diff --git a/decode.go b/decode.go
index 371ddc2..4a9dced 100644
--- a/decode.go
+++ b/decode.go
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ var decode = &cli.Command{
 	},
 	ArgsUsage: "<npub | nprofile | nip05 | nevent | naddr | nsec>",
 	Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
-		for input := range getStdinLinesOrFirstArgument(c) {
+		for input := range getStdinLinesOrFirstArgument(c.Args().First()) {
 			if strings.HasPrefix(input, "nostr:") {
 				input = input[6:]
 			}
diff --git a/encode.go b/encode.go
index 107c47d..3362595 100644
--- a/encode.go
+++ b/encode.go
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ var encode = &cli.Command{
 			Name:  "npub",
 			Usage: "encode a hex public key into bech32 'npub' format",
 			Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
-				for target := range getStdinLinesOrFirstArgument(c) {
+				for target := range getStdinLinesOrFirstArgument(c.Args().First()) {
 					if ok := nostr.IsValidPublicKey(target); !ok {
 						lineProcessingError(c, "invalid public key: %s", target)
 						continue
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ var encode = &cli.Command{
 			Name:  "nsec",
 			Usage: "encode a hex private key into bech32 'nsec' format",
 			Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
-				for target := range getStdinLinesOrFirstArgument(c) {
+				for target := range getStdinLinesOrFirstArgument(c.Args().First()) {
 					if ok := nostr.IsValid32ByteHex(target); !ok {
 						lineProcessingError(c, "invalid private key: %s", target)
 						continue
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ var encode = &cli.Command{
 				},
 			},
 			Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
-				for target := range getStdinLinesOrFirstArgument(c) {
+				for target := range getStdinLinesOrFirstArgument(c.Args().First()) {
 					if ok := nostr.IsValid32ByteHex(target); !ok {
 						lineProcessingError(c, "invalid public key: %s", target)
 						continue
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ var encode = &cli.Command{
 				},
 			},
 			Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
-				for target := range getStdinLinesOrFirstArgument(c) {
+				for target := range getStdinLinesOrFirstArgument(c.Args().First()) {
 					if ok := nostr.IsValid32ByteHex(target); !ok {
 						lineProcessingError(c, "invalid event id: %s", target)
 						continue
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ var encode = &cli.Command{
 			Name:  "note",
 			Usage: "generate note1 event codes (not recommended)",
 			Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
-				for target := range getStdinLinesOrFirstArgument(c) {
+				for target := range getStdinLinesOrFirstArgument(c.Args().First()) {
 					if ok := nostr.IsValid32ByteHex(target); !ok {
 						lineProcessingError(c, "invalid event id: %s", target)
 						continue
diff --git a/fetch.go b/fetch.go
index 7f3d966..724d8ff 100644
--- a/fetch.go
+++ b/fetch.go
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ var fetch = &cli.Command{
 			})
 		}()
 
-		for code := range getStdinLinesOrFirstArgument(c) {
+		for code := range getStdinLinesOrFirstArgument(c.Args().First()) {
 			filter := nostr.Filter{}
 
 			prefix, value, err := nip19.Decode(code)
diff --git a/helpers.go b/helpers.go
index 9353fa7..b3a6921 100644
--- a/helpers.go
+++ b/helpers.go
@@ -47,12 +47,11 @@ func getStdinLinesOrBlank() chan string {
 	}
 }
 
-func getStdinLinesOrFirstArgument(c *cli.Context) chan string {
+func getStdinLinesOrFirstArgument(arg string) chan string {
 	// try the first argument
-	target := c.Args().First()
-	if target != "" {
+	if arg != "" {
 		single := make(chan string, 1)
-		single <- target
+		single <- arg
 		close(single)
 		return single
 	}
diff --git a/key.go b/key.go
index d51ee0f..645fdbf 100644
--- a/key.go
+++ b/key.go
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ var public = &cli.Command{
 	Description: ``,
 	ArgsUsage:   "[secret]",
 	Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
-		for sec := range getSecretKeyFromStdinLinesOrFirstArgument(c) {
+		for sec := range getSecretKeyFromStdinLinesOrFirstArgument(c, c.Args().First()) {
 			pubkey, err := nostr.GetPublicKey(sec)
 			if err != nil {
 				lineProcessingError(c, "failed to derive public key: %s", err)
@@ -65,11 +65,20 @@ var encrypt = &cli.Command{
 		},
 	},
 	Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
-		password := c.Args().Get(c.Args().Len() - 1)
+		var content string
+		var password string
+		switch c.Args().Len() {
+		case 1:
+			content = ""
+			password = c.Args().Get(0)
+		case 2:
+			content = c.Args().Get(0)
+			password = c.Args().Get(1)
+		}
 		if password == "" {
 			return fmt.Errorf("no password given")
 		}
-		for sec := range getSecretKeyFromStdinLinesOrFirstArgument(c) {
+		for sec := range getSecretKeyFromStdinLinesOrFirstArgument(c, content) {
 			ncryptsec, err := nip49.Encrypt(sec, password, uint8(c.Int("logn")), 0x02)
 			if err != nil {
 				lineProcessingError(c, "failed to encrypt: %s", err)
@@ -87,11 +96,20 @@ var decrypt = &cli.Command{
 	Description: `uses the NIP-49 standard.`,
 	ArgsUsage:   "<ncryptsec-code> <password>",
 	Action: func(c *cli.Context) error {
-		password := c.Args().Get(c.Args().Len() - 1)
+		var content string
+		var password string
+		switch c.Args().Len() {
+		case 1:
+			content = ""
+			password = c.Args().Get(0)
+		case 2:
+			content = c.Args().Get(0)
+			password = c.Args().Get(1)
+		}
 		if password == "" {
 			return fmt.Errorf("no password given")
 		}
-		for ncryptsec := range getStdinLinesOrFirstArgument(c) {
+		for ncryptsec := range getStdinLinesOrFirstArgument(content) {
 			sec, err := nip49.Decrypt(ncryptsec, password)
 			if err != nil {
 				lineProcessingError(c, "failed to decrypt: %s", err)
@@ -104,10 +122,10 @@ var decrypt = &cli.Command{
 	},
 }
 
-func getSecretKeyFromStdinLinesOrFirstArgument(c *cli.Context) chan string {
+func getSecretKeyFromStdinLinesOrFirstArgument(c *cli.Context, content string) chan string {
 	ch := make(chan string)
 	go func() {
-		for sec := range getStdinLinesOrFirstArgument(c) {
+		for sec := range getStdinLinesOrFirstArgument(content) {
 			if sec == "" {
 				continue
 			}