diff --git a/src/app.rs b/src/app.rs
index 490de75..d56accd 100644
--- a/src/app.rs
+++ b/src/app.rs
@@ -82,11 +82,14 @@ impl From<(Args, AppStorage)> for AppArgs {
             style: args.style.unwrap_or(stg.style),
             pomodoro_mode: stg.pomodoro_mode,
             initial_value_work: args.work.unwrap_or(stg.inital_value_work),
-            current_value_work: stg.current_value_work,
-            initial_value_pause: args.pause,
-            current_value_pause: stg.current_value_pause,
-            initial_value_countdown: args.countdown,
-            current_value_countdown: stg.current_value_countdown,
+            // invalidate `current_value_work` if an initial value is set via args
+            current_value_work: args.work.unwrap_or(stg.current_value_work),
+            initial_value_pause: args.pause.unwrap_or(stg.inital_value_pause),
+            // invalidate `current_value_pause` if an initial value is set via args
+            current_value_pause: args.pause.unwrap_or(stg.current_value_pause),
+            initial_value_countdown: args.countdown.unwrap_or(stg.inital_value_countdown),
+            // invalidate `current_value_countdown` if an initial value is set via args
+            current_value_countdown: args.countdown.unwrap_or(stg.current_value_countdown),
             current_value_timer: stg.current_value_timer,
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/args.rs b/src/args.rs
index 8924274..aa3bc7e 100644
--- a/src/args.rs
+++ b/src/args.rs
@@ -10,10 +10,9 @@ use crate::{app::Content, widgets::clock::Style};
 #[derive(Parser)]
 pub struct Args {
     #[arg(long, short, value_parser = parse_duration,
-        default_value="10:00" /* 10min */,
         help = "Countdown time to start from. Formats: 'ss', 'mm:ss', or 'hh:mm:ss'"
     )]
-    pub countdown: Duration,
+    pub countdown: Option<Duration>,
 
     #[arg(long, short, value_parser = parse_duration,
         help = "Work time to count down from. Formats: 'ss', 'mm:ss', or 'hh:mm:ss'"
@@ -21,10 +20,9 @@ pub struct Args {
     pub work: Option<Duration>,
 
     #[arg(long, short, value_parser = parse_duration,
-        default_value="5:00" /* 5min */,
         help = "Pause time to count down from. Formats: 'ss', 'mm:ss', or 'hh:mm:ss'"
     )]
-    pub pause: Duration,
+    pub pause: Option<Duration>,
 
     #[arg(long, short = 'd', help = "Whether to show deciseconds or not.")]
     pub decis: bool,
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 68c70bc..b1ddbc0 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ mod terminal;
 mod utils;
 mod widgets;
 
-use app::App;
+use app::{App, AppArgs};
 use args::Args;
 use clap::Parser;
 use color_eyre::Result;
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ async fn main() -> Result<()> {
     };
 
     // merge `Args` and `AppStorage`.
-    let app_args = (args, stg).into();
+    let app_args: AppArgs = (args, stg).into();
     let app_storage = App::new(app_args).run(terminal, events).await?.to_storage();
     // store app state persistantly
     storage.save(app_storage)?;