diff --git a/cdist/config.py b/cdist/config.py
index fd08d460..f5e62ce1 100644
--- a/cdist/config.py
+++ b/cdist/config.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import shutil
 import sys
 import time
 import pprint
+import itertools
 
 import cdist
 
@@ -61,11 +62,17 @@ class Config(object):
         """
         if isinstance(source, str):
             import fileinput
-            for host in fileinput.input(files=(source)):
-                yield host.strip()  # remove leading and trailing whitespace
+            try:
+                for host in fileinput.input(files=(source)):
+                    # remove leading and trailing whitespace
+                    yield host.strip()  
+            except (IOError, OSError) as e:
+                raise cdist.Error("Error reading hosts from \'{}\'".format(
+                    source))
         else:
-            for host in source:
-                yield host
+            if source:
+                for host in source:
+                    yield host
 
 
     @classmethod
@@ -77,7 +84,8 @@ class Config(object):
         log = logging.getLogger("cdist")
 
         if args.manifest == '-' and args.hostfile == '-':
-            raise cdist.Error("Cannot read both, manifest and host file, from stdin")
+            raise cdist.Error(("Cannot read both, manifest and host file, " 
+                "from stdin"))
         # if no host source is specified then read hosts from stdin
         if not (args.hostfile or args.host):
             args.hostfile = '-'
@@ -102,12 +110,8 @@ class Config(object):
         time_start = time.time()
 
         hostcnt = 0
-        if args.host:
-            host_source = args.host
-        else:
-            host_source = args.hostfile
-    
-        for host in cls.hosts(host_source):
+        for host in itertools.chain(cls.hosts(args.host),
+                                    cls.hosts(args.hostfile)):
             hostcnt += 1
             if args.parallel:
                 log.debug("Creating child process for %s", host)
diff --git a/docs/man/man1/cdist.text b/docs/man/man1/cdist.text
index ed2ce805..4e45ae81 100644
--- a/docs/man/man1/cdist.text
+++ b/docs/man/man1/cdist.text
@@ -64,9 +64,10 @@ Configure one or more hosts
     environment variable.
 
 -f HOSTFILE, --file HOSTFILE::
-    Read hosts to operate on from specified file or from stdin if '-'
-    (each host on separate line). If no host or host file is
-    specified then, by default, read hosts from stdin.
+    Read additional hosts to operate on from specified file
+    or from stdin if '-' (each host on separate line).
+    If no host or host file is specified then, by default,
+    read hosts from stdin.
 
 -i MANIFEST, --initial-manifest MANIFEST::
     Path to a cdist manifest or - to read from stdin
diff --git a/scripts/cdist b/scripts/cdist
index 0cfd01d6..ccdb5232 100755
--- a/scripts/cdist
+++ b/scripts/cdist
@@ -90,9 +90,10 @@ def commandline():
          help=('Add configuration directory (can be repeated, '
              'last one wins)'), action='append')
     parser['config'].add_argument('-f', '--file',
-         help=('Read hosts to operate on from specified file or from stdin '
-             'if \'-\' (each host on separate line). If no host or host '
-             'file is specified then, by default, read hosts from stdin.'),
+         help=('Read additional hosts to operate on from specified file '
+             'or from stdin if \'-\' (each host on separate line). '
+             'If no host or host file is specified then, by default, '
+             'read hosts from stdin.'),
          dest='hostfile', required=False)
     parser['config'].add_argument('-i', '--initial-manifest', 
          help='Path to a cdist manifest or \'-\' to read from stdin.',