diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c8eeb16..1d7e494 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -17,9 +17,11 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Added
 - Hooks now have the optional `allow_failure` field.
+- In hooks, the `stdin_str` has been added in replacement of the previous `stdin` behavior.
 
 ### Changed
 - Hooks are now cleaned right after the current challenge has been validated instead of after the certificate's retrieval.
+- In hooks, the `stdin` field now refers to the path of the file that should be written into the hook's standard input.
 
 ### Fixed
 - The http-01-echo hook now correctly sets the file's access rights
diff --git a/acmed/src/config.rs b/acmed/src/config.rs
index 8e88c42..f41de6f 100644
--- a/acmed/src/config.rs
+++ b/acmed/src/config.rs
@@ -17,6 +17,25 @@ macro_rules! set_cfg_attr {
     };
 }
 
+fn get_stdin(hook: &Hook) -> Result<hooks::HookStdin, Error> {
+    match &hook.stdin {
+        Some(file) => match &hook.stdin_str {
+            Some(_) => {
+                let msg = format!(
+                    "{}: A hook cannot have both stdin and stdin_str",
+                    &hook.name
+                );
+                Err(msg.into())
+            }
+            None => Ok(hooks::HookStdin::File(file.to_string())),
+        },
+        None => match &hook.stdin_str {
+            Some(s) => Ok(hooks::HookStdin::Str(s.to_string())),
+            None => Ok(hooks::HookStdin::None),
+        },
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Deserialize)]
 #[serde(deny_unknown_fields)]
 pub struct Config {
@@ -55,7 +74,7 @@ impl Config {
                     hook_type: hook.hook_type.to_owned(),
                     cmd: hook.cmd.to_owned(),
                     args: hook.args.to_owned(),
-                    stdin: hook.stdin.to_owned(),
+                    stdin: get_stdin(&hook)?,
                     stdout: hook.stdout.to_owned(),
                     stderr: hook.stderr.to_owned(),
                     allow_failure: hook
@@ -159,6 +178,7 @@ pub struct Hook {
     pub cmd: String,
     pub args: Option<Vec<String>>,
     pub stdin: Option<String>,
+    pub stdin_str: Option<String>,
     pub stdout: Option<String>,
     pub stderr: Option<String>,
     pub allow_failure: Option<bool>,
diff --git a/acmed/src/hooks.rs b/acmed/src/hooks.rs
index 0d860c6..4b260cf 100644
--- a/acmed/src/hooks.rs
+++ b/acmed/src/hooks.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ use std::collections::hash_map::Iter;
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::fs::File;
 use std::io::prelude::*;
+use std::io::BufReader;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::process::{Command, Stdio};
 use std::{env, fmt};
@@ -75,13 +76,20 @@ pub struct FileStorageHookData {
 
 imple_hook_data_env!(FileStorageHookData);
 
+#[derive(Clone, Debug)]
+pub enum HookStdin {
+    File(String),
+    Str(String),
+    None,
+}
+
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 pub struct Hook {
     pub name: String,
     pub hook_type: Vec<HookType>,
     pub cmd: String,
     pub args: Option<Vec<String>>,
-    pub stdin: Option<String>,
+    pub stdin: HookStdin,
     pub stdout: Option<String>,
     pub stderr: Option<String>,
     pub allow_failure: bool,
@@ -131,15 +139,29 @@ where
         .stdout(get_hook_output!(&hook.stdout, reg, &data))
         .stderr(get_hook_output!(&hook.stderr, reg, &data))
         .stdin(match &hook.stdin {
-            Some(_) => Stdio::piped(),
-            None => Stdio::null(),
+            HookStdin::Str(_) | HookStdin::File(_) => Stdio::piped(),
+            HookStdin::None => Stdio::null(),
         })
         .spawn()?;
-    if hook.stdin.is_some() {
-        let data_in = reg.render_template(&hook.stdin.to_owned().unwrap(), &data)?;
-        debug!("Hook {}: stdin: {}", hook.name, data_in);
-        let stdin = cmd.stdin.as_mut().ok_or("stdin not found")?;
-        stdin.write_all(data_in.as_bytes())?;
+    match &hook.stdin {
+        HookStdin::Str(s) => {
+            let data_in = reg.render_template(&s, &data)?;
+            debug!("Hook {}: string stdin: {}", hook.name, &data_in);
+            let stdin = cmd.stdin.as_mut().ok_or("stdin not found")?;
+            stdin.write_all(data_in.as_bytes())?;
+        }
+        HookStdin::File(f) => {
+            let file_name = reg.render_template(&f, &data)?;
+            debug!("Hook {}: file stdin: {}", hook.name, &file_name);
+            let stdin = cmd.stdin.as_mut().ok_or("stdin not found")?;
+            let file = File::open(&file_name)?;
+            let buf_reader = BufReader::new(file);
+            for line in buf_reader.lines() {
+                let line = format!("{}\n", line?);
+                stdin.write_all(line.as_bytes())?;
+            }
+        }
+        HookStdin::None => {}
     }
     // TODO: add a timeout
     let status = cmd.wait()?;
diff --git a/man/en/acmed.toml.5 b/man/en/acmed.toml.5
index 1503809..b566746 100644
--- a/man/en/acmed.toml.5
+++ b/man/en/acmed.toml.5
@@ -116,7 +116,11 @@ The name of the command that will be launched.
 .It Ic args Ar array
 Array of strings representing the command's arguments.
 .It Ic stdin Ar string
-String that will be written into the command's standard input.
+Path to the file that will be written into the command's standard intput. Mutually exclusive with
+.Em stdin_str .
+.It Ic stdin_str Ar string
+String that will be written into the command's standard input. Mutually exclusive with
+.Em stdin .
 .It Ic stdout Ar string
 Path to the file where the command's standard output if written.
 .It Ic stderr Ar string
@@ -199,6 +203,7 @@ A hook have a type that will influence both the moment it is called and the avai
 When writing a hook, the values of
 .Em args ,
 .Em stdin ,
+.Em stdin_str ,
 .Em stdout
 and
 .Em stderr
@@ -549,7 +554,7 @@ args = [
     "-f", "noreply.certs@example.net",
     "contact@example.net"
 ]
-stdin = """Subject: Certificate renewal {{#if is_success}}succeeded{{else}}failed{{/if}} for {{domains.[0]}}
+stdin_str = """Subject: Certificate renewal {{#if is_success}}succeeded{{else}}failed{{/if}} for {{domains.[0]}}
 
 The following certificate has {{#unless is_success}}*not* {{/unless}}been renewed.
 domains: {{#each domains}}{{#if @index}}, {{/if}}{{this}}{{/each}}