diff --git a/include/types.h b/include/types.h
index 3f1a1cb9f..fcb3fd305 100644
--- a/include/types.h
+++ b/include/types.h
@@ -423,6 +423,8 @@ typedef enum opts_type
   OPTS_TYPE_AUX3              = (1ULL << 37),
   OPTS_TYPE_AUX4              = (1ULL << 38),
   OPTS_TYPE_BINARY_HASHFILE   = (1ULL << 39),
+  OPTS_TYPE_BINARY_HASHFILE_OPTIONAL
+                              = (1ULL << 40), // this allows us to not enforce the use of a binary file. requires OPTS_TYPE_BINARY_HASHFILE set to be effective.
   OPTS_TYPE_PT_ADD06          = (1ULL << 41),
   OPTS_TYPE_KEYBOARD_MAPPING  = (1ULL << 42),
   OPTS_TYPE_DEEP_COMP_KERNEL  = (1ULL << 43), // if we have to iterate through each hash inside the comp kernel, for example if each hash has to be decrypted separately
diff --git a/src/hashes.c b/src/hashes.c
index 653df4e39..9f76e58de 100644
--- a/src/hashes.c
+++ b/src/hashes.c
@@ -633,18 +633,33 @@ int hashes_init_filename (hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx)
 
   if (hashconfig->opts_type & OPTS_TYPE_BINARY_HASHFILE)
   {
-    hashes->hashlist_mode = HL_MODE_FILE_BINARY;
-
-    if ((user_options->benchmark == false) && (user_options->keyspace == false))
+    if (hashconfig->opts_type & OPTS_TYPE_BINARY_HASHFILE_OPTIONAL)
     {
-      if (hc_path_read (user_options_extra->hc_hash) == false)
+      if ((user_options->benchmark == false) && (user_options->keyspace == false))
       {
-        event_log_error (hashcat_ctx, "%s: %s", user_options_extra->hc_hash, strerror (errno));
+        hashes->hashlist_mode = (hc_path_exist (user_options_extra->hc_hash) == true) ? HL_MODE_FILE_PLAIN : HL_MODE_ARG;
 
-        return -1;
+        if (hashes->hashlist_mode == HL_MODE_FILE_PLAIN)
+        {
+          hashes->hashfile = user_options_extra->hc_hash;
+        }
       }
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      hashes->hashlist_mode = HL_MODE_FILE_BINARY;
 
-      hashes->hashfile = user_options_extra->hc_hash;
+      if ((user_options->benchmark == false) && (user_options->keyspace == false))
+      {
+        if (hc_path_read (user_options_extra->hc_hash) == false)
+        {
+          event_log_error (hashcat_ctx, "%s: %s", user_options_extra->hc_hash, strerror (errno));
+
+          return -1;
+        }
+
+        hashes->hashfile = user_options_extra->hc_hash;
+      }
     }
   }
   else
@@ -1858,30 +1873,37 @@ int hashes_init_selftest (hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx)
   {
     if (hashconfig->opts_type & OPTS_TYPE_BINARY_HASHFILE)
     {
-      char *tmpfile_bin;
-
-      hc_asprintf (&tmpfile_bin, "%s/selftest.hash", folder_config->session_dir);
-
-      HCFILE fp;
-
-      hc_fopen (&fp, tmpfile_bin, "wb");
-
-      const size_t st_hash_len = strlen (hashconfig->st_hash);
-
-      for (size_t i = 0; i < st_hash_len; i += 2)
+      if (hashconfig->opts_type & OPTS_TYPE_BINARY_HASHFILE_OPTIONAL)
       {
-        const u8 c = hex_to_u8 ((const u8 *) hashconfig->st_hash + i);
-
-        hc_fputc (c, &fp);
+        parser_status = module_ctx->module_hash_decode (hashconfig, hash.digest, hash.salt, hash.esalt, hash.hook_salt, hash.hash_info, hashconfig->st_hash, strlen (hashconfig->st_hash));
       }
+      else
+      {
+        char *tmpfile_bin;
 
-      hc_fclose (&fp);
+        hc_asprintf (&tmpfile_bin, "%s/selftest.hash", folder_config->session_dir);
 
-      parser_status = module_ctx->module_hash_decode (hashconfig, hash.digest, hash.salt, hash.esalt, hash.hook_salt, hash.hash_info, tmpfile_bin, strlen (tmpfile_bin));
+        HCFILE fp;
 
-      unlink (tmpfile_bin);
+        hc_fopen (&fp, tmpfile_bin, "wb");
 
-      hcfree (tmpfile_bin);
+        const size_t st_hash_len = strlen (hashconfig->st_hash);
+
+        for (size_t i = 0; i < st_hash_len; i += 2)
+        {
+          const u8 c = hex_to_u8 ((const u8 *) hashconfig->st_hash + i);
+
+          hc_fputc (c, &fp);
+        }
+
+        hc_fclose (&fp);
+
+        parser_status = module_ctx->module_hash_decode (hashconfig, hash.digest, hash.salt, hash.esalt, hash.hook_salt, hash.hash_info, tmpfile_bin, strlen (tmpfile_bin));
+
+        unlink (tmpfile_bin);
+
+        hcfree (tmpfile_bin);
+      }
     }
     else
     {
diff --git a/src/modules/module_22000.c b/src/modules/module_22000.c
index 0a6114e8e..996f6eda5 100644
--- a/src/modules/module_22000.c
+++ b/src/modules/module_22000.c
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ static const u64   OPTS_TYPE      = OPTS_TYPE_PT_GENERATE_LE
                                   | OPTS_TYPE_AUX3
                                   | OPTS_TYPE_AUX4
                                   | OPTS_TYPE_BINARY_HASHFILE
+                                  | OPTS_TYPE_BINARY_HASHFILE_OPTIONAL
                                   | OPTS_TYPE_DEEP_COMP_KERNEL
                                   | OPTS_TYPE_COPY_TMPS;
 static const u32   SALT_TYPE      = SALT_TYPE_EMBEDDED;
diff --git a/src/modules/module_22001.c b/src/modules/module_22001.c
index 0eded3201..5b8737c3d 100644
--- a/src/modules/module_22001.c
+++ b/src/modules/module_22001.c
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ static const u64   OPTS_TYPE      = OPTS_TYPE_PT_GENERATE_LE
                                   | OPTS_TYPE_AUX3
                                   | OPTS_TYPE_AUX4
                                   | OPTS_TYPE_BINARY_HASHFILE
+                                  | OPTS_TYPE_BINARY_HASHFILE_OPTIONAL
                                   | OPTS_TYPE_DEEP_COMP_KERNEL
                                   | OPTS_TYPE_COPY_TMPS
                                   | OPTS_TYPE_POTFILE_NOPASS;
diff --git a/src/status.c b/src/status.c
index 4234e5d60..a9f56190a 100644
--- a/src/status.c
+++ b/src/status.c
@@ -330,7 +330,17 @@ char *status_get_hash_target (const hashcat_ctx_t *hashcat_ctx)
 
     if (hashconfig->opts_type & OPTS_TYPE_BINARY_HASHFILE)
     {
-      return hcstrdup (hashes->hashfile);
+      if (hashconfig->opts_type & OPTS_TYPE_BINARY_HASHFILE_OPTIONAL)
+      {
+        if (hashes->hashfile)
+        {
+          return hcstrdup (hashes->hashfile);
+        }
+      }
+      else
+      {
+        return hcstrdup (hashes->hashfile);
+      }
     }
 
     char *tmp_buf = (char *) hcmalloc (HCBUFSIZ_LARGE);