diff --git a/Main.hs b/Main.hs
--- a/Main.hs
+++ b/Main.hs
@@ -16,10 +16,12 @@
 import Data.Either (partitionEithers)
 import Control.Error
 
+import Options.Applicative
+
 import qualified Data.ByteString.Char8 as BS
 import System.IO.Temp
 
-import Distribution.Verbosity (Verbosity, normal)
+import Distribution.Verbosity (Verbosity, normal, verbose)
 import Distribution.Simple.Compiler (Compiler (compilerId), compilerFlavor)
 import Distribution.Simple.GHC
 import Distribution.Simple.Program (defaultProgramConfiguration)
@@ -38,13 +40,30 @@
                      , installTextBase         :: Bool
                      , useLocalDocs            :: Bool
                      , ignoreExistingTextBases :: Bool
+                     , otherPackageDbs         :: [PackageDB]
                      }
 
-config = Config { verbosity               = normal
-                , installTextBase         = True
-                , useLocalDocs            = True
-                , ignoreExistingTextBases = False
-                }
+opts =
+    Config <$> flag normal verbose
+               ( short 'v' <> long "verbose"
+              <> help "Enable verbose output"
+               )
+           <*> switch
+               ( short 'i' <> long "install"
+              <> help "Install generated textbases for future use"
+               )
+           <*> switch
+               ( short 'l' <> long "local"
+              <> help "Use local Haddock documentation when available"
+               )
+           <*> switch
+               ( long "ignore-existing"
+              <> help "Always regenerate textbases even if one already exists"
+               )
+           <*> many (option (fmap SpecificPackageDB . pure)
+               ( short 'f' <> long "package-db"
+              <> help "Add an addition package database (e.g. a Cabal sandbox)"
+               ))
 
 -- | An unpacked Cabal project
 newtype PackageTree = PkgTree FilePath
@@ -125,6 +144,9 @@
                 tbPath = docRoot </> name++".txt"
             liftIO $ putStrLn $ "Installing textbase to "++tbPath
             liftIO $ BS.writeFile tbPath content
+          Nothing | installTextBase cfg -> do
+            liftIO $ putStrLn $ "Can't install textbase due to missing documentation directory"
+          _ -> return ()
         return tb
   where
     pkg = sourcePackageId ipkg
@@ -195,11 +217,18 @@
 
 main :: IO ()
 main = do
+    config <- execParser
+        $ info (helper <*> opts)
+               ( fullDesc
+              <> progDesc "Generate Hoogle indexes for locally install packages"
+              <> header "hoogle-index - Painless local Hoogle indexing"
+               )
+
     (compiler, _, progCfg) <- configure (verbosity config)
                               Nothing Nothing
                               defaultProgramConfiguration
-    pkgIdx <- getInstalledPackages (verbosity config)
-              [GlobalPackageDB, UserPackageDB] progCfg
+    let pkgDbs = [GlobalPackageDB, UserPackageDB] ++ otherPackageDbs config
+    pkgIdx <- getInstalledPackages (verbosity config) pkgDbs progCfg
     let pkgs = reverseTopologicalOrder pkgIdx
         maybeIndex :: InstalledPackageInfo -> IO (Either (PackageId, String) Database)
         maybeIndex pkg = runEitherT $ fmapLT (sourcePackageId pkg,)
diff --git a/hoogle-index.cabal b/hoogle-index.cabal
--- a/hoogle-index.cabal
+++ b/hoogle-index.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:                hoogle-index
-version:             0.2.1
+version:             0.2.2
 synopsis:            Easily generate Hoogle indices for installed packages
 description:         Easily generate Hoogle indices for installed packages
 homepage:            http://github.com/bgamari/hoogle-index
@@ -19,13 +19,14 @@
 executable hoogle-index
   main-is:             Main.hs
   other-extensions:    TupleSections
-  build-depends:       base >=4.7 && <4.8,
-                       transformers >=0.4 && <0.5,
+  build-depends:       base >=4.6 && <4.8,
+                       transformers >=0.3 && <0.5,
                        directory >=1.2 && <1.3,
                        process >=1.2 && <1.3,
                        filepath >=1.3 && <1.4,
                        errors >=1.4 && <1.5,
                        bytestring >=0.9 && <1.11,
                        temporary >=1.2 && <1.3,
-                       Cabal >=1.20 && <1.21
+                       Cabal >=1.20 && <1.21,
+                       optparse-applicative >=0.10 && <0.11
   default-language:    Haskell2010