diff --git a/changelog.md b/changelog.md
--- a/changelog.md
+++ b/changelog.md
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # Unreleased
 
+# 0.6.1.0
+
+* Add cli option `--text` for the `yank` command as an alternative to stdin.
+
 # 0.6.0.0
 
 * Allow all agents to be disabled in the config file.
diff --git a/helic.cabal b/helic.cabal
--- a/helic.cabal
+++ b/helic.cabal
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 -- see: https://github.com/sol/hpack
 
 name:           helic
-version:        0.6.0.0
+version:        0.6.1.0
 synopsis:       Clipboard Manager
 description:    See https://hackage.haskell.org/package/helic/docs/Helic.html
 category:       Clipboard
@@ -260,12 +260,11 @@
     , path ==0.9.*
     , polysemy ==1.9.*
     , polysemy-chronos ==0.6.*
-    , polysemy-conc ==0.12.*
     , polysemy-log ==0.9.*
     , polysemy-plugin ==0.4.*
     , polysemy-test ==0.7.*
-    , polysemy-time ==0.6.*
     , prelate ==0.5.*
+    , random
     , tasty ==1.4.*
     , torsor ==0.1.*
     , zeugma ==0.7.*
diff --git a/lib/Helic/App.hs b/lib/Helic/App.hs
--- a/lib/Helic/App.hs
+++ b/lib/Helic/App.hs
@@ -47,17 +47,6 @@
   withAsync_ serve $
   Conc.subscribeLoop History.receive
 
-yankApp ::
-  Config ->
-  YankConfig ->
-  Sem AppStack ()
-yankApp (Config name _ net _ _ _) yankConfig =
-  interpretManager $
-  interpretInstanceName name $
-  runReader (fromMaybe def net) $
-  interpretClientNet $
-  yank yankConfig
-
 runClient ::
   Members [Log, Error Text, Race, Embed IO] r =>
   Maybe NetConfig ->
@@ -66,6 +55,15 @@
   interpretManager .
   runReader (fromMaybe def net) .
   interpretClientNet
+
+yankApp ::
+  Config ->
+  YankConfig ->
+  Sem AppStack ()
+yankApp (Config name _ net _ _ _) yankConfig =
+  interpretInstanceName name $
+  runClient net $
+  yank yankConfig
 
 listApp ::
   Config ->
diff --git a/lib/Helic/Cli.hs b/lib/Helic/Cli.hs
--- a/lib/Helic/Cli.hs
+++ b/lib/Helic/Cli.hs
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 defaultCommand :: Sem AppStack Command
 defaultCommand = do
   Conc.timeout_ (pure Nothing) (MilliSeconds 100) (Just <$> tryAny (hLookAhead stdin)) <&> \case
-    Just (Right _) -> Yank (YankConfig (Just "cli"))
+    Just (Right _) -> Yank (YankConfig (Just "cli") Nothing)
     _ -> Listen
 
 withCliOptions :: Conf -> Maybe Command -> IO ()
diff --git a/lib/Helic/Cli/Options.hs b/lib/Helic/Cli/Options.hs
--- a/lib/Helic/Cli/Options.hs
+++ b/lib/Helic/Cli/Options.hs
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 
 import Helic.Data.ListConfig (ListConfig (ListConfig))
 import Helic.Data.LoadConfig (LoadConfig (LoadConfig))
+import qualified Helic.Data.YankConfig
 import Helic.Data.YankConfig (YankConfig (YankConfig))
 
 data Conf =
@@ -63,8 +64,10 @@
   command "listen" (info (pure Listen) (progDesc "Run the daemon"))
 
 yankParser :: Parser YankConfig
-yankParser =
-  YankConfig <$> optional (strOption (long "agent" <> help "Source of the yank"))
+yankParser = do
+  agent <- optional (strOption (long "agent" <> help "Source of the yank"))
+  text <- optional (strOption (long "text" <> help "Yank text, uses stdin if not specified"))
+  pure YankConfig {..}
 
 yankCommand :: Mod CommandFields Command
 yankCommand =
diff --git a/lib/Helic/Data/AgentId.hs b/lib/Helic/Data/AgentId.hs
--- a/lib/Helic/Data/AgentId.hs
+++ b/lib/Helic/Data/AgentId.hs
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 newtype AgentId =
   AgentId { unAgentId :: Text }
-  deriving stock (Eq, Show)
+  deriving stock (Eq, Show, Generic)
   deriving newtype (IsString)
 
 json ''AgentId
diff --git a/lib/Helic/Data/Event.hs b/lib/Helic/Data/Event.hs
--- a/lib/Helic/Data/Event.hs
+++ b/lib/Helic/Data/Event.hs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 import Helic.Data.AgentId (AgentId)
 import Helic.Data.InstanceName (InstanceName)
+import Exon (exon)
 
 -- |The central data type representing a clipboard event.
 data Event =
@@ -34,3 +35,7 @@
   sender <- ask
   time <- Time.now
   pure Event {..}
+
+describe :: Event -> Text
+describe Event {..} =
+  [exon|##{sender}:##{source}|]
diff --git a/lib/Helic/Data/YankConfig.hs b/lib/Helic/Data/YankConfig.hs
--- a/lib/Helic/Data/YankConfig.hs
+++ b/lib/Helic/Data/YankConfig.hs
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 {-# options_haddock prune #-}
--- |YankConfig Data Type, Internal
 
+-- | YankConfig Data Type, Internal
 module Helic.Data.YankConfig where
 
 data YankConfig =
   YankConfig {
-    agent :: Maybe Text
+    agent :: Maybe Text,
+    text :: Maybe Text
   }
   deriving stock (Eq, Show, Generic)
   deriving anyclass (Default)
diff --git a/lib/Helic/Interpreter/History.hs b/lib/Helic/Interpreter/History.hs
--- a/lib/Helic/Interpreter/History.hs
+++ b/lib/Helic/Interpreter/History.hs
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@
   Sem r ()
 runAgent (Event _ (AgentId eId) _ _) | eId == agentName @tag =
   unit
-runAgent e =
-  tag (Agent.update e)
+runAgent event =
+  tag (Agent.update event)
 
 -- |Send an event to all agents.
 broadcast ::
@@ -63,8 +63,8 @@
   Text.replace "\r" "\n" . Text.replace "\r\n" "\n"
 
 sanitize :: Event -> Event
-sanitize e@Event {content} =
-  e { content = sanitizeNewlines content }
+sanitize event@Event {content} =
+  event { content = sanitizeNewlines content }
 
 -- |Append an event to the history unless the latest event contains the same text, or there was an event within the last
 -- second that contained the same text, or the new event has an earlier time stamp than the latest event, to avoid
@@ -74,24 +74,24 @@
   Event ->
   Seq Event ->
   Maybe (Seq Event)
-appendIfValid now (sanitize -> e@Event {content, time}) = \case
+appendIfValid now (sanitize -> event@Event {content, time}) = \case
   Seq.Empty ->
-    Just (Seq.singleton e)
+    Just (Seq.singleton event)
   _ :|> Event _ _ latestTime latest | latest == content || time < latestTime ->
     Nothing
-  hist | inRecent now e hist ->
+  hist | inRecent now event hist ->
     Nothing
   hist ->
-    Just (hist |> e)
+    Just (hist |> event)
 
 -- |Add an event to the history unless it is a duplicate.
 insertEvent ::
   Members [AtomicState (Seq Event), ChronosTime] r =>
   Event ->
   Sem r Bool
-insertEvent e = do
+insertEvent event = do
   now <- Time.now
-  atomicState' \ s -> result s (appendIfValid now e s)
+  atomicState' \ s -> result s (appendIfValid now event s)
   where
     result s = \case
       Just new -> (new, True)
@@ -127,11 +127,13 @@
   Maybe Int ->
   Event ->
   Sem r ()
-receiveEvent maxHistory e = do
-  Log.debug [exon|listen: #{show e}|]
-  whenM (insertEvent e) do
-    broadcast e
-    traverse_ logTruncation =<< truncateLog (fromMaybe 100 maxHistory)
+receiveEvent maxHistory event = do
+  Log.debug [exon|listen: #{show event}|]
+  ifM (insertEvent event)
+    do
+      broadcast event
+      traverse_ logTruncation =<< truncateLog (fromMaybe 100 maxHistory)
+    do Log.debug [exon|Ignoring duplicate event: #{Event.describe event}|]
 
 -- |Re-broadcast an older event from the history at the given index (ordered by increasing age) and move it to the end
 -- of the history.
@@ -159,7 +161,7 @@
   name <- ask
   pure (name == sender && source == agentIdNet)
 
--- |Interpret 'History' as 'AtomicState', broadcasting to agents.
+-- |Interpret 'History' using 'AtomicState', broadcasting to agents.
 interpretHistory ::
   Members Agents r =>
   Members [Reader InstanceName, AtomicState (Seq Event), ChronosTime, Log] r =>
@@ -170,8 +172,9 @@
     History.Get ->
       toList <$> atomicGet
     History.Receive event ->
-      unlessM (isNetworkCycle event) do
-        receiveEvent maxHistory event
+      ifM (isNetworkCycle event)
+        do Log.debug [exon|Ignoring network cycle event: #{Event.describe event}|]
+        do receiveEvent maxHistory event
     History.Load index -> do
-      e <- loadEvent index
-      e <$ traverse_ broadcast e
+      event <- loadEvent index
+      event <$ traverse_ broadcast event
diff --git a/lib/Helic/Net/Api.hs b/lib/Helic/Net/Api.hs
--- a/lib/Helic/Net/Api.hs
+++ b/lib/Helic/Net/Api.hs
@@ -34,8 +34,7 @@
 
 -- |The default port, 9500.
 defaultPort :: Int
-defaultPort =
-  9500
+defaultPort = 9500
 
 -- |Run the daemon API.
 serve ::
diff --git a/lib/Helic/Yank.hs b/lib/Helic/Yank.hs
--- a/lib/Helic/Yank.hs
+++ b/lib/Helic/Yank.hs
@@ -4,22 +4,25 @@
 module Helic.Yank where
 
 import qualified Data.Text.IO as Text
+import Exon (exon)
+import qualified Log
 import Polysemy.Chronos (ChronosTime)
 import System.IO (stdin)
 
 import Helic.Data.AgentId (AgentId (AgentId))
 import qualified Helic.Data.Event as Event
 import Helic.Data.InstanceName (InstanceName)
-import Helic.Data.YankConfig (YankConfig (YankConfig))
+import qualified Helic.Data.YankConfig
+import Helic.Data.YankConfig (YankConfig)
 import qualified Helic.Effect.Client as Client
 import Helic.Effect.Client (Client)
 
 -- |Send an event to the server.
 yank ::
-  Members [Reader InstanceName, Client, ChronosTime, Error Text, Embed IO] r =>
+  Members [Reader InstanceName, Client, ChronosTime, Log, Error Text, Embed IO] r =>
   YankConfig ->
   Sem r ()
-yank (YankConfig agent) = do
-  text <- embed (Text.hGetContents stdin)
-  event <- Event.now (AgentId (fromMaybe "cli" agent)) text
-  fromEither =<< Client.yank event
+yank conf = do
+  text <- fromMaybeA (embed (Text.hGetContents stdin)) conf.text
+  event <- Event.now (AgentId (fromMaybe "cli" conf.agent)) text
+  Client.yank event >>= leftA \ err -> Log.debug [exon|Http client error: #{err}|]
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 |Command|Meaning|
 |---|---|
 |`hel listen`|Start the daemon. This is best done from a *systemd* user service.|
-|`hel yank`|Send standard input to the daemon as a manual yank event.|
+|`hel yank`|Send standard input or argument to the daemon as a manual yank event.|
 |`hel list`|Print the event history.|
 |`hel load`|Load an older event to the clipboard, given its index into the history.|
 
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@
 ## Nix
 
 The project uses a [Nix] [flake] to configure its build, and it is recommended to install or run it using *Nix* as well.
-If *Nix* is installed and configured for use with *flakes*, the app can be run like this:
+If *Nix* is installed and configured for use with *flakes*, the app can be run without installation like this:
 
 ```shell
 $ nix run github:tek/helic -- listen
@@ -56,24 +56,25 @@
 
 ## NixOS
 
-The flake provides a *NixOS* module that can be used by adding it to `/etc/nixos/configuration.nix`:
+The flake provides a *NixOS* module that can be used by adding it to `/etc/nixos/flake.nix`:
 
 ```nix
 {
   inputs.helic.url = "github:tek/helic";
   outputs = { nixpkgs, helic, ... }: {
     nixosConfigurations.myhost = nixpkgs.lib.nixosSystem {
-      modules = [helic.nixosModule];
+      modules = [helic.nixosModules.default];
       services.helic.enable = true;
     };
   };
 }
 ```
 
-With this, a *systemd* user service will be started on login and the client will be in `$PATH`:
+With this, a `systemd` user service will be started on login and the client will be in `$PATH`:
 
 ```shell
 $ echo 'yank me' | hel yank
+$ hel yank --agent custom-name --text 'yank me'
 ```
 
 After a rebuild, the service may not be started right away, so this command must be executed:
@@ -82,7 +83,7 @@
 $ systemctl --user start helic
 ```
 
-Globally enabled SystemD user services are started for all users on login.
+Globally enabled `systemd` user services are started for all users on login.
 To prevent that, you can set the module option `services.helic.user = "myuser"`.
 
 ## Without Nix
@@ -112,6 +113,8 @@
 |`listen`|`--agent NAME`|Used to avoid sending yanks back to the application that sent them.|
 |`list`|positional (`hel list 5`)|Limit the number of printed events.|
 |`load`|positional (`hel load 5`)|Choose the index of the event to be loaded.|
+|`yank`|`--agent NAME`|Custom name used in the `list` output and to avoid cycles.|
+|`yank`|`--text TEXT`|Yank text, uses stdin if not specified.|
 
 # Configuring Helic
 
@@ -151,6 +154,7 @@
     name = "myhost";
     maxHistory = 1000;
     verbose = true;
+    user = "myuser";
     net = {
       enable = true;
       port = 10001;
diff --git a/test/Helic/Dev.hs b/test/Helic/Dev.hs
--- a/test/Helic/Dev.hs
+++ b/test/Helic/Dev.hs
@@ -1,22 +1,39 @@
 module Helic.Dev where
 
 import Conc (withAsync_)
+import Exon (exon)
 import Log (Severity (Trace))
 import System.Environment (setEnv)
+import System.Random (randomIO)
 import qualified Time
 import Time (Seconds (Seconds))
 
-import Helic.App (listenApp)
+import Helic.App (listenApp, yankApp)
+import Helic.Config.File (findFileConfig)
 import Helic.Data.Config (Config (Config))
 import Helic.Data.NetConfig (NetConfig (NetConfig))
+import Helic.Data.YankConfig (YankConfig (YankConfig))
 
 conf :: Config
 conf =
   Config (Just "dev") (Just def) (Just (NetConfig (Just True) (Just 11111) Nothing Nothing)) Nothing Nothing (Just True)
 
-main :: IO ()
-main =
+listen :: IO ()
+listen =
   runAppLevel Trace (withAsync_ setenv (listenApp conf))
   where
     setenv =
       Time.sleep (Seconds 12) *> embed (setEnv "DISPLAY" ":0")
+
+listenSystem :: IO ()
+listenSystem =
+  runAppLevel Trace do
+    config <- findFileConfig Nothing
+    listenApp config
+
+yank :: IO ()
+yank =
+  runAppLevel Trace do
+    config <- findFileConfig Nothing
+    num :: Int64 <- embed randomIO
+    yankApp config (YankConfig Nothing (Just [exon|yanky #{show num}|]))