diff --git a/e2e/cnab_test.go b/e2e/cnab_test.go
index 42be58a81..3bcf9476a 100644
--- a/e2e/cnab_test.go
+++ b/e2e/cnab_test.go
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ func TestCallCustomStatusAction(t *testing.T) {
 			icmd.RunCmd(cmd).Assert(t, icmd.Success)
 
 			// docker app install
-			cmd.Command = dockerCli.Command("app", "run", path.Join(testDir, "bundle.json"), "--name", testCase.name)
+			cmd.Command = dockerCli.Command("app", "run", "--cnab-bundle-json", path.Join(testDir, "bundle.json"), "--name", testCase.name)
 			icmd.RunCmd(cmd).Assert(t, icmd.Success)
 
 			// docker app uninstall
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ func TestCnabParameters(t *testing.T) {
 	}()
 
 	// docker app install
-	cmd.Command = dockerCli.Command("app", "run", path.Join(testDir, "bundle.json"), "--name", "cnab-parameters",
+	cmd.Command = dockerCli.Command("app", "run", "--cnab-bundle-json", path.Join(testDir, "bundle.json"), "--name", "cnab-parameters",
 		"--set", "boolParam=true",
 		"--set", "stringParam=value",
 		"--set", "intParam=42",
diff --git a/e2e/commands_test.go b/e2e/commands_test.go
index 0a8b98173..b89d89356 100644
--- a/e2e/commands_test.go
+++ b/e2e/commands_test.go
@@ -177,6 +177,23 @@ func TestInspectApp(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+func TestRunOnlyOne(t *testing.T) {
+	cmd, cleanup := dockerCli.createTestCmd()
+	defer cleanup()
+
+	cmd.Command = dockerCli.Command("app", "run")
+	icmd.RunCmd(cmd).Assert(t, icmd.Expected{
+		ExitCode: 1,
+		Err:      `"docker app run" requires exactly 1 argument.`,
+	})
+
+	cmd.Command = dockerCli.Command("app", "run", "--cnab-bundle-json", "bundle.json", "myapp")
+	icmd.RunCmd(cmd).Assert(t, icmd.Expected{
+		ExitCode: 1,
+		Err:      `"docker app run" cannot run a bundle and an app image`,
+	})
+}
+
 func TestDockerAppLifecycle(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Run("withBindMounts", func(t *testing.T) {
 		testDockerAppLifecycle(t, true)
@@ -189,18 +206,21 @@ func TestDockerAppLifecycle(t *testing.T) {
 func testDockerAppLifecycle(t *testing.T, useBindMount bool) {
 	cmd, cleanup := dockerCli.createTestCmd()
 	defer cleanup()
-	appName := strings.Replace(t.Name(), "/", "_", 1)
+	appName := strings.ToLower(strings.Replace(t.Name(), "/", "_", 1))
 	tmpDir := fs.NewDir(t, appName)
 	defer tmpDir.Remove()
 	// Running a swarm using docker in docker to install the application
 	// and run the invocation image
-	swarm := NewContainer("docker:18.09-dind", 2375)
-	swarm.Start(t)
+	swarm := NewContainer("docker:19.03.3-dind", 2375)
+	swarm.Start(t, "-e", "DOCKER_TLS_CERTDIR=")
 	defer swarm.Stop(t)
 	initializeDockerAppEnvironment(t, &cmd, tmpDir, swarm, useBindMount)
 
+	cmd.Command = dockerCli.Command("app", "build", "--tag", appName, "testdata/simple")
+	icmd.RunCmd(cmd).Assert(t, icmd.Success)
+
 	// Install an illformed Docker Application Package
-	cmd.Command = dockerCli.Command("app", "run", "testdata/simple/simple.dockerapp", "--set", "web_port=-1", "--name", appName)
+	cmd.Command = dockerCli.Command("app", "run", appName, "--set", "web_port=-1", "--name", appName)
 	icmd.RunCmd(cmd).Assert(t, icmd.Expected{
 		ExitCode: 1,
 		Err:      "error decoding 'Ports': Invalid hostPort: -1",
@@ -222,7 +242,7 @@ func testDockerAppLifecycle(t *testing.T, useBindMount bool) {
 	})
 
 	// Install a Docker Application Package with an existing failed installation is fine
-	cmd.Command = dockerCli.Command("app", "run", "testdata/simple/simple.dockerapp", "--name", appName)
+	cmd.Command = dockerCli.Command("app", "run", appName, "--name", appName)
 	checkContains(t, icmd.RunCmd(cmd).Assert(t, icmd.Success).Combined(),
 		[]string{
 			fmt.Sprintf("WARNING: installing over previously failed installation %q", appName),
@@ -243,7 +263,7 @@ func testDockerAppLifecycle(t *testing.T, useBindMount bool) {
 		})
 
 	// Installing again the same application is forbidden
-	cmd.Command = dockerCli.Command("app", "run", "testdata/simple/simple.dockerapp", "--name", appName)
+	cmd.Command = dockerCli.Command("app", "run", appName, "--name", appName)
 	icmd.RunCmd(cmd).Assert(t, icmd.Expected{
 		ExitCode: 1,
 		Err:      fmt.Sprintf("Installation %q already exists, use 'docker app update' instead", appName),
@@ -315,7 +335,8 @@ func TestCredentials(t *testing.T) {
 			"--credential", "secret1=foo",
 			// secret2 deliberately omitted.
 			"--credential", "secret3=baz",
-			"--name", "missing", bundle,
+			"--name", "missing",
+			"--cnab-bundle-json", bundle,
 		)
 		result := icmd.RunCmd(cmd).Assert(t, icmd.Expected{
 			ExitCode: 1,
@@ -330,7 +351,8 @@ func TestCredentials(t *testing.T) {
 			"--credential", "secret1=foo",
 			"--credential", "secret2=bar",
 			"--credential", "secret3=baz",
-			"--name", "full", bundle,
+			"--name", "full",
+			"--cnab-bundle-json", bundle,
 		)
 		result := icmd.RunCmd(cmd).Assert(t, icmd.Success)
 		golden.Assert(t, result.Stdout(), "credential-install-full.golden")
@@ -341,7 +363,8 @@ func TestCredentials(t *testing.T) {
 			"app", "run",
 			"--credential-set", "test-creds",
 			"--credential", "secret3=xyzzy",
-			"--name", "mixed-credstore", bundle,
+			"--name", "mixed-credstore",
+			"--cnab-bundle-json", bundle,
 		)
 		result := icmd.RunCmd(cmd).Assert(t, icmd.Success)
 		golden.Assert(t, result.Stdout(), "credential-install-mixed-credstore.golden")
@@ -352,7 +375,8 @@ func TestCredentials(t *testing.T) {
 			"app", "run",
 			"--credential-set", tmpDir.Join("local", "test-creds.yaml"),
 			"--credential", "secret3=xyzzy",
-			"--name", "mixed-local-cred", bundle,
+			"--name", "mixed-local-cred",
+			"--cnab-bundle-json", bundle,
 		)
 		result := icmd.RunCmd(cmd).Assert(t, icmd.Success)
 		golden.Assert(t, result.Stdout(), "credential-install-mixed-local-cred.golden")
@@ -364,7 +388,8 @@ func TestCredentials(t *testing.T) {
 			"--credential-set", "test-creds",
 			"--credential", "secret1=overload",
 			"--credential", "secret3=xyzzy",
-			"--name", "overload", bundle,
+			"--name", "overload",
+			"--cnab-bundle-json", bundle,
 		)
 		result := icmd.RunCmd(cmd).Assert(t, icmd.Expected{
 			ExitCode: 1,
diff --git a/e2e/helper_test.go b/e2e/helper_test.go
index 5284e5608..82a0bb6e9 100644
--- a/e2e/helper_test.go
+++ b/e2e/helper_test.go
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ func runWithDindSwarmAndRegistry(t *testing.T, todo func(dindSwarmAndRegistryInf
 	// Solution found is: fix the port of the registry to be the same internally and externally
 	// and run the dind container in the same network namespace: this way 127.0.0.1:<registry-port> both resolves to the registry from the client and from dind
 
-	swarm := NewContainer("docker:19.03.2-dind", 2375, "--insecure-registry", fmt.Sprintf("127.0.0.1:%d", registryPort))
+	swarm := NewContainer("docker:19.03.3-dind", 2375, "--insecure-registry", fmt.Sprintf("127.0.0.1:%d", registryPort))
 	swarm.Start(t, "--expose", strconv.FormatInt(int64(registryPort), 10),
 		"-p", fmt.Sprintf("%d:%d", registryPort, registryPort),
 		"-p", "2375",
diff --git a/internal/cnab/cnab.go b/internal/cnab/cnab.go
index 727fc9a12..576abe514 100644
--- a/internal/cnab/cnab.go
+++ b/internal/cnab/cnab.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
-	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/deislabs/cnab-go/bundle"
 	"github.com/docker/app/internal"
@@ -22,17 +21,15 @@ type nameKind uint
 
 const (
 	_ nameKind = iota
-	nameKindEmpty
-	nameKindFile
 	nameKindDir
 	nameKindReference
 )
 
 func getAppNameKind(name string) (string, nameKind) {
 	if name == "" {
-		return name, nameKindEmpty
+		return name, nameKindDir
 	}
-	// name can be a bundle.json or bundle.cnab file, or a dockerapp directory
+	// name can be a dockerapp directory
 	st, err := os.Stat(name)
 	if os.IsNotExist(err) {
 		// try with .dockerapp extension
@@ -47,7 +44,7 @@ func getAppNameKind(name string) (string, nameKind) {
 	if st.IsDir() {
 		return name, nameKindDir
 	}
-	return name, nameKindFile
+	return name, nameKindReference
 }
 
 func extractAndLoadAppBasedBundle(dockerCli command.Cli, name string) (*bundle.Bundle, string, error) {
@@ -60,7 +57,8 @@ func extractAndLoadAppBasedBundle(dockerCli command.Cli, name string) (*bundle.B
 	return bndl, "", err
 }
 
-func loadBundleFromFile(filename string) (*bundle.Bundle, error) {
+// LoadBundleFromFile loads a bundle from a file
+func LoadBundleFromFile(filename string) (*bundle.Bundle, error) {
 	b := &bundle.Bundle{}
 	data, err := ioutil.ReadFile(filename)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -74,19 +72,11 @@ func loadBundleFromFile(filename string) (*bundle.Bundle, error) {
 // a reference to the bundle if it is found in the bundlestore, and an error.
 func ResolveBundle(dockerCli command.Cli, bundleStore appstore.BundleStore, name string) (*bundle.Bundle, string, error) {
 	// resolution logic:
-	// - if there is a docker-app package in working directory, or an http:// / https:// prefix, use packager.Extract result
-	// - the name has a .json or .cnab extension and refers to an existing file or web resource: load the bundle
-	// - name matches a bundle name:version stored in the bundle store: use it
+	// - if there is a docker-app package in working directory or if a directory is given use packager.Extract
 	// - pull the bundle from the registry and add it to the bundle store
 	name, kind := getAppNameKind(name)
 	switch kind {
-	case nameKindFile:
-		if strings.HasSuffix(name, internal.AppExtension) {
-			return extractAndLoadAppBasedBundle(dockerCli, name)
-		}
-		bndl, err := loadBundleFromFile(name)
-		return bndl, "", err
-	case nameKindDir, nameKindEmpty:
+	case nameKindDir:
 		return extractAndLoadAppBasedBundle(dockerCli, name)
 	case nameKindReference:
 		bndl, tagRef, err := GetBundle(dockerCli, bundleStore, name)
diff --git a/internal/commands/run.go b/internal/commands/run.go
index a0d0b7bf0..af5cbbb20 100644
--- a/internal/commands/run.go
+++ b/internal/commands/run.go
@@ -4,11 +4,13 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 
+	"github.com/docker/cli/cli"
+
 	"github.com/deislabs/cnab-go/action"
+	"github.com/deislabs/cnab-go/bundle"
 	"github.com/deislabs/cnab-go/credentials"
 	"github.com/docker/app/internal/cnab"
 	"github.com/docker/app/internal/store"
-	"github.com/docker/cli/cli"
 	"github.com/docker/cli/cli/command"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/pkg/namesgenerator"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
@@ -22,6 +24,7 @@ type runOptions struct {
 	orchestrator  string
 	kubeNamespace string
 	stackName     string
+	cnabBundle    string
 }
 
 const longDescription = `Run an application based on a docker app image.`
@@ -37,9 +40,20 @@ func runCmd(dockerCli command.Cli) *cobra.Command {
 		Short:   "Run an application",
 		Long:    longDescription,
 		Example: example,
-		Args:    cli.ExactArgs(1),
 		RunE: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
-			return runRun(dockerCli, args[0], opts)
+			if opts.cnabBundle != "" && len(args) != 0 {
+				return errors.Errorf(
+					"%q cannot run a bundle and an app image",
+					cmd.CommandPath(),
+				)
+			}
+			if opts.cnabBundle == "" {
+				if err := cli.ExactArgs(1)(cmd, args); err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+				return runDockerApp(dockerCli, args[0], opts)
+			}
+			return runCnab(dockerCli, opts)
 		},
 	}
 	opts.parametersOptions.addFlags(cmd.Flags())
@@ -47,26 +61,43 @@ func runCmd(dockerCli command.Cli) *cobra.Command {
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&opts.orchestrator, "orchestrator", "", "Orchestrator to install on (swarm, kubernetes)")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&opts.kubeNamespace, "namespace", "default", "Kubernetes namespace to install into")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&opts.stackName, "name", "", "Assign a name to the installation")
+	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&opts.cnabBundle, "cnab-bundle-json", "", "Run a CNAB bundle instead of a Docker App")
 
 	return cmd
 }
 
-func runRun(dockerCli command.Cli, appname string, opts runOptions) error {
-	opts.SetDefaultTargetContext(dockerCli)
-
-	bind, err := cnab.RequiredBindMount(opts.targetContext, opts.orchestrator, dockerCli.ContextStore())
+func runCnab(dockerCli command.Cli, opts runOptions) error {
+	bndl, err := cnab.LoadBundleFromFile(opts.cnabBundle)
 	if err != nil {
-		return err
+		return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to read bundle %q", opts.cnabBundle)
 	}
-	bundleStore, installationStore, credentialStore, err := prepareStores(opts.targetContext)
+	return runBundle(dockerCli, bndl, opts, "")
+}
+
+func runDockerApp(dockerCli command.Cli, appname string, opts runOptions) error {
+	bundleStore, err := prepareBundleStore()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	bndl, ref, err := cnab.ResolveBundle(dockerCli, bundleStore, appname)
+	bndl, ref, err := cnab.GetBundle(dockerCli, bundleStore, appname)
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrapf(err, "Unable to find application %q", appname)
 	}
+	return runBundle(dockerCli, bndl, opts, ref.String())
+}
+
+func runBundle(dockerCli command.Cli, bndl *bundle.Bundle, opts runOptions, ref string) error {
+	opts.SetDefaultTargetContext(dockerCli)
+
+	bind, err := cnab.RequiredBindMount(opts.targetContext, opts.orchestrator, dockerCli.ContextStore())
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	_, installationStore, credentialStore, err := prepareStores(opts.targetContext)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	if err := bndl.Validate(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}