diff --git a/cli/command/stack/deploy_composefile.go b/cli/command/stack/deploy_composefile.go
index 16d583ed99..e511a6f127 100644
--- a/cli/command/stack/deploy_composefile.go
+++ b/cli/command/stack/deploy_composefile.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package stack
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func deployCompose(ctx context.Context, dockerCli command.Cli, opts deployOptions) error {
-	configDetails, err := getConfigDetails(opts.composefile)
+	configDetails, err := getConfigDetails(opts.composefile, dockerCli.In())
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -118,16 +119,24 @@ func propertyWarnings(properties map[string]string) string {
 	return strings.Join(msgs, "\n\n")
 }
 
-func getConfigDetails(composefile string) (composetypes.ConfigDetails, error) {
+func getConfigDetails(composefile string, stdin io.Reader) (composetypes.ConfigDetails, error) {
 	var details composetypes.ConfigDetails
 
-	absPath, err := filepath.Abs(composefile)
-	if err != nil {
-		return details, err
+	if composefile == "-" {
+		workingDir, err := os.Getwd()
+		if err != nil {
+			return details, err
+		}
+		details.WorkingDir = workingDir
+	} else {
+		absPath, err := filepath.Abs(composefile)
+		if err != nil {
+			return details, err
+		}
+		details.WorkingDir = filepath.Dir(absPath)
 	}
-	details.WorkingDir = filepath.Dir(absPath)
 
-	configFile, err := getConfigFile(composefile)
+	configFile, err := getConfigFile(composefile, stdin)
 	if err != nil {
 		return details, err
 	}
@@ -150,15 +159,24 @@ func buildEnvironment(env []string) (map[string]string, error) {
 	return result, nil
 }
 
-func getConfigFile(filename string) (*composetypes.ConfigFile, error) {
-	bytes, err := ioutil.ReadFile(filename)
+func getConfigFile(filename string, stdin io.Reader) (*composetypes.ConfigFile, error) {
+	var bytes []byte
+	var err error
+
+	if filename == "-" {
+		bytes, err = ioutil.ReadAll(stdin)
+	} else {
+		bytes, err = ioutil.ReadFile(filename)
+	}
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+
 	config, err := loader.ParseYAML(bytes)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+
 	return &composetypes.ConfigFile{
 		Filename: filename,
 		Config:   config,
diff --git a/cli/command/stack/deploy_composefile_test.go b/cli/command/stack/deploy_composefile_test.go
index 8d09ab056c..2e6906f69d 100644
--- a/cli/command/stack/deploy_composefile_test.go
+++ b/cli/command/stack/deploy_composefile_test.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package stack
 import (
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/docker/cli/cli/internal/test/network"
@@ -25,10 +26,28 @@ services:
 	file := fs.NewFile(t, "test-get-config-details", fs.WithContent(content))
 	defer file.Remove()
 
-	details, err := getConfigDetails(file.Path())
+	details, err := getConfigDetails(file.Path(), nil)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.Equal(t, filepath.Dir(file.Path()), details.WorkingDir)
-	assert.Len(t, details.ConfigFiles, 1)
+	require.Len(t, details.ConfigFiles, 1)
+	assert.Equal(t, "3.0", details.ConfigFiles[0].Config["version"])
+	assert.Len(t, details.Environment, len(os.Environ()))
+}
+
+func TestGetConfigDetailsStdin(t *testing.T) {
+	content := `
+version: "3.0"
+services:
+  foo:
+    image: alpine:3.5
+`
+	details, err := getConfigDetails("-", strings.NewReader(content))
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	cwd, err := os.Getwd()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, cwd, details.WorkingDir)
+	require.Len(t, details.ConfigFiles, 1)
+	assert.Equal(t, "3.0", details.ConfigFiles[0].Config["version"])
 	assert.Len(t, details.Environment, len(os.Environ()))
 }
 
diff --git a/docs/reference/commandline/stack_deploy.md b/docs/reference/commandline/stack_deploy.md
index dd9a4cd65c..15feaa8519 100644
--- a/docs/reference/commandline/stack_deploy.md
+++ b/docs/reference/commandline/stack_deploy.md
@@ -57,6 +57,23 @@ Creating service vossibility_ghollector
 Creating service vossibility_lookupd
 ```
 
+The Compose file can also be provided as standard input with `--compose-file -`:
+
+```bash
+$ cat docker-compose.yml | docker stack deploy --compose-file - vossibility
+
+Ignoring unsupported options: links
+
+Creating network vossibility_vossibility
+Creating network vossibility_default
+Creating service vossibility_nsqd
+Creating service vossibility_logstash
+Creating service vossibility_elasticsearch
+Creating service vossibility_kibana
+Creating service vossibility_ghollector
+Creating service vossibility_lookupd
+```
+
 Only a single Compose file is accepted. If your configuration is split between
 multiple Compose files, e.g. a base configuration and environment-specific overrides,
 you can combine these by passing them to `docker-compose config` with the `-f` option