diff --git a/encode.go b/encode.go
index debec81..c8090b2 100644
--- a/encode.go
+++ b/encode.go
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ var encode = &cli.Command{
 			Name:  "npub",
 			Usage: "encode a hex private key into bech32 'npub' format",
 			Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
-				target := c.Args().First()
+				target := getStdinOrFirstArgument(c)
 				if err := validate32BytesHex(target); err != nil {
 					return err
 				}
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ var encode = &cli.Command{
 			Name:  "nsec",
 			Usage: "encode a hex private key into bech32 'nsec' format",
 			Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
-				target := c.Args().First()
+				target := getStdinOrFirstArgument(c)
 				if err := validate32BytesHex(target); err != nil {
 					return err
 				}
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ var encode = &cli.Command{
 				},
 			},
 			Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
-				target := c.Args().First()
+				target := getStdinOrFirstArgument(c)
 				if err := validate32BytesHex(target); err != nil {
 					return err
 				}
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ var encode = &cli.Command{
 				},
 			},
 			Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
-				target := c.Args().First()
+				target := getStdinOrFirstArgument(c)
 				if err := validate32BytesHex(target); err != nil {
 					return err
 				}
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ var encode = &cli.Command{
 			Name:  "note",
 			Usage: "generate note1 event codes (not recommended)",
 			Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
-				target := c.Args().First()
+				target := getStdinOrFirstArgument(c)
 				if err := validate32BytesHex(target); err != nil {
 					return err
 				}
diff --git a/fetch.go b/fetch.go
index e6dc299..fa284be 100644
--- a/fetch.go
+++ b/fetch.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ var fetch = &cli.Command{
 	ArgsUsage:   "[nip19code]",
 	Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
 		filter := nostr.Filter{}
-		code := c.Args().First()
+		code := getStdinOrFirstArgument(c)
 
 		prefix, value, err := nip19.Decode(code)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/helpers.go b/helpers.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d71c02a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/helpers.go
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+package main
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"io"
+	"os"
+
+	"github.com/urfave/cli/v2"
+)
+
+func getStdin() string {
+	stat, _ := os.Stdin.Stat()
+	if (stat.Mode() & os.ModeCharDevice) == 0 {
+		read := bytes.NewBuffer(make([]byte, 0, 1000))
+		_, err := io.Copy(read, os.Stdin)
+		if err == nil {
+			return read.String()
+		}
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+func getStdinOrFirstArgument(c *cli.Context) string {
+	target := c.Args().First()
+	if target != "" {
+		return target
+	}
+	return getStdin()
+}