diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ea1fe35..51183dd 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ This project follows [semantic versioning](http://semver.org).
 ### UNRELEASED
 * [modifed] Changed order of arguments in `addkey` to match src-dst scheme
 * [fixed] Fixed `addkey` subcommand
+* [fixed] Fixed reading tar files from stdin
 
 
 ### v0.3.1 (2017-05-09)
diff --git a/src/cli/args.rs b/src/cli/args.rs
index 72b70d4..dad2cb9 100644
--- a/src/cli/args.rs
+++ b/src/cli/args.rs
@@ -279,6 +279,15 @@ fn validate_existing_path(val: String) -> Result<(), String> {
     }
 }
 
+#[allow(unknown_lints,needless_pass_by_value)]
+fn validate_existing_path_or_stdio(val: String) -> Result<(), String> {
+    if val != "-" && !Path::new(&val).exists() {
+        Err("Path does not exist".to_string())
+    } else {
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
 
 #[allow(unknown_lints,cyclomatic_complexity)]
 pub fn parse() -> Result<(LogLevel, Arguments), ErrorCode> {
@@ -312,7 +321,7 @@ pub fn parse() -> Result<(LogLevel, Arguments), ErrorCode> {
             .arg(Arg::from_usage("--tar 'Read the source data from a tar file'")
                 .conflicts_with_all(&["reference", "exclude", "excludes_from"]))
             .arg(Arg::from_usage("<SRC> 'Source path to backup'")
-                .validator(validate_existing_path))
+                .validator(validate_existing_path_or_stdio))
             .arg(Arg::from_usage("<BACKUP> 'Backup path, [repository]::backup'")
                 .validator(|val| validate_repo_path(val, true, Some(true), Some(false)))))
         .subcommand(SubCommand::with_name("restore").about("Restore a backup or subtree")
diff --git a/src/cli/mod.rs b/src/cli/mod.rs
index 9961e12..f2825c4 100644
--- a/src/cli/mod.rs
+++ b/src/cli/mod.rs
@@ -313,6 +313,10 @@ pub fn run() -> Result<(), ErrorCode> {
                 error!("A backup with that name already exists");
                 return Err(ErrorCode::BackupAlreadyExists)
             }
+            if src_path == "-" && !tar {
+                error!("Reading from stdin requires --tar");
+                return Err(ErrorCode::InvalidArgs)
+            }
             let mut reference_backup = None;
             if !full && !tar {
                 reference_backup = match reference {