diff --git a/MANUAL.txt b/MANUAL.txt
index 8959d3000..56823e4b3 100644
--- a/MANUAL.txt
+++ b/MANUAL.txt
@@ -597,13 +597,14 @@ Reader options {.options}
 
 `--metadata-file=`*FILE*
 
-:   Read metadata from the supplied YAML (or JSON) file.
-    This option can be used with every input format, but string
-    scalars in the YAML file will always be parsed as Markdown.
-    Generally, the input will be handled the same as in
-    [YAML metadata blocks][Extension: `yaml_metadata_block`].
-    Metadata values specified inside the document, or by using `-M`,
-    overwrite values specified with this option.
+:   Read metadata from the supplied YAML (or JSON) file. This option can be used
+    with every input format, but string scalars in the YAML file will always be
+    parsed as Markdown. Generally, the input will be handled the same as in
+    [YAML metadata blocks][Extension: `yaml_metadata_block`]. This option can be
+    used repeatedly to include multiple metadata files; values in files specified
+    first will be preferred over those specified in later files. Metadata values
+    specified inside the document, or by using `-M`, overwrite values specified
+    with this option.
 
 `-p`, `--preserve-tabs`
 
diff --git a/pandoc.cabal b/pandoc.cabal
index c3ec32a2c..f8aa07570 100644
--- a/pandoc.cabal
+++ b/pandoc.cabal
@@ -198,6 +198,8 @@ extra-source-files:
                  test/command/3533-rst-csv-tables.csv
                  test/command/3880.txt
                  test/command/5182.txt
+                 test/command/5700-metadata-file-1.yml
+                 test/command/5700-metadata-file-2.yml
                  test/command/abbrevs
                  test/command/SVG_logo-without-xml-declaration.svg
                  test/command/SVG_logo.svg
diff --git a/src/Text/Pandoc/App.hs b/src/Text/Pandoc/App.hs
index 737e43fd9..4897366c3 100644
--- a/src/Text/Pandoc/App.hs
+++ b/src/Text/Pandoc/App.hs
@@ -226,8 +226,9 @@ convertWithOpts opts = do
 
     metadataFromFile <-
       case optMetadataFile opts of
-        Nothing   -> return mempty
-        Just file -> readFileLazy file >>= yamlToMeta readerOpts
+        []    -> return mempty
+        paths -> mapM readFileLazy paths >>= mapM (yamlToMeta readerOpts)
+                   >>= return . (foldr1 (<>))
 
     let transforms = (case optBaseHeaderLevel opts of
                           x | x > 1     -> (headerShift (x - 1) :)
diff --git a/src/Text/Pandoc/App/CommandLineOptions.hs b/src/Text/Pandoc/App/CommandLineOptions.hs
index 0757e77ff..7e3910aaa 100644
--- a/src/Text/Pandoc/App/CommandLineOptions.hs
+++ b/src/Text/Pandoc/App/CommandLineOptions.hs
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ options =
     , Option "" ["metadata-file"]
                  (ReqArg
                   (\arg opt -> return opt{ optMetadataFile =
-                                   Just (normalizePath arg) })
+                    (optMetadataFile opt) <> [normalizePath arg] })
                   "FILE")
                  ""
 
diff --git a/src/Text/Pandoc/App/Opt.hs b/src/Text/Pandoc/App/Opt.hs
index d2d86e960..0b7bb7f2c 100644
--- a/src/Text/Pandoc/App/Opt.hs
+++ b/src/Text/Pandoc/App/Opt.hs
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ data Opt = Opt
     , optTemplate              :: Maybe FilePath  -- ^ Custom template
     , optVariables             :: [(String,String)] -- ^ Template variables to set
     , optMetadata              :: [(String, String)] -- ^ Metadata fields to set
-    , optMetadataFile          :: Maybe FilePath  -- ^ Name of YAML metadata file
+    , optMetadataFile          :: [FilePath]  -- ^ Name of YAML metadata file
     , optOutputFile            :: Maybe FilePath  -- ^ Name of output file
     , optInputFiles            :: [FilePath] -- ^ Names of input files
     , optNumberSections        :: Bool    -- ^ Number sections in LaTeX
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ defaultOpts = Opt
     , optTemplate              = Nothing
     , optVariables             = []
     , optMetadata              = []
-    , optMetadataFile          = Nothing
+    , optMetadataFile          = []
     , optOutputFile            = Nothing
     , optInputFiles            = []
     , optNumberSections        = False
diff --git a/test/command/5700-metadata-file-1.yml b/test/command/5700-metadata-file-1.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..df64e99c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/command/5700-metadata-file-1.yml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+title: Multiple metadata files test
diff --git a/test/command/5700-metadata-file-2.yml b/test/command/5700-metadata-file-2.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e865ed55d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/command/5700-metadata-file-2.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+title: This title should be overridden by 5700-metadta-file-2.yml
+desc: Both of these files should be loaded.
diff --git a/test/command/5700.md b/test/command/5700.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..64f99c862
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/command/5700.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+```
+% pandoc -t native -s --metadata-file command/5700-metadata-file-1.yml --metadata-file command/5700-metadata-file-2.yml
+^D
+Pandoc (Meta {unMeta = fromList [("desc",MetaInlines [Str "Both",Space,Str "of",Space,Str "these",Space,Str "files",Space,Str "should",Space,Str "be",Space,Str "loaded."]),("title",MetaInlines [Str "Multiple",Space,Str "metadata",Space,Str "files",Space,Str "test"])]})
+[]
+```