diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 24fa5ab..b3ec7ff 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@ package main
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"log"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"time"
@@ -100,7 +103,26 @@ func send(c *cli.Context) error {
 	stat, _ := os.Stdin.Stat()
 	var fname string
 	if (stat.Mode() & os.ModeCharDevice) == 0 {
-		fname = "stdin"
+		f, err := ioutil.TempFile(".", "croc-stdin-")
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		_, err = io.Copy(f, os.Stdin)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		err = f.Close()
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		fname = f.Name()
+		defer func() {
+			log.Println("removing %s", fname)
+			err = os.Remove(fname)
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Println(err)
+			}
+		}()
 	} else {
 		fname = c.Args().First()
 	}
@@ -140,8 +162,7 @@ func send(c *cli.Context) error {
 		codePhrase,
 		codePhrase,
 	)
-	err = cr.Send(fname, codePhrase)
-	return err
+	return cr.Send(fname, codePhrase)
 }
 
 func receive(c *cli.Context) error {
diff --git a/src/croc/sending.go b/src/croc/sending.go
index b580571..b565bf2 100644
--- a/src/croc/sending.go
+++ b/src/croc/sending.go
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ func (c *Croc) Send(fname, codephrase string) (err error) {
 
 	err = <-errChan
 	if err == nil || waitingFor == 1 {
+		log.Debug("returning")
 		return
 	}
 	log.Debug(err)
diff --git a/src/sender/sender.go b/src/sender/sender.go
index 83d830c..1e54eb2 100644
--- a/src/sender/sender.go
+++ b/src/sender/sender.go
@@ -42,42 +42,15 @@ func Send(done chan struct{}, c *websocket.Conn, fname string, codephrase string
 }
 
 func send(c *websocket.Conn, fname string, codephrase string) (err error) {
-	// check that the file exists
+	var f *os.File
+	var fstats models.FileStats
+
+	// normalize the file name
 	fname, err = filepath.Abs(fname)
-	_, filename := filepath.Split(fname)
-	f, err := os.Open(fname)
-	if err != nil {
-		return
-	}
-	fstat, err := f.Stat()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-
-	// get stats about the file
-	fstats := models.FileStats{filename, fstat.Size(), fstat.ModTime(), fstat.IsDir(), fstat.Name()}
-	if fstats.IsDir {
-		// zip the directory
-		fstats.SentName, err = zipper.ZipFile(fname, true)
-		// remove the file when leaving
-		defer os.Remove(fstats.SentName)
-		fname = fstats.SentName
-		if err != nil {
-			return
-		}
-		f.Close()
-		// reopen file
-		f, err = os.Open(fstats.SentName)
-		if err != nil {
-			return
-		}
-		fstat, err := f.Stat()
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		// get new size
-		fstats.Size = fstat.Size()
-	}
+	_, filename := filepath.Split(fname)
 
 	// get ready to generate session key
 	var sessionKey []byte
@@ -107,6 +80,40 @@ func send(c *websocket.Conn, fname string, codephrase string) (err error) {
 		log.Debugf("got %d: %s", messageType, message)
 		switch step {
 		case 0:
+			// recipient might want file! gather file information
+			// get stats about the file
+			fstat, err := os.Stat(fname)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			fstats = models.FileStats{filename, fstat.Size(), fstat.ModTime(), fstat.IsDir(), fstat.Name()}
+			if fstats.IsDir {
+				// zip the directory
+				fstats.SentName, err = zipper.ZipFile(fname, true)
+				// remove the file when leaving
+				defer os.Remove(fstats.SentName)
+				fname = fstats.SentName
+
+				fstat, err := os.Stat(fname)
+				if err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+				// get new size
+				fstats.Size = fstat.Size()
+			}
+
+			// open the file
+			f, err = os.Open(fname)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			defer func() {
+				err = f.Close()
+				if err != nil {
+					log.Debugf("problem closing file: %s", err.Error())
+				}
+			}()
+
 			// send pake data
 			log.Debugf("[%d] first, P sends u to Q", step)
 			c.WriteMessage(websocket.BinaryMessage, P.Bytes())