diff --git a/command/init.go b/command/init.go
index 8e170b483..82f29c414 100644
--- a/command/init.go
+++ b/command/init.go
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ func (g *pgpkeys) Set(value string) error {
 		return errors.New("pgp-keys can only be specified once")
 	}
 	for _, keyfile := range strings.Split(value, ",") {
+		if keyfile[0] == '@' {
+			keyfile = keyfile[1:]
+		}
 		f, err := os.Open(keyfile)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
diff --git a/command/init_test.go b/command/init_test.go
index eda3a92a5..e2afcba1f 100644
--- a/command/init_test.go
+++ b/command/init_test.go
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ func TestInit_PGP(t *testing.T) {
 	args := []string{
 		"-address", addr,
 		"-key-shares", "2",
-		"-pgp-keys", tempDir + "/pubkey1," + tempDir + "/pubkey2," + tempDir + "/pubkey3",
+		"-pgp-keys", tempDir + "/pubkey1,@" + tempDir + "/pubkey2," + tempDir + "/pubkey3",
 		"-key-threshold", "2",
 	}