diff --git a/src/countdown.js b/src/countdown.js
index c5d491a..9186546 100644
--- a/src/countdown.js
+++ b/src/countdown.js
@@ -284,7 +284,15 @@
           instance.setFinalDate.call(instance, method);
           // Allow plugin to restart after finished
           // Fix issue #38 (thanks to @yaoazhen)
-          instance.start();
+	  if (argumentsArray[1]) {
+	    $.extend(instance.options, argumentsArray[1]);
+	    if (instance.options.defer === false) {
+	      instance.start();
+	    }
+	  }
+	  else {
+            instance.start();
+	  }
         } else {
           $.error('Method %s does not exist on jQuery.countdown'
             .replace(/\%s/gi, method));