diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e29756f..776afbe 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -84,7 +84,9 @@ $ sensu-wrapper -d -n "name" -d -T 25 ping 8.8.8.8
 
 #### Extra JSON
 
-Many people who use Sensu will add arbitrary JSON fields to their checks which are then used in handlers. `sensu-wrapper` supports this by specifying the path to a file to read in which will then be sent in the check. For example you might have a file like so:
+Many people who use Sensu will add arbitrary JSON fields to their checks which are then used in handlers. `sensu-wrapper` supports this in two ways.
+
+First, you can add JSON by specifying the path to a file to read in which will then be sent in the check. For example you might have a file like so:
 
 ```json
 # /tmp/mycheck.json
@@ -102,6 +104,13 @@ $ sensu-wrapper -n "testing" -f /tmp/json -H default -d --ttl 30 -source "mychec
 {"command":"/bin/echo hello","environment":"production","handlers":["default"],"message":"there is a problem","name":"testing","output":"hello\n","runbook":"http://url","source":"mycheck","status":0,"ttl":30}
 ```
 
+Alternatively, you can specify JSON directly as a string:
+
+```shell
+$ sensu-wrapper -d -n "testing" -j '{"test_field": "hello"}' /bin/echo 'hello'
+{"command":"/bin/echo hello","name":"testing","output":"hello\n","status":0,"test_field":"hello"}
+```
+
 ## Building
 
 Make sure your `$GOPATH` is set: https://github.com/golang/go/wiki/GOPATH
diff --git a/sensu-wrapper.go b/sensu-wrapper.go
index d02855e..e4f53dc 100644
--- a/sensu-wrapper.go
+++ b/sensu-wrapper.go
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ func main() {
 		cli.StringFlag{Name: "source, S, s", Usage: "The source of the check"},
 		cli.StringSliceFlag{Name: "handlers, H", Usage: "The handlers to use for the check"},
 		cli.StringFlag{Name: "json-file, f", Usage: "JSON file to read and add to output"},
+		cli.StringFlag{Name: "json, j", Usage: "JSON string to add to output"},
 	}
 
 	app.Name = "Sensu Wrapper"
@@ -133,18 +134,45 @@ func main() {
 		var output_json []byte
 
 		if c.IsSet("json-file") {
-			json_file, err := ioutil.ReadFile(c.String("json-file"))
+			additional_json, err := ioutil.ReadFile(c.String("json-file"))
 			// check for file errors
 			if err != nil {
 				panic(err)
 			}
 			// create to unmarshal JSON
 			values := map[string]interface{}{}
-			if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(json_file), &values); err != nil {
+			if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(additional_json), &values); err != nil {
 				return cli.NewExitError("Invalid JSON in"+c.String("json-file"), -1)
 			}
 
-			// appened the values from sensu_values struct
+			// append the values from sensu_values struct
+			values["name"] = sensu_values.Name
+			values["command"] = sensu_values.Command
+			values["status"] = sensu_values.Status
+			values["output"] = sensu_values.Output
+			if sensu_values.Ttl != 0 {
+				values["ttl"] = sensu_values.Ttl
+			}
+			if sensu_values.Source != "" {
+				values["source"] = sensu_values.Source
+			}
+			if len(sensu_values.Handlers) != 0 {
+				values["handlers"] = sensu_values.Handlers
+			}
+			// marshal final values into JSON
+			output_json, _ = json.Marshal(values)
+
+		} else if c.IsSet("json") {
+			additional_json := c.String("json")
+
+			//FIXME: Remove duplicate code here
+
+			// create to unmarshal JSON
+			values := map[string]interface{}{}
+			if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(additional_json), &values); err != nil {
+				return cli.NewExitError("Invalid JSON in"+c.String("json"), -1)
+			}
+			// append the values from sensu_values struct
 			values["name"] = sensu_values.Name
 			values["command"] = sensu_values.Command
 			values["status"] = sensu_values.Status