diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 3fd8436..746e55c 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -4,13 +4,14 @@ description = "A flexible rule-based file and folder comparison tool and crate i
 repository = "https://github.com/VolumeGraphics/havocompare"
 homepage = "https://github.com/VolumeGraphics/havocompare"
 documentation = "https://docs.rs/havocompare"
-version = "0.5.3"
+version = "0.5.4"
 edition = "2021"
 license = "MIT"
 authors = ["Volume Graphics GmbH"]
 exclude = ["tests/pdf", "tests/integ", "tests/html", "target", "tests/csv", ".github", "test_report"]
 keywords = ["diff" ,"compare", "csv", "image", "difference"]
 categories = ["filesystem"]
+default-run = "havocompare"
 
 [[bin]]
 name = "print_args"
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d8740e6..48af352 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -272,6 +272,9 @@ rules:
 
 ## Changelog
 
+### 0.5.4
+- Add option to run single file mode from CLI
+
 ### 0.5.3
 - Add option to sort json arrays (including deep sorting)
 - Make single file comparison function to public api
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 1df5139..7934cba 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use anyhow::anyhow;
 use clap::Parser;
-use havocompare::{compare_folders, get_schema, validate_config};
-use std::path::Path;
+use havocompare::{compare_files, compare_folders, get_schema, validate_config, ComparisonMode};
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use tracing::{info, Level};
 use tracing_subscriber::FmtSubscriber;
 
@@ -24,6 +24,15 @@ enum Commands {
         #[arg(short, long)]
         open: bool,
     },
+    /// Compare two files given a config-string that contains a json-serialized config
+    FileCompare {
+        /// nominal file
+        nominal: PathBuf,
+        /// actual file
+        actual: PathBuf,
+        /// compare_configuration in json
+        config: String,
+    },
 
     /// Export the JsonSchema for the config files
     Schema,
@@ -85,6 +94,22 @@ fn main() -> Result<(), vg_errortools::MainError> {
                 Err(anyhow!("Comparison failed!").into())
             }
         }
+        Commands::FileCompare {
+            nominal,
+            actual,
+            config,
+        } => {
+            use anyhow::Context;
+            let config: ComparisonMode =
+                serde_json::from_str(&config).context("Couldn't deserialize the config string")?;
+            let result = compare_files(nominal, actual, &config);
+            info!("Diff results: {result:#?}");
+            if result.is_error {
+                Err(anyhow!("Comparison failed!").into())
+            } else {
+                Ok(())
+            }
+        }
         Commands::Validate { compare_config } => {
             if validate_config(compare_config) {
                 Ok(())