diff --git a/man/3cpio.1.adoc b/man/3cpio.1.adoc
index 1f75ad5..c14e700 100644
--- a/man/3cpio.1.adoc
+++ b/man/3cpio.1.adoc
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ Benjamin Drung
 *3cpio* {*-t*|*--list*} [*-v*|*--debug*] [*-P* _LIST_] _ARCHIVE_ [_pattern_...]
 
 *3cpio* {*-x*|*--extract*} [*-v*|*--debug*] [*-C* _DIR_] [*-P* _LIST_] [*-p*] [*-s* _NAME_]
-[*--to-stdout*] [*--force*] _ARCHIVE_ [_pattern_...]
+[*--to-stdout*] [*--force*] [*-F*] _ARCHIVE_ [*-F*|*--file* _ARCHIVE_...] [_pattern_...]
 
 *3cpio* {*-V*|*--version*}
 
@@ -74,8 +74,10 @@ Following compression formats are supported: bzip2, gzip, lz4, lzma, lzop, xz, z
   matching at least one of those __pattern__s.
   These __pattern__s are shell wildcard patterns (see *glob*(7)).
 
-*-x*, *--extract* _ARCHIVE_ [_pattern_...]::
+*-x*, *--extract* [*-F*|*--file*] _ARCHIVE_ [*-F*|*--file* _ARCHIVE_] [_pattern_...]::
   Extract cpio archives.
+  Multiple archives can be specified with *-F*.
+  The option *-F* can be omitted for the first archive.
   If one or more __pattern__s are supplied, extract only files
   matching at least one of those __pattern__s.
   These __pattern__s are shell wildcard patterns (see *glob*(7)).
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 44ac507..7ceaffe 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ struct Args {
     force: bool,
     list: bool,
     log_level: Level,
-    archive: Option<String>,
+    archives: Vec<String>,
     make_directories: bool,
     parts: Option<Ranges>,
     patterns: Vec<Pattern>,
@@ -58,7 +58,9 @@ fn print_help() {
     {executable} {{-c|--create}} [-v|--debug] [-C DIR] [--data-align BYTES] [ARCHIVE] < manifest
     {executable} {{-e|--examine}} [--raw] ARCHIVE
     {executable} {{-t|--list}} [-v|--debug] [-P LIST] ARCHIVE [pattern...]
-    {executable} {{-x|--extract}} [-v|--debug] [-C DIR] [--make-directories] [-P LIST] [-p] [-s NAME] [--to-stdout] [--force] ARCHIVE [pattern...]
+    {executable} {{-x|--extract}} [-v|--debug] [-C DIR] [--make-directories] [-P LIST] \
+                 [-p] [-s NAME] [--to-stdout] [--force] [-F|--file] \
+                 ARCHIVE [-F|--file ARCHIVE...] [pattern...]
 
 Optional arguments:
   --count        Print the number of concatenated cpio archives.
@@ -103,7 +105,7 @@ fn parse_args() -> Result<Args, lexopt::Error> {
     let mut list = 0;
     let mut log_level = Level::Warning;
     let mut directory = ".".into();
-    let mut archive = None;
+    let mut archives = Vec::new();
     let mut make_directories = false;
     let mut patterns = Vec::new();
     let mut raw = false;
@@ -179,8 +181,11 @@ fn parse_args() -> Result<Args, lexopt::Error> {
             Short('x') | Long("extract") => {
                 extract = 1;
             }
-            Value(val) if archive.is_none() => {
-                archive = Some(val.string()?);
+            Value(val) if archives.is_empty() => {
+                archives.push(val.string()?);
+            }
+            Short('F') | Long("file") => {
+                archives.push(parser.value()?.string()?);
             }
             Value(val) => arguments.push(val.string()?),
             _ => return Err(arg.unexpected()),
@@ -210,9 +215,12 @@ fn parse_args() -> Result<Args, lexopt::Error> {
         }
     }
 
-    if create != 1 && archive.is_none() {
+    if create != 1 && archives.is_empty() {
         return Err("missing argument ARCHIVE".into());
     }
+    if extract != 1 && archives.len() > 1 {
+        return Err("specifying multiple --file=ARCHIVE is only supported for --extract".into());
+    }
 
     Ok(Args {
         count: count == 1,
@@ -224,7 +232,7 @@ fn parse_args() -> Result<Args, lexopt::Error> {
         force,
         list: list == 1,
         log_level,
-        archive,
+        archives,
         make_directories,
         parts,
         patterns,
@@ -342,7 +350,7 @@ fn main() -> ExitCode {
 
     if args.create {
         let mut archive = None;
-        if let Some(path) = args.archive.as_ref() {
+        if let Some(path) = args.archives.first() {
             archive = match File::create(path) {
                 Ok(f) => Some(f),
                 Err(e) => {
@@ -368,7 +376,7 @@ fn main() -> ExitCode {
                 _ => {
                     eprintln!(
                         "{executable}: Error: Failed to create '{}': {error}",
-                        args.archive.unwrap_or("cpio on stdout".into()),
+                        args.archives.first().unwrap_or(&"cpio on stdout".into()),
                     );
                     return ExitCode::FAILURE;
                 }
@@ -377,16 +385,17 @@ fn main() -> ExitCode {
         return ExitCode::SUCCESS;
     };
 
-    let archive = match File::open(args.archive.as_ref().unwrap()) {
-        Ok(f) => f,
-        Err(e) => {
-            eprintln!(
-                "{executable}: Error: Failed to open '{}': {e}",
-                args.archive.unwrap(),
-            );
-            return ExitCode::FAILURE;
-        }
-    };
+    let mut opened_archives = Vec::new();
+    for path in &args.archives {
+        let archive = match File::open(path) {
+            Ok(f) => f,
+            Err(e) => {
+                eprintln!("{executable}: Error: Failed to open '{path}': {e}");
+                return ExitCode::FAILURE;
+            }
+        };
+        opened_archives.push((path.clone(), archive));
+    }
 
     if args.extract && !args.to_stdout {
         if let Err(e) = create_and_set_current_dir(&args.directory, args.force) {
@@ -402,16 +411,15 @@ fn main() -> ExitCode {
             return ExitCode::FAILURE;
         }
     };
-    let (operation, result) = operate_on_archive(archive, &args, &cwd, &mut logger);
-    if let Err(e) = result {
-        match e.kind() {
-            ErrorKind::BrokenPipe => {}
-            _ => {
-                eprintln!(
-                    "{executable}: Error: Failed to {operation} of '{}': {e}",
-                    args.archive.as_deref().unwrap(),
-                );
-                return ExitCode::FAILURE;
+    for (path, archive) in opened_archives {
+        let (operation, result) = operate_on_archive(archive, &args, &cwd, &mut logger);
+        if let Err(e) = result {
+            match e.kind() {
+                ErrorKind::BrokenPipe => break,
+                _ => {
+                    eprintln!("{executable}: Error: Failed to {operation} of '{path}': {e}");
+                    return ExitCode::FAILURE;
+                }
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/tests/cli.rs b/tests/cli.rs
index 91efff6..f33c5c4 100644
--- a/tests/cli.rs
+++ b/tests/cli.rs
@@ -348,6 +348,19 @@ fn test_create_missing_path() -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
     Ok(())
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn test_create_multiple() -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
+    let mut cmd = get_command();
+    cmd.args(["--create", "--file", "/tmp/first", "-F", "/tmp/second"]);
+    cmd.output()?
+        .assert_failure(2)
+        .assert_stderr_contains(
+            "Error: specifying multiple --file=ARCHIVE is only supported for --extract",
+        )
+        .assert_stdout("");
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn test_create_uncompressed_plus_zstd_on_stdout() -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
     let mut cmd = get_command();
@@ -462,6 +475,30 @@ fn test_examine_single_cpio_raw() -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
     Ok(())
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn test_extract_multiple() -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
+    let tempdir = TempDir::new()?;
+    let mut cmd = get_command();
+    cmd.arg("-x")
+        .arg("-C")
+        .arg(&tempdir.path)
+        .arg("-v")
+        .arg("-F")
+        .arg("tests/single.cpio")
+        .arg("--file")
+        .arg("tests/shell.cpio");
+
+    println!("tempdir = {:?}", tempdir.path);
+    cmd.output()?
+        .assert_stderr(".\npath\npath/file\n.\nusr\nusr/bin\nusr/bin/ash\nusr/bin/sh\n")
+        .assert_success()
+        .assert_stdout("");
+    assert!(tempdir.path.join("path/file").exists());
+    assert!(tempdir.path.join("usr/bin/ash").exists());
+    assert!(tempdir.path.join("usr/bin/sh").exists());
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn test_extract_to_stdout() -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
     let mut cmd = get_command();
diff --git a/tests/generate b/tests/generate
index 0c816e9..7db9037 100755
--- a/tests/generate
+++ b/tests/generate
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ generate_cpio "${input}/single" > single.cpio
 mkdir -p "$input/shell/usr/bin/"
 echo "This is a fake busybox binary to simulate a POSIX shell" > "$input/shell/usr/bin/sh"
 ln -s sh "$input/shell/usr/bin/ash"
-generate_cpio "${input}/shell" > "$input/shell.cpio"
-touch --date="@${SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH}" "$input/shell.cpio"
+generate_cpio "${input}/shell" > shell.cpio
+touch --date="@${SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH}" shell.cpio
 
 mkdir -p "$input/bigdata"
 dd bs=1000 count=102500 if=/dev/zero of="$input/bigdata/zeros"
@@ -38,27 +38,27 @@ generate_cpio "${input}/bigdata" > "$input/bigdata.cpio"
 touch --date="@${SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH}" "$input/bigdata.cpio"
 
 cp single.cpio bzip2.cpio
-bzip2 -9 < "$input/shell.cpio" >> bzip2.cpio
+bzip2 -9 < shell.cpio >> bzip2.cpio
 
 cp single.cpio gzip.cpio
-gzip -n -9 < "$input/shell.cpio" >> gzip.cpio
+gzip -n -9 < shell.cpio >> gzip.cpio
 
 cp single.cpio lz4.cpio
-lz4 -l -9 < "$input/shell.cpio" >> lz4.cpio
+lz4 -l -9 < shell.cpio >> lz4.cpio
 
 cp single.cpio lzma.cpio
-lzma -9 < "$input/shell.cpio" >> lzma.cpio
+lzma -9 < shell.cpio >> lzma.cpio
 
 cp single.cpio lzop.cpio
-lzop -9 -c "$input/shell.cpio" >> lzop.cpio
+lzop -9 -c shell.cpio >> lzop.cpio
 
 cp single.cpio xz.cpio
-xz --check=crc32 --threads=1 -9 < "$input/shell.cpio" >> xz.cpio
+xz --check=crc32 --threads=1 -9 < shell.cpio >> xz.cpio
 
 cp single.cpio zstd.cpio
-zstd -q -9 < "$input/shell.cpio" >> zstd.cpio
+zstd -q -9 < shell.cpio >> zstd.cpio
 
-cat single.cpio "$input/shell.cpio" > bigdata.cpio
+cat single.cpio shell.cpio > bigdata.cpio
 zstd -q -9 < "$input/bigdata.cpio" >> bigdata.cpio
 
 mkdir "$input/path-traversal"
diff --git a/tests/shell.cpio b/tests/shell.cpio
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a928956
Binary files /dev/null and b/tests/shell.cpio differ