diff --git a/lrzip.c b/lrzip.c
index d4ad141..e9989ff 100644
--- a/lrzip.c
+++ b/lrzip.c
@@ -586,7 +586,9 @@ static int get_pass(rzip_control *control, char *s)
 	int len;
 
 	memset(s, 0, PASS_LEN - SALT_LEN);
-	if (unlikely(fgets(s, PASS_LEN - SALT_LEN, stdin) == NULL))
+	if (control->passphrase)
+		strncpy(s, control->passphrase, PASS_LEN - SALT_LEN - 1);
+	else if (unlikely(fgets(s, PASS_LEN - SALT_LEN, stdin) == NULL))
 		failure_return(("Failed to retrieve passphrase\n"), -1);
 	len = strlen(s);
 	if (len > 0 && ('\r' ==  s[len - 1] || '\n' == s[len - 1]))
@@ -603,6 +605,7 @@ static bool get_hash(rzip_control *control, int make_hash)
 {
 	char *passphrase, *testphrase;
 	struct termios termios_p;
+	int prompt = control->passphrase == NULL;
 
 	passphrase = calloc(PASS_LEN, 1);
 	testphrase = calloc(PASS_LEN, 1);
@@ -637,13 +640,17 @@ static bool get_hash(rzip_control *control, int make_hash)
 		termios_p.c_lflag &= ~ECHO;
 		tcsetattr(fileno(stdin), 0, &termios_p);
 retry_pass:
-		print_output("Enter passphrase: ");
+		if (prompt)
+			print_output("Enter passphrase: ");
 		control->salt_pass_len = get_pass(control, passphrase) + SALT_LEN;
-		print_output("\n");
-		if (make_hash) {
-			print_output("Re-enter passphrase: ");
-			get_pass(control, testphrase);
+		if (prompt)
 			print_output("\n");
+		if (make_hash) {
+			if (prompt)
+				print_output("Re-enter passphrase: ");
+			get_pass(control, testphrase);
+			if (prompt)
+				print_output("\n");
 			if (strcmp(passphrase, testphrase)) {
 				print_output("Passwords do not match. Try again.\n");
 				goto retry_pass;
diff --git a/lrzip_private.h b/lrzip_private.h
index 225df71..a83d747 100644
--- a/lrzip_private.h
+++ b/lrzip_private.h
@@ -422,6 +422,7 @@ struct rzip_control {
 	uchar *salt_pass;
 	int salt_pass_len;
 	uchar *hash;
+	char *passphrase;
 
 	pthread_mutex_t control_lock;
 	unsigned char eof;
diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index 4e78696..22dce01 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ static void usage(bool compat)
 	} else
 		print_output("	-c, -C, --check		check integrity of file written on decompression\n");
 	print_output("	-d, --decompress	decompress\n");
-	print_output("	-e, --encrypt		password protected sha512/aes128 encryption on compression\n");
+	print_output("	-e, --encrypt[=password] password protected sha512/aes128 encryption on compression\n");
 	print_output("	-h, -?, --help		show help\n");
 	print_output("	-H, --hash		display md5 hash integrity information\n");
 	print_output("	-i, --info		show compressed file information\n");
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ static struct option long_options[] = {
 	{"check",	no_argument,	0,	'C'},
 	{"decompress",	no_argument,	0,	'd'},
 	{"delete",	no_argument,	0,	'D'},
-	{"encrypt",	no_argument,	0,	'e'}, /* 5 */
+	{"encrypt",	optional_argument,	0,	'e'}, /* 5 */
 	{"force",	no_argument,	0,	'f'},
 	{"gzip",	no_argument,	0,	'g'},
 	{"help",	no_argument,	0,	'h'},
@@ -374,6 +374,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			break;
 		case 'e':
 			control->flags |= FLAG_ENCRYPT;
+			control->passphrase = optarg;
 			break;
 		case 'f':
 			control->flags |= FLAG_FORCE_REPLACE;
diff --git a/man/lrz.1.pod b/man/lrz.1.pod
index efd44d2..ccc64e2 100644
--- a/man/lrz.1.pod
+++ b/man/lrz.1.pod
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ Check integrity of file written on decompression.
 Decompress.
 
 
-=item B<--encrypt>
+=item B<--encrypt>[=I<password>]
 
 =item B<-e>
 
diff --git a/man/lrzip.1 b/man/lrzip.1
index ebb37ac..5891650 100644
--- a/man/lrzip.1
+++ b/man/lrzip.1
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ Here is a summary of the options to lrzip\&.
 General options:
  \-c, \-\-check             check integrity of file written on decompression
  \-d, \-\-decompress        decompress
- \-e, \-\-encrypt           password protected sha512/aes128 encryption on compression
+ \-e, \-\-encrypt[=password] password protected sha512/aes128 encryption on compression
  \-h, \-?, \-\-help          show help
  \-H, \-\-hash              display md5 hash integrity information
  \-i, \-\-info              show compressed file information
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ the name used to launch the program. If it contains the string
 "lrzcat" then the \-d \-o \- options are automatically set.
 .IP
 .IP "\fB-e\fP"
+.IP "\fB\-\-encrypt\fP[=\fIpassword\fP]"
 Encrypt. This option enables high grade password encryption using a combination
 of multiply sha512 hashed password, random salt and aes128 CBC encryption.
 Passwords up to 500 characters long are supported, and the encryption mechanism