diff --git a/cranelift/src/clif-util.rs b/cranelift/src/clif-util.rs
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index c54c5b2d2c..925f42f3fd
--- a/cranelift/src/clif-util.rs
+++ b/cranelift/src/clif-util.rs
@@ -47,17 +47,17 @@ pub type CommandResult = Result<(), String>;
 
 fn add_input_file_arg<'a>() -> clap::Arg<'a, 'a> {
     Arg::with_name("file")
-        .required(true)
+        .default_value("-")
         .multiple(true)
         .value_name("file")
-        .help("Specify file(s) to be used for test")
+        .help("Specify file(s) to be used for test. Defaults to reading from stdin.")
 }
 
 fn add_single_input_file_arg<'a>() -> clap::Arg<'a, 'a> {
     Arg::with_name("single-file")
-        .required(true)
+        .default_value("-")
         .value_name("single-file")
-        .help("Specify a file to be used")
+        .help("Specify a file to be used. Defaults to reading from stdin.")
 }
 
 fn add_pass_arg<'a>() -> clap::Arg<'a, 'a> {
diff --git a/cranelift/src/utils.rs b/cranelift/src/utils.rs
index 871483c891..9315ff33d3 100644
--- a/cranelift/src/utils.rs
+++ b/cranelift/src/utils.rs
@@ -12,17 +12,29 @@ use target_lexicon::Triple;
 
 /// Read an entire file into a string.
 pub fn read_to_string<P: AsRef<Path>>(path: P) -> io::Result<String> {
-    let mut file = File::open(path)?;
     let mut buffer = String::new();
-    file.read_to_string(&mut buffer)?;
+    if path.as_ref() == Path::new("-") {
+        let stdin = io::stdin();
+        let mut stdin = stdin.lock();
+        stdin.read_to_string(&mut buffer)?;
+    } else {
+        let mut file = File::open(path)?;
+        file.read_to_string(&mut buffer)?;
+    }
     Ok(buffer)
 }
 
 /// Read an entire file into a vector of bytes.
 pub fn read_to_end<P: AsRef<Path>>(path: P) -> io::Result<Vec<u8>> {
-    let mut file = File::open(path)?;
     let mut buffer = Vec::new();
-    file.read_to_end(&mut buffer)?;
+    if path.as_ref() == Path::new("-") {
+        let stdin = io::stdin();
+        let mut stdin = stdin.lock();
+        stdin.read_to_end(&mut buffer)?;
+    } else {
+        let mut file = File::open(path)?;
+        file.read_to_end(&mut buffer)?;
+    }
     Ok(buffer)
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/filetests/src/lib.rs b/lib/filetests/src/lib.rs
index d7238bb561..f8e796182e 100644
--- a/lib/filetests/src/lib.rs
+++ b/lib/filetests/src/lib.rs
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ pub fn run_passes(verbose: bool, passes: &[String], target: &str, file: &String)
     let mut runner = TestRunner::new(verbose);
 
     let path = Path::new(file);
-    if path.is_file() {
+    if path == Path::new("-") || path.is_file() {
         runner.push_test(path);
     } else {
         runner.push_dir(path);