diff --git a/core/commands/id.go b/core/commands/id.go
index 06a70bf35b5..9816f7096b1 100644
--- a/core/commands/id.go
+++ b/core/commands/id.go
@@ -23,14 +23,7 @@ import (
 	identify "github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/p2p/protocol/identify"
 )
 
-const offlineIdErrorMessage = `'ipfs id' currently cannot query information on remote
-peers without a running daemon; we are working to fix this.
-In the meantime, if you want to query remote peers using 'ipfs id',
-please run the daemon:
-
-    ipfs daemon &
-    ipfs id QmaCpDMGvV2BGHeYERUEnRQAwe3N8SzbUtfsmvsqQLuvuJ
-`
+const offlineIdErrorMessage = "'ipfs id' cannot query information on remote peers without a running daemon; use the --offline option instead."
 
 type IdOutput struct {
 	ID              string
@@ -102,19 +95,21 @@ EXAMPLE:
 			return cmds.EmitOnce(res, output)
 		}
 
-		// TODO handle offline mode with polymorphism instead of conditionals
-		if !n.IsOnline {
+		offline, _ := req.Options[OfflineOption].(bool)
+		if !offline && !n.IsOnline {
 			return errors.New(offlineIdErrorMessage)
 		}
 
-		// We need to actually connect to run identify.
-		err = n.PeerHost.Connect(req.Context, peer.AddrInfo{ID: id})
-		switch err {
-		case nil:
-		case kb.ErrLookupFailure:
-			return errors.New(offlineIdErrorMessage)
-		default:
-			return err
+		if !offline {
+			// We need to actually connect to run identify.
+			err = n.PeerHost.Connect(req.Context, peer.AddrInfo{ID: id})
+			switch err {
+			case nil:
+			case kb.ErrLookupFailure:
+				return errors.New(offlineIdErrorMessage)
+			default:
+				return err
+			}
 		}
 
 		output, err := printPeer(keyEnc, n.Peerstore, id)
diff --git a/test/sharness/t0026-id.sh b/test/sharness/t0026-id.sh
index 8e02fac3711..d30454700e9 100755
--- a/test/sharness/t0026-id.sh
+++ b/test/sharness/t0026-id.sh
@@ -48,10 +48,17 @@ test_expect_success "checking ProtocolVersion" '
   test_cmp expected-protocol-version actual-protocol-version
 '
 
-test_expect_success "checking ID" '
+test_expect_success "checking ID of self" '
   ipfs config Identity.PeerID > expected-id &&
   ipfs id -f "<id>\n" > actual-id &&
   test_cmp expected-id actual-id
 '
 
+test_expect_success "checking ID of random peer offline" '
+  # Peer ID taken from `t0140-swarm.sh` test.
+  echo k2k4r8ncs1yoluq95unsd7x2vfhgve0ncjoggwqx9vyh3vl8warrcp15 > expected-id &&
+  ipfs id -f "<id>\n" --peerid-base base36 --offline QmYyQSo1c1Ym7orWxLYvCrM2EmxFTANf8wXmmE7DWjhx5N > actual-id &&
+  test_cmp expected-id actual-id
+'
+
 test_done