diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 3698c52..2f6bfdb 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -3,3 +3,5 @@ fish/fish_variables
 # openbsd crash core dumps
 *.core
 *.log
+# hlctl config file
+herbstluftwm/hlctl.toml
diff --git a/herbstluftwm/main.fish b/herbstluftwm/main.fish
index f0ae092..94fb0c0 100755
--- a/herbstluftwm/main.fish
+++ b/herbstluftwm/main.fish
@@ -1,4 +1,11 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env fish
+
+alias hc=herbstclient
+
+if command -sq "hlctl"; and test "$hlctl_enabled" != "false"
+	hc spawn "hlctl" "init"
+	exit $status
+end
 import fish_functions/notify
 import fish_functions/restart_svcs
 import fish_functions/group
@@ -8,8 +15,6 @@ import fish_functions/remove_default
 set -g THIS_PATH (pwd)
 log "starting in $THIS_PATH"
 
-alias hc=herbstclient
-
 # default font if not set
 set_default hlwm_font "-*-fixed-medium-*-*-*-12-*-*-*-*-*-*-*"
 new_config -n Font -v "$hlwm_font"
@@ -23,7 +28,6 @@ group_active_reset
 
 # set -l Mod Mod1 # alt
 set -g Mod Mod4
-set -g AltMod Mod1
 
 new_config -n ModKey -v $Mod
 set -U hlwm_mod $Mod