q]).not_to be_empty
diff --git a/uh-wm.gemspec b/uh-wm.gemspec
index 48a48ad..ed98051 100644
--- a/uh-wm.gemspec
+++ b/uh-wm.gemspec
@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@ Gem::Specification.new do |s|
   s.test_files  = s.files.grep /\A(spec|features)\//
   s.executables = s.files.grep(/\Abin\//) { |f| File.basename(f) }
 
-  s.add_dependency 'uh', '2.0.0.pre'
+  s.add_dependency 'uh',        '2.0.0.pre'
+  s.add_dependency 'uh-layout', '0.2.0.pre'
 
   s.add_development_dependency 'aruba',     '~> 0.6'
   s.add_development_dependency 'cucumber',  '~> 2.0'