diff --git a/cmd/cosign/cli/flags.go b/cmd/cosign/cli/flags.go
index acec64c79bc..e1c8395968d 100644
--- a/cmd/cosign/cli/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/cosign/cli/flags.go
@@ -15,7 +15,10 @@
 
 package cli
 
-import "reflect"
+import (
+	"reflect"
+	"strings"
+)
 
 // oneOf ensures that only one of the supplied interfaces is set to a non-zero value.
 func oneOf(args ...interface{}) bool {
@@ -32,3 +35,16 @@ func nOf(args ...interface{}) int {
 	}
 	return n
 }
+
+type StringSlice struct {
+	slice []string
+}
+
+func (ss *StringSlice) Set(s string) error {
+	ss.slice = append(ss.slice, s)
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (ss *StringSlice) String() string {
+	return strings.Join(ss.slice, ",")
+}
diff --git a/cmd/cosign/cli/verify.go b/cmd/cosign/cli/verify.go
index b88a01eca48..b41e89c8acf 100644
--- a/cmd/cosign/cli/verify.go
+++ b/cmd/cosign/cli/verify.go
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"flag"
 	"fmt"
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 
 	"github.com/google/go-containerregistry/pkg/name"
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ type VerifyCommand struct {
 	Output      string
 	RekorURL    string
 	Annotations *map[string]interface{}
+	Files       StringSlice
 }
 
 func applyVerifyFlags(cmd *VerifyCommand, flagset *flag.FlagSet) {
@@ -53,6 +55,8 @@ func applyVerifyFlags(cmd *VerifyCommand, flagset *flag.FlagSet) {
 	flagset.BoolVar(&cmd.CheckClaims, "check-claims", true, "whether to check the claims found")
 	flagset.StringVar(&cmd.Output, "output", "json", "output the signing image information. Default JSON.")
 
+	flagset.Var(&cmd.Files, "f", "files to validate (kubernetes manifests or Dockerfiles)")
+
 	// parse annotations
 	flagset.Var(&annotations, "a", "extra key=value pairs to sign")
 	cmd.Annotations = &annotations.annotations
@@ -103,7 +107,7 @@ EXAMPLES
 
 // Exec runs the verification command
 func (c *VerifyCommand) Exec(ctx context.Context, args []string) (err error) {
-	if len(args) == 0 {
+	if len(args) == 0 && len(c.Files.slice) == 0 {
 		return flag.ErrHelp
 	}
 
@@ -145,7 +149,26 @@ func (c *VerifyCommand) Exec(ctx context.Context, args []string) (err error) {
 	}
 	co.SigVerifier = pubKey
 
-	for _, imageRef := range args {
+	allImgs := []string{}
+	allImgs = append(allImgs, args...)
+
+	for _, f := range c.Files.slice {
+		err := isExtensionAllowed(f)
+		if err != nil {
+			return errors.Wrap(err, "check if extension is valid")
+		}
+		manifest, err := ioutil.ReadFile(f)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("could not read manifest: %v", err)
+		}
+		imgs, err := getImagesFromYamlManifest(string(manifest))
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		allImgs = append(allImgs, imgs...)
+	}
+
+	for _, imageRef := range allImgs {
 		ref, err := name.ParseReference(imageRef)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
diff --git a/cmd/cosign/cli/verify_manifest.go b/cmd/cosign/cli/verify_manifest.go
index 99949d82214..de03169495d 100644
--- a/cmd/cosign/cli/verify_manifest.go
+++ b/cmd/cosign/cli/verify_manifest.go
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ EXAMPLES
 
 // Exec runs the verification command
 func (c *VerifyManifestCommand) Exec(ctx context.Context, args []string) error {
+	fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, "This command is deprecated and will be removed in the next release. Please use `cosign verify -f <manifest>` instead.")
 	if len(args) != 1 {
 		return flag.ErrHelp
 	}
diff --git a/test/e2e_test.sh b/test/e2e_test.sh
index 935b144e557..46b1a147b30 100755
--- a/test/e2e_test.sh
+++ b/test/e2e_test.sh
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ if (test_image="ubuntu" ./cosign verify-dockerfile -key ${DISTROLESS_PUB_KEY} ./
 # Test `cosign verify-manifest`
 ./cosign verify-manifest -key ${DISTROLESS_PUB_KEY} ./test/testdata/signed_manifest.yaml
 if (./cosign verify-manifest -key ${DISTROLESS_PUB_KEY} ./test/testdata/unsigned_manifest.yaml); then false; fi
+./cosign verify -key ${DISTROLESS_PUB_KEY} -f ./test/testdata/signed_manifest.yaml
 
 # Run the built container to make sure it doesn't crash
 make ko-local