diff --git a/docs/RUNBOOK-PhaseC.md b/docs/RUNBOOK-PhaseC.md
index 05740cd..41babd7 100644
--- a/docs/RUNBOOK-PhaseC.md
+++ b/docs/RUNBOOK-PhaseC.md
@@ -201,7 +201,9 @@ default `--snapshot-name` is `BaseClean`, so Linux jobs must pass
   `--skip-artifact`, `--xvfb` (Linux GUI builds),
   `--extra-env-json '{"KEY":"VALUE"}'`
 - **VM**: `--guest-cpu N`, `--guest-memory-mb N`, `--template-path`,
-  `--snapshot-name`, `--ready-timeout`
+  `--snapshot-name`, `--ready-timeout`, `--gui` / `--nogui` (default `--nogui`,
+  headless; `--gui` opens the Workstation window and needs an X display —
+  see [§4.7](#47-open-a-vm-in-the-workstation-gui))
 - **Auth**: `--gitea-credential-target` (private repos)
 
 > For a zero-config end-to-end check, prefer `smoke run` ([§7](#7-phase-c-testing))
diff --git a/src/ci_orchestrator/commands/job.py b/src/ci_orchestrator/commands/job.py
index a8d4f3e..eeefbd4 100644
--- a/src/ci_orchestrator/commands/job.py
+++ b/src/ci_orchestrator/commands/job.py
@@ -390,6 +390,14 @@ def _destroy_clone(
     show_default=True,
 )
 @click.option("--vmrun-path", "vmrun_path", default=None)
+@click.option(
+    "--gui/--nogui",
+    "gui",
+    default=False,
+    show_default=True,
+    help="Start the VM with the Workstation GUI window (--gui) or headless "
+    "(--nogui, the default).",
+)
 def job(
     job_id: str,
     repo_url: str,
@@ -419,6 +427,7 @@ def job(
     ready_timeout: float,
     poll_interval: float,
     vmrun_path: str | None,
+    gui: bool,
 ) -> None:
     """Run the full CI pipeline against an ephemeral build VM.
 
@@ -547,9 +556,10 @@ def job(
         phase_start = _now()
 
         # ── Phase 2/5: start VM ─────────────────────────────────────────
-        click.echo("\n[job] Phase 2/5 — starting VM (headless)")
+        mode = "GUI" if gui else "headless"
+        click.echo(f"\n[job] Phase 2/5 — starting VM ({mode})")
         try:
-            backend.start(handle, headless=True)
+            backend.start(handle, headless=not gui)
         except BackendError as exc:
             raise click.ClickException(f"vmrun start failed: {exc}") from exc