diff --git a/sshencdec.sh b/sshencdec.sh
index 18ce979..c021f15 100755
--- a/sshencdec.sh
+++ b/sshencdec.sh
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ trap cleanup EXIT
 if [[ "${#public_key[@]}" > 0 ]]; then
     openssl rand 32 > $temp_file_key
 
+    plaintext=`cat`
+
     echo "-- encrypted with https://git.e.tern.al/s2/sshencdec"
     echo "-- keys"
     for pubkey in "${public_key[@]}"
@@ -65,7 +67,7 @@ if [[ "${#public_key[@]}" > 0 ]]; then
     done
     echo "-- /keys"
 
-    if openssl enc -aes-256-cbc -salt -pass file:"$temp_file_key" > "$temp_file"; then
+    if echo "$plaintext" | openssl enc -aes-256-cbc -salt -pass file:"$temp_file_key" > "$temp_file"; then
         openssl base64 < "$temp_file"
     fi