diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8843d43..cc2e8bd 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ It is a very simple client-side implementation of the [Templates + Parameterizat
 ## Synopsis
 
 ```
-ktmpl 0.4.0
+ktmpl 0.5.0
 Produces a Kubernetes manifest from a parameterized template
 
 USAGE:
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ OPTIONS:
         Supplies a value for the named parameter
 
 ARGS:
-    <template>    Path to the template file to be processed
+    <template>    Path to the template file to be processed (use "-" to read from stdin)
 ```
 
 ## Usage
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ ktmpl example.yml --parameter MONGODB_PASSWORD secret
 
 Template parameters that have default values can be overridden with the same mechanism:
 
-
 ``` bash
 ktmpl example.yml --parameter MONGODB_USER carl --parameter MONGODB_PASSWORD secret
 ```
@@ -48,7 +47,7 @@ ktmpl example.yml --parameter MONGODB_USER carl --parameter MONGODB_PASSWORD sec
 The processed template will be output to stdout, suitable for piping into a `kubectl` command:
 
 ``` bash
-ktmpl example.yml --parameter MONGODB_PASSWORD=password | kubectl create -f -
+ktmpl example.yml --parameter MONGODB_PASSWORD password | kubectl create -f -
 ```
 
 If a parameter's `parameterType` is `base64`, the value passed for that parameter via `--parameter` will be Base64-encoded before being inserted into the template.
@@ -60,6 +59,12 @@ ktmpl example.yml --base64-parameter MONGODB_PASSWORD c2VjcmV0 | kubectl create
 
 This can be handy when working with Kubernetes secrets, or anywhere else binary or opaque data is needed.
 
+It's also possible to supply the template via stdin instead of a named file by using `-` as the filename:
+
+``` bash
+cat example.yml | ktmpl - --parameter MONGODB_PASSWORD password | kubectl create -f -
+```
+
 ## Installing ktmpl
 
 ### Cargo
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 20fe584..d5ced61 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -31,10 +31,12 @@ fn real_main() -> Result<(), String> {
     let matches = App::new("ktmpl")
         .version(env!("CARGO_PKG_VERSION"))
         .about("Produces a Kubernetes manifest from a parameterized template")
+        .setting(AppSettings::ArgRequiredElseHelp)
         .setting(AppSettings::AllowLeadingHyphen)
         .arg(
             Arg::with_name("template")
-                .help("Path to the template file to be processed")
+                .help("Path to the template file to be processed (use \"-\" to read from stdin)")
+                .required(true)
                 .index(1)
         )
         .arg(
@@ -72,16 +74,18 @@ fn real_main() -> Result<(), String> {
         values.extend(encoded_values);
     }
 
+    let filename = matches.value_of("template").expect("template wasn't provided");
     let mut template_data = String::new();
-    if matches.is_present("template") {
-        let filename = matches.value_of("template").expect("template wasn't provided");
+
+    if filename == "-" {
+        try!(
+            stdin().read_to_string(&mut template_data).map_err(|err| err.description().to_owned())
+        );
+    } else {
         let mut file = try!(File::open(filename).map_err(|err| err.description().to_owned()));
         try!(file.read_to_string(&mut template_data).map_err(|err| err.description().to_owned()));
-    } else {
-        try!(stdin().read_to_string(&mut template_data).map_err(|err| err.description().to_owned()));
     }
 
-
     let template = try!(Template::new(template_data, values));
 
     match template.process() {