diff --git a/backend/cmdlineoptions.go b/backend/cmdlineoptions.go
index ffe8d73..531eed3 100644
--- a/backend/cmdlineoptions.go
+++ b/backend/cmdlineoptions.go
@@ -2,8 +2,11 @@ package backend
 
 import (
 	"flag"
+	"os"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
+
+	"golang.org/x/term"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -29,6 +32,10 @@ var (
 	FlagShuffle        = flag.Bool("shuffle", false, "shuffle the tracklist (to be used with either -play-album or -play-playlist)")
 	FlagVersion        = flag.Bool("version", false, "print app version and exit")
 	FlagHelp           = flag.Bool("help", false, "print command line options and exit")
+
+	FlagPlayAlbum    *bool
+	FlagPlayPlaylist *bool
+	FlagPlayTrack    *bool
 )
 
 func init() {
@@ -57,18 +64,24 @@ func init() {
 		return err
 	})
 
-	flag.Func("play-album-by-id", "start playing the given album (ID)", func(s string) error {
-		PlayAlbumCLIArg = s
-		return nil
-	})
-	flag.Func("play-playlist-by-id", "start playing the given playlist (ID)", func(s string) error {
-		PlayPlaylistCLIArg = s
-		return nil
-	})
-	flag.Func("play-track-by-id", "start playing the given track (ID)", func(s string) error {
-		PlayTrackCLIArg = s
-		return nil
-	})
+	if term.IsTerminal(int(os.Stdin.Fd())) {
+		flag.Func("play-album-by-id", "start playing the album with the given ID (can also be passed from standard input)", func(s string) error {
+			PlayAlbumCLIArg = s
+			return nil
+		})
+		flag.Func("play-playlist-by-id", "start playing the playlist with the given ID (can also be passed from standard input)", func(s string) error {
+			PlayPlaylistCLIArg = s
+			return nil
+		})
+		flag.Func("play-track-by-id", "start playing the track with the given ID (can also be passed from standard input)", func(s string) error {
+			PlayTrackCLIArg = s
+			return nil
+		})
+	} else {
+		FlagPlayAlbum = flag.Bool("play-album-by-id", false, "")
+		FlagPlayPlaylist = flag.Bool("play-playlist-by-id", false, "")
+		FlagPlayTrack = flag.Bool("play-track-by-id", false, "")
+	}
 	flag.Func("first-track", "start playing from given track (positive integer, to be used with either -play-album or -play-playlist)", func(s string) error {
 		v, err := strconv.Atoi(s)
 		FirstTrackCLIArg = v
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index f26226d..c956a07 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/zalando/go-keyring v0.2.6
 	golang.org/x/net v0.35.0
 	golang.org/x/sys v0.30.0
+	golang.org/x/term v0.29.0
 	golang.org/x/text v0.22.0
 )
 
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index fbd0355..142f6fa 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -168,6 +168,8 @@ golang.org/x/sys v0.30.0/go.mod h1:/VUhepiaJMQUp4+oa/7Zr1D23ma6VTLIYjOOTFZPUcA=
 golang.org/x/term v0.0.0-20201126162022-7de9c90e9dd1/go.mod h1:bj7SfCRtBDWHUb9snDiAeCFNEtKQo2Wmx5Cou7ajbmo=
 golang.org/x/term v0.0.0-20210927222741-03fcf44c2211/go.mod h1:jbD1KX2456YbFQfuXm/mYQcufACuNUgVhRMnK/tPxf8=
 golang.org/x/term v0.5.0/go.mod h1:jMB1sMXY+tzblOD4FWmEbocvup2/aLOaQEp7JmGp78k=
+golang.org/x/term v0.29.0 h1:L6pJp37ocefwRRtYPKSWOWzOtWSxVajvz2ldH/xi3iU=
+golang.org/x/term v0.29.0/go.mod h1:6bl4lRlvVuDgSf3179VpIxBF0o10JUpXWOnI7nErv7s=
 golang.org/x/text v0.3.0/go.mod h1:NqM8EUOU14njkJ3fqMW+pc6Ldnwhi/IjpwHt7yyuwOQ=
 golang.org/x/text v0.3.3/go.mod h1:5Zoc/QRtKVWzQhOtBMvqHzDpF6irO9z98xDceosuGiQ=
 golang.org/x/text v0.3.7/go.mod h1:u+2+/6zg+i71rQMx5EYifcz6MCKuco9NR6JIITiCfzQ=
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 25e8563..b9ea66f 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/dweymouth/supersonic/res"
 	"github.com/dweymouth/supersonic/ui"
 	"github.com/dweymouth/supersonic/ui/util"
+	"golang.org/x/term"
 
 	"fyne.io/fyne/v2"
 	"fyne.io/fyne/v2/app"
@@ -31,6 +32,15 @@ func main() {
 		flag.Usage()
 		return
 	}
+	if !term.IsTerminal(int(os.Stdin.Fd())) {
+		if *backend.FlagPlayAlbum {
+			fmt.Scanln(&backend.PlayAlbumCLIArg)
+		} else if *backend.FlagPlayPlaylist {
+			fmt.Scanln(&backend.PlayPlaylistCLIArg)
+		} else if *backend.FlagPlayTrack {
+			fmt.Scanln(&backend.PlayTrackCLIArg)
+		}
+	}
 	// rest of flag actions are handled in backend.StartupApp
 
 	myApp, err := backend.StartupApp(res.AppName, res.DisplayName, res.AppVersion, res.AppVersionTag, res.LatestReleaseURL)