diff --git a/changes/tools/+compile-compose.feature.md b/changes/tools/+compile-compose.feature.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5a581d938
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/tools/+compile-compose.feature.md
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+`xkbcli compile-compose`: the Compose file may be passed as a positional argument
+and `--file` is now deprecated. The file can also be piped to the standard input
+by setting the path to `-`.
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 03695af09..48bbc3079 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -520,6 +520,8 @@ if build_tools
                'src/compose/dump.c',
                'src/compose/dump.h',
                'src/compose/escape.h',
+               'tools/tools-common.c',
+               'tools/tools-common.h',
                dependencies: tools_dep,
                install: true,
                install_dir: dir_libexec)
diff --git a/tools/compile-compose.c b/tools/compile-compose.c
index 7581b62d6..10a033d38 100644
--- a/tools/compile-compose.c
+++ b/tools/compile-compose.c
@@ -32,12 +32,13 @@
 #include "xkbcommon/xkbcommon-compose.h"
 #include "src/compose/dump.h"
 #include "src/keysym.h"
+#include "tools/tools-common.h"
 
 static void
 usage(FILE *fp, char *progname)
 {
     fprintf(fp,
-            "Usage: %s [--help] [--file FILE] [--locale LOCALE] [--test]\n",
+            "Usage: %s [--help] [--locale LOCALE] [--test] [FILE]\n",
             progname);
     fprintf(fp,
             "\n"
@@ -47,7 +48,8 @@ usage(FILE *fp, char *progname)
             " --help\n"
             "    Print this help and exit\n"
             " --file FILE\n"
-            "    Specify a Compose file to load\n"
+            "    Specify a Compose file to load.\n"
+            "    DEPRECATED: use the positional argument instead.\n"
             " --locale LOCALE\n"
             "    Specify the locale directly, instead of relying on the environment variables\n"
             "    LC_ALL, LC_TYPE and LANG.\n"
@@ -58,9 +60,6 @@ usage(FILE *fp, char *progname)
 int
 main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-    int ret = EXIT_FAILURE;
-    struct xkb_context *ctx = NULL;
-    struct xkb_compose_table *compose_table = NULL;
     const char *locale = NULL;
     const char *path = NULL;
     enum xkb_compose_format format = XKB_COMPOSE_FORMAT_TEXT_V1;
@@ -96,6 +95,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         switch (opt) {
         case OPT_FILE:
             path = optarg;
+            fprintf(stderr, "WARNING: the flag --file is deprecated\n");
             break;
         case OPT_LOCALE:
             locale = optarg;
@@ -118,24 +118,56 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
         return EXIT_INVALID_USAGE;
     }
 
-    ctx = xkb_context_new(XKB_CONTEXT_NO_FLAGS);
+    if (optind < argc && !isempty(argv[optind])) {
+        /* Some positional arguments left: use a file */
+        if (path) {
+            fprintf(stderr,
+                    "ERROR: Path already provided via the flag: --file\n");
+            usage(stderr, argv[0]);
+            exit(EXIT_INVALID_USAGE);
+        }
+        path = argv[optind++];
+        if (optind < argc) {
+            fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Too many positional arguments\n");
+            usage(stderr, argv[0]);
+            exit(EXIT_INVALID_USAGE);
+        }
+    } else if (is_pipe_or_regular_file(STDIN_FILENO)) {
+        /* No positional argument: detect piping */
+        path = "-";
+    }
+
+    struct xkb_context *ctx = xkb_context_new(XKB_CONTEXT_NO_FLAGS);
     if (!ctx) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "Couldn't create xkb context\n");
-        goto out;
+        fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Couldn't create xkb context\n");
+        return EXIT_FAILURE;
     }
 
+    int ret = EXIT_FAILURE;
+    struct xkb_compose_table *compose_table = NULL;
+
     if (path != NULL) {
-        FILE *file = fopen(path, "rb");
+        FILE *file;
+        if (isempty(path) || strcmp(path, "-") == 0) {
+            /* Read from stdin */
+            file = tools_read_stdin();
+        } else {
+            /* Read from regular file */
+            file = fopen(path, "rb");
+        }
+
         if (file == NULL) {
             perror(path);
             goto file_error;
         }
+
         compose_table =
             xkb_compose_table_new_from_file(ctx, file, locale, format,
                                             XKB_COMPOSE_COMPILE_NO_FLAGS);
         fclose(file);
         if (!compose_table) {
-            fprintf(stderr, "Couldn't create compose from file: %s\n", path);
+            fprintf(stderr,
+                    "ERROR: Couldn't create compose from file: %s\n", path);
             goto out;
         }
     } else {
@@ -144,7 +176,8 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
                                               XKB_COMPOSE_COMPILE_NO_FLAGS);
         if (!compose_table) {
             fprintf(stderr,
-                    "Couldn't create compose from locale \"%s\"\n", locale);
+                    "ERROR: Couldn't create compose from locale \"%s\"\n",
+                    locale);
             goto out;
         }
     }
diff --git a/tools/compile-keymap.c b/tools/compile-keymap.c
index 007c741c6..5b4da4b81 100644
--- a/tools/compile-keymap.c
+++ b/tools/compile-keymap.c
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ parse_options(int argc, char **argv, char **path, struct xkb_rule_names *names)
         *path = argv[optind++];
         if (optind < argc) {
 too_much_arguments:
-            fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Too much positional arguments\n");
+            fprintf(stderr, "ERROR: Too many positional arguments\n");
             usage(stderr, argv[0]);
             exit(EXIT_INVALID_USAGE);
         }
diff --git a/tools/xkbcli-compile-compose.1 b/tools/xkbcli-compile-compose.1
index cc66cf9ae..7f067370a 100644
--- a/tools/xkbcli-compile-compose.1
+++ b/tools/xkbcli-compile-compose.1
@@ -9,17 +9,27 @@
 .Sh SYNOPSIS
 .Nm
 .Op Ar options
+.Op Ar COMPOSE_FILE
 .
 .Sh DESCRIPTION
 .Nm
 compile and print a Compose file based on the given options
 .
-.Bl -tag -width Ds
+.Bl -tag -width
+.It Ar COMPOSE_FILE
+Path to the compose file to load, or
+.Dq \-
+to read the standard input
+.
 .It Fl \-help
 Print help and exit
 .
 .It Fl \-file Ar FILE
-Specify a Compose file to load
+Specify a Compose file to load, or
+.Dq \-
+to read the standard input.
+.Pp
+DEPRECATED: add the file path without the flag.
 .
 .It Fl \-locale Ar LOCALE
 Specify the locale directly, instead of relying on the environment variables