diff --git a/src/libponyc/codegen/genexe.c b/src/libponyc/codegen/genexe.c
index a8f811d1ae..ab908e70ed 100644
--- a/src/libponyc/codegen/genexe.c
+++ b/src/libponyc/codegen/genexe.c
@@ -384,13 +384,17 @@ bool genexe(compile_t* c, ast_t* program)
   // The first package is the main package. It has to have a Main actor.
   const char* main_actor = c->str_Main;
   const char* env_class = c->str_Env;
+  const char* package_name = c->filename;
+
+  if((c->opt->bin_name != NULL) && (strlen(c->opt->bin_name) > 0))
+    c->filename = c->opt->bin_name;
 
   ast_t* package = ast_child(program);
   ast_t* main_def = ast_get(package, main_actor, NULL);
 
   if(main_def == NULL)
   {
-    errorf(errors, NULL, "no Main actor found in package '%s'", c->filename);
+    errorf(errors, NULL, "no Main actor found in package '%s'", package_name);
     return false;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/libponyc/pass/pass.h b/src/libponyc/pass/pass.h
index e450107cd1..ca4e487612 100644
--- a/src/libponyc/pass/pass.h
+++ b/src/libponyc/pass/pass.h
@@ -238,6 +238,7 @@ typedef struct pass_opt_t
   magic_package_t* magic_packages;
 
   const char* output;
+  const char* bin_name;
   char* link_arch;
   char* linker;
 
diff --git a/src/ponyc/main.c b/src/ponyc/main.c
index cec1fffbe9..3b43ea03ab 100644
--- a/src/ponyc/main.c
+++ b/src/ponyc/main.c
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ enum
   OPT_STRIP,
   OPT_PATHS,
   OPT_OUTPUT,
+  OPT_BIN_NAME,
   OPT_LIBRARY,
   OPT_RUNTIMEBC,
   OPT_PIC,
@@ -71,6 +72,7 @@ static opt_arg_t args[] =
   {"strip", 's', OPT_ARG_NONE, OPT_STRIP},
   {"path", 'p', OPT_ARG_REQUIRED, OPT_PATHS},
   {"output", 'o', OPT_ARG_REQUIRED, OPT_OUTPUT},
+  {"bin-name", 'b', OPT_ARG_REQUIRED, OPT_BIN_NAME},
   {"library", 'l', OPT_ARG_NONE, OPT_LIBRARY},
   {"runtimebc", '\0', OPT_ARG_NONE, OPT_RUNTIMEBC},
   {"pic", '\0', OPT_ARG_NONE, OPT_PIC},
@@ -124,6 +126,8 @@ static void usage()
     "    =path         Used to find packages and libraries.\n"
     "  --output, -o    Write output to this directory.\n"
     "    =path         Defaults to the current directory.\n"
+    "  --bin-name, -b  Name of executable binary.\n"
+    "    =name         Defaults to name of the directory.\n"
     "  --library, -l   Generate a C-API compatible static library.\n"
     "  --runtimebc     Compile with the LLVM bitcode file for the runtime.\n"
     "  --pic           Compile using position independent code.\n"
@@ -306,6 +310,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
       case OPT_STRIP: opt.strip_debug = true; break;
       case OPT_PATHS: package_add_paths(s.arg_val, &opt); break;
       case OPT_OUTPUT: opt.output = s.arg_val; break;
+      case OPT_BIN_NAME: opt.bin_name = s.arg_val; break;
       case OPT_LIBRARY: opt.library = true; break;
       case OPT_RUNTIMEBC: opt.runtimebc = true; break;
       case OPT_PIC: opt.pic = true; break;