diff --git a/fortanix-vme/fortanix-vme-eif/src/lib.rs b/fortanix-vme/fortanix-vme-eif/src/lib.rs
index 2c3f903db..935a57816 100644
--- a/fortanix-vme/fortanix-vme-eif/src/lib.rs
+++ b/fortanix-vme/fortanix-vme-eif/src/lib.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ use tempfile::{self, NamedTempFile};
 mod error;
 mod initramfs;
 
+pub mod eif_types {
+    pub use aws_nitro_enclaves_image_format::defs::{EifIdentityInfo, EifHeader, EifSectionHeader};
+}
 pub use aws_nitro_enclaves_image_format::defs::EifSectionType;
 pub use error::Error;
 
diff --git a/fortanix-vme/fortanix-vme-runner/src/main.rs b/fortanix-vme/fortanix-vme-runner/src/main.rs
index 1bfa1ce0b..cb2e47b56 100644
--- a/fortanix-vme/fortanix-vme-runner/src/main.rs
+++ b/fortanix-vme/fortanix-vme-runner/src/main.rs
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 use clap::Parser;
-use fortanix_vme_eif::FtxEif;
+use fortanix_vme_eif::{eif_types::EifIdentityInfo, FtxEif};
 use fortanix_vme_abi::SERVER_PORT;
 use fortanix_vme_runner::{EnclaveRunner, NitroEnclaves, Platform, Simulator, SimulatorArgs};
 use nitro_cli::common::commands_parser::{RunEnclavesArgs as NitroArgs};
 use std::convert::TryFrom;
 use std::fs::File;
-use std::io::{BufReader, Error as IoError, ErrorKind as IoErrorKind, Write};
+use std::io::{BufReader, Error as IoError, ErrorKind as IoErrorKind, Read, Seek, Write};
 use std::os::unix::fs::OpenOptionsExt;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 
@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@ struct Cli {
     #[arg(short, long)]
     simulate: bool,
 
+    /// `ENCLAVE_FILE` points to an ELF, not an EIF (only available in simulation mode)
+    #[arg(long, requires("simulate"))]
+    elf: bool,
+
     #[arg(short, long)]
     verbose: bool,
 
@@ -111,31 +115,50 @@ fn create_runner<P: Platform + 'static>() -> EnclaveRunner<P> {
 }
 
 fn main() {
+    struct ReadEifResult<T> {
+        eif: FtxEif<T>,
+        metadata: EifIdentityInfo,
+    }
+    fn read_eif(enclave_file: &str) -> ReadEifResult<impl Read + Seek> {
+        let f = File::open(enclave_file).expect("Failed to open enclave file");
+        let mut eif = FtxEif::new(BufReader::new(f));
+        let metadata = eif.metadata().expect("Failed to parse metadata");
+        ReadEifResult { eif, metadata }
+    }
+
     let cli = Cli::parse();
-    let eif = File::open(&cli.enclave_file).expect("Failed to open enclave file");
-    let mut eif = FtxEif::new(BufReader::new(eif));
-    let metadata = eif.metadata()
-        .expect("Failed to parse metadata");
 
     if cli.simulate {
         env_logger::init();
 
-        //TODO also extract env/cmd file and make sure the application is executed with this
-        //context
-        let elf = eif.application()
-            .expect("Failed to parse enclave file");
-        let elf_path = create_elf(elf)
-            .expect("Failed to create executable file");
+        let elf_path: PathBuf;
+        let img_name;
+
+        if cli.elf {
+            elf_path = cli.enclave_file.into();
+            img_name = elf_path.file_name().unwrap_or_default().display().to_string();
+        } else {
+            let ReadEifResult { mut eif, metadata } = read_eif(&cli.enclave_file);
+            //TODO also extract env/cmd file and make sure the application is executed with this
+            //context
+            let elf = eif.application()
+                .expect("Failed to parse enclave file");
+            elf_path = create_elf(elf)
+                .expect("Failed to create executable file");
+
+            img_name = metadata.img_name;
+
+            log(&cli, &format!("Simulating enclave as {}", elf_path.display()));
+        }
 
-        log(&cli, &format!("Simulating enclave as {}", elf_path.display()));
         let mut runner: EnclaveRunner<Simulator> = create_runner();
         let args = SimulatorArgs::new(elf_path);
-        runner.run_enclave(args, metadata.img_name, cli.args).expect("Failed to run enclave");
+        runner.run_enclave(args, img_name, cli.args).expect("Failed to run enclave");
         runner.wait();
     } else {
         let mut runner: EnclaveRunner<NitroEnclaves> = create_runner();
         let args: NitroArgs = TryFrom::try_from(&cli).expect("Failed to parse arguments");
-        runner.run_enclave(args, metadata.img_name, cli.args).expect("Failed to run enclave");
+        runner.run_enclave(args, read_eif(&cli.enclave_file).metadata.img_name, cli.args).expect("Failed to run enclave");
         runner.wait();
     };
 }