diff --git a/onionshare/__init__.py b/onionshare/__init__.py
index 76d2b601..ad1d300b 100644
--- a/onionshare/__init__.py
+++ b/onionshare/__init__.py
@@ -44,9 +44,10 @@ def main(cwd=None):
     parser.add_argument('--stay-open', action='store_true', dest='stay_open', help=strings._("help_stay_open"))
     parser.add_argument('--shutdown-timeout', metavar='<int>', dest='shutdown_timeout', default=0, help=strings._("help_shutdown_timeout"))
     parser.add_argument('--stealth', action='store_true', dest='stealth', help=strings._("help_stealth"))
-    parser.add_argument('--debug', action='store_true', dest='debug', help=strings._("help_debug"))
+    parser.add_argument('--receive', action='store_true', dest='receive', help=strings._("help_receive"))
     parser.add_argument('--config', metavar='config', default=False, help=strings._('help_config'))
-    parser.add_argument('filename', metavar='filename', nargs='+', help=strings._('help_filename'))
+    parser.add_argument('--debug', action='store_true', dest='debug', help=strings._("help_debug"))
+    parser.add_argument('filename', metavar='filename', nargs='*', help=strings._('help_filename'))
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
     filenames = args.filename
@@ -58,8 +59,14 @@ def main(cwd=None):
     stay_open = bool(args.stay_open)
     shutdown_timeout = int(args.shutdown_timeout)
     stealth = bool(args.stealth)
+    receive = bool(args.receive)
     config = args.config
 
+    # Make sure filenames given if not using receiver mode
+    if not receive and len(filenames) == 0:
+        print(strings._('no_filenames'))
+        sys.exit()
+
     # Debug mode?
     if debug:
         common.set_debug(debug)
@@ -92,7 +99,7 @@ def main(cwd=None):
 
     # Start the onionshare app
     try:
-        app = OnionShare(onion, local_only, stay_open, shutdown_timeout)
+        app = OnionShare(onion, receive, local_only, stay_open, shutdown_timeout)
         app.set_stealth(stealth)
         app.start_onion_service()
     except KeyboardInterrupt:
diff --git a/onionshare/onionshare.py b/onionshare/onionshare.py
index 85bfaf22..a8f2ceb0 100644
--- a/onionshare/onionshare.py
+++ b/onionshare/onionshare.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class OnionShare(object):
     OnionShare is the main application class. Pass in options and run
     start_onion_service and it will do the magic.
     """
-    def __init__(self, onion, local_only=False, stay_open=False, shutdown_timeout=0):
+    def __init__(self, onion, receive, local_only=False, stay_open=False, shutdown_timeout=0):
         common.log('OnionShare', '__init__')
 
         # The Onion object
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ class OnionShare(object):
         self.onion_host = None
         self.stealth = None
 
+        # Receiver mode
+        self.receive = receive
+
         # files and dirs to delete on shutdown
         self.cleanup_filenames = []
 
diff --git a/onionshare_gui/__init__.py b/onionshare_gui/__init__.py
index 24e627bb..945487fc 100644
--- a/onionshare_gui/__init__.py
+++ b/onionshare_gui/__init__.py
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ def main():
 
     # Start the OnionShare app
     web.set_stay_open(stay_open)
-    app = OnionShare(onion, local_only, stay_open, shutdown_timeout)
+    app = OnionShare(onion, False, local_only, stay_open, shutdown_timeout)
 
     # Launch the gui
     gui = OnionShareGui(onion, qtapp, app, filenames, config)
diff --git a/share/locale/en.json b/share/locale/en.json
index 09ead591..e72686b8 100644
--- a/share/locale/en.json
+++ b/share/locale/en.json
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
     "ctrlc_to_stop":  "Press Ctrl-C to stop server",
     "not_a_file": "{0:s} is not a valid file.",
     "not_a_readable_file": "{0:s} is not a readable file.",
+    "no_filenames": "You must specify a list of files to share.",
     "no_available_port": "Could not start the Onion service as there was no available port.",
     "download_page_loaded": "Download page loaded",
     "other_page_loaded": "Address loaded",
@@ -31,6 +32,7 @@
     "help_shutdown_timeout": "Shut down the onion service after N seconds",
     "help_transparent_torification": "My system is transparently torified",
     "help_stealth": "Create stealth onion service (advanced)",
+    "help_receive": "Receive files instead of sending them",
     "help_debug": "Log application errors to stdout, and log web errors to disk",
     "help_filename": "List of files or folders to share",
     "help_config": "Path to a custom JSON config file (optional)",