diff --git a/main/commands/all/base64/base64.go b/main/commands/all/base64/base64.go
index 7bdc41977..84438fa5d 100644
--- a/main/commands/all/base64/base64.go
+++ b/main/commands/all/base64/base64.go
@@ -18,9 +18,9 @@ var CmdBase64 = &base.Command{
 	},
 }
 
-func readInput(name string) ([]byte, error) {
-	if name == "stdin:" {
+func readInput(args []string) ([]byte, error) {
+	if len(args) == 0 || args[0] == "-" || args[0] == "stdin:" {
 		return io.ReadAll(os.Stdin)
 	}
-	return os.ReadFile(name)
+	return os.ReadFile(args[0])
 }
diff --git a/main/commands/all/base64/decode.go b/main/commands/all/base64/decode.go
index 7d3298818..1b7b74927 100644
--- a/main/commands/all/base64/decode.go
+++ b/main/commands/all/base64/decode.go
@@ -10,17 +10,17 @@ import (
 )
 
 var cmdDecode = &base.Command{
-	UsageLine: "{{.Exec}} base64 decode [-gzip] [file | stdin:]",
+	UsageLine: "{{.Exec}} base64 decode [-gzip] [file | - | stdin:]",
 	Short:     "Decode Base64",
 	Long: fmt.Sprintf(`
-Decode Base64 from a file or stdin:.
+Decode Base64 from a file; omit file or pass "-" or "stdin:" to read stdin.
 Accepts %s, %s, or no prefix.
 Use -gzip to decompress gzip; %s is decompressed automatically.
 
 Examples:
 
 	{{.Exec}} base64 decode encoded.txt
-	{{.Exec}} base64 decode -gzip stdin:
+	{{.Exec}} base64 decode -gzip -
 `, xbase64.Prefix, xbase64.GzipPrefix, xbase64.GzipPrefix),
 }
 
@@ -31,10 +31,10 @@ func init() {
 }
 
 func executeDecode(cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
-	if len(args) != 1 {
+	if len(args) > 1 {
 		cmd.Usage()
 	}
-	input, err := readInput(args[0])
+	input, err := readInput(args)
 	if err != nil {
 		base.Fatalf("failed to read input: %s", err)
 	}
diff --git a/main/commands/all/base64/encode.go b/main/commands/all/base64/encode.go
index 7e3c16dde..1378bc06f 100644
--- a/main/commands/all/base64/encode.go
+++ b/main/commands/all/base64/encode.go
@@ -9,17 +9,17 @@ import (
 )
 
 var cmdEncode = &base.Command{
-	UsageLine: "{{.Exec}} base64 encode [-gzip] [file | stdin:]",
+	UsageLine: "{{.Exec}} base64 encode [-gzip] [file | - | stdin:]",
 	Short:     "Encode as Base64",
 	Long: fmt.Sprintf(`
-Encode a file or stdin: as Base64 with the %s prefix.
-Use -gzip to compress with gzip and output %s.
+Encode a file as Base64 with the %s prefix.
+Omit file or pass "-" or "stdin:" to read stdin. Use -gzip to compress and output %s.
 
 Examples:
 
 	{{.Exec}} base64 encode data.bin
 	{{.Exec}} base64 encode -gzip data.bin
-	{{.Exec}} base64 encode stdin:
+	{{.Exec}} base64 encode
 `, xbase64.Prefix, xbase64.GzipPrefix),
 }
 
@@ -30,10 +30,10 @@ func init() {
 }
 
 func executeEncode(cmd *base.Command, args []string) {
-	if len(args) != 1 {
+	if len(args) > 1 {
 		cmd.Usage()
 	}
-	data, err := readInput(args[0])
+	data, err := readInput(args)
 	if err != nil {
 		base.Fatalf("failed to read input: %s", err)
 	}