diff --git a/src/jsonid/jsonid.py b/src/jsonid/jsonid.py
index 459099c..4d53704 100644
--- a/src/jsonid/jsonid.py
+++ b/src/jsonid/jsonid.py
@@ -2,12 +2,14 @@
 
 import argparse
 import asyncio
+import base64
+import binascii
 import json
 import logging
 import os
 import sys
 import time
-from typing import Tuple
+from typing import Any, Tuple
 
 try:
     import helpers
@@ -36,32 +38,48 @@
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
+def decode(content: Any, decodeb64: bool):
+    """Decode the given content stream."""
+    data = ""
+    try:
+        data = json.loads(content)
+    except json.decoder.JSONDecodeError:
+        if not decodeb64:
+            return False, None
+        try:
+            logger.debug("attempting to decode as base64")
+            data = base64.b64decode(content)
+            return decode(data, False)
+        except (binascii.Error, ValueError):
+            return False, None
+    return True, data
+
+
 @helpers.timeit
-async def identify_plaintext_bytestream(path: str) -> Tuple[bool, str]:
+async def identify_plaintext_bytestream(path: str, decodeb64: bool) -> Tuple[bool, str]:
     """Ensure that the file is a palintext bytestream and can be
     processed as JSON.
     """
     logger.debug("attempting to open: %s", path)
-    data = ""
     with open(path, "r", encoding="utf-8") as obj:
         try:
-            data = json.loads(obj.read())
-        except (json.decoder.JSONDecodeError, UnicodeDecodeError):
+            content = obj.read()
+            return decode(content, decodeb64)
+        except UnicodeDecodeError:
             return False, None
-    return True, data
 
 
-async def identify_json(paths: list[str], binary: bool):
+async def identify_json(paths: list[str], binary: bool, decodeb64: bool):
     """Identify objects"""
-    print("---")
     for path in paths:
-        valid, data = await identify_plaintext_bytestream(path)
+        valid, data = await identify_plaintext_bytestream(path, decodeb64)
         if not valid:
             logger.debug("%s: is not plaintext", path)
             if binary:
                 logger.warning("report on binary object...")
             continue
         if data != "":
+            print("---")
             logger.debug("processing: %s", path)
             res = registry.matcher(data)
             print(f"file: {path}")
@@ -82,20 +100,20 @@ async def create_manifest(path: str) -> list[str]:
     return paths
 
 
-async def process_data(path: str, binary: bool):
+async def process_data(path: str, binary: bool, decodeb64: bool):
     """Process all objects at a given path"""
     logger.debug("processing: %s", path)
     if not os.path.exists(path):
         logger.error("path: '%s' does not exist", path)
         sys.exit(1)
     if os.path.isfile(path):
-        await identify_json([path], binary)
+        await identify_json([path], binary, decodeb64)
         sys.exit(0)
     paths = await create_manifest(path)
     if not paths:
         logger.info("no files in directory: %s", path)
         sys.exit(1)
-    await identify_json(paths, binary)
+    await identify_json(paths, binary, decodeb64)
 
 
 def main() -> None:
@@ -122,6 +140,12 @@ def main() -> None:
         required=False,
         action="store_true",
     )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--base64",
+        help="attempt to decode contents as base64 (prototype)",
+        required=False,
+        action="store_true",
+    )
     parser.add_argument(
         "--registry",
         help="path to a custom registry to lead into memory replacing the default",
@@ -150,6 +174,7 @@ def main() -> None:
         process_data(
             path=args.path,
             binary=args.binary,
+            decodeb64=args.base64,
         )
     )