diff --git a/pex/bin/pex.py b/pex/bin/pex.py
index dc99b70d0..8a6b2155c 100755
--- a/pex/bin/pex.py
+++ b/pex/bin/pex.py
@@ -355,6 +355,14 @@ def configure_clp():
       help='The name of the generated .pex file: Omiting this will run PEX '
            'immediately and not save it to a file.')
 
+  parser.add_option(
+      '-p', '--preamble-file',
+      dest='preamble_file',
+      metavar='FILE',
+      default=None,
+      type=str,
+      help='The name of a file to be included as the preamble for the generated .pex file')
+
   parser.add_option(
       '-r', '--requirement',
       dest='requirement_files',
@@ -513,8 +521,15 @@ def build_pex(args, options, resolver_option_builder):
   if not interpreters:
     die('Could not find compatible interpreter', CANNOT_SETUP_INTERPRETER)
 
+  try:
+    with open(options.preamble_file) as preamble_fd:
+      preamble = preamble_fd.read()
+  except TypeError:
+    # options.preamble_file is None
+    preamble = None
+
   interpreter = _lowest_version_interpreter(interpreters)
-  pex_builder = PEXBuilder(path=safe_mkdtemp(), interpreter=interpreter)
+  pex_builder = PEXBuilder(path=safe_mkdtemp(), interpreter=interpreter, preamble=preamble)
 
   pex_info = pex_builder.info
   pex_info.zip_safe = options.zip_safe
diff --git a/tests/test_pex_binary.py b/tests/test_pex_binary.py
index ccc6ccf70..ede3de1ec 100644
--- a/tests/test_pex_binary.py
+++ b/tests/test_pex_binary.py
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@
 
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 from optparse import OptionParser
+from tempfile import NamedTemporaryFile
 
-from pex.bin.pex import configure_clp, configure_clp_pex_resolution
+from pex.bin.pex import build_pex, configure_clp, configure_clp_pex_resolution
+from pex.compatibility import to_bytes
 from pex.fetcher import PyPIFetcher
 from pex.package import SourcePackage, WheelPackage
 from pex.resolver_options import ResolverOptionsBuilder
@@ -88,6 +90,19 @@ def test_clp_constraints_txt():
   assert options.constraint_files == ['requirements1.txt']
 
 
+def test_clp_preamble_file():
+  with NamedTemporaryFile() as tmpfile:
+    tmpfile.write(to_bytes('print "foo!"'))
+    tmpfile.flush()
+
+    parser, resolver_options_builder = configure_clp()
+    options, reqs = parser.parse_args(args=['--preamble-file', tmpfile.name])
+    assert options.preamble_file == tmpfile.name
+
+    pex_builder = build_pex(reqs, options, resolver_options_builder)
+    assert pex_builder._preamble == to_bytes('print "foo!"')
+
+
 def test_clp_prereleases():
   with parser_pair() as (builder, parser):
     configure_clp_pex_resolution(parser, builder)
diff --git a/tests/test_pex_builder.py b/tests/test_pex_builder.py
index 66f022689..9521ab371 100644
--- a/tests/test_pex_builder.py
+++ b/tests/test_pex_builder.py
@@ -101,6 +101,30 @@ def builder(shebang):
           assert fp.read(len(expected_preamble)) == expected_preamble
 
 
+def test_pex_builder_preamble():
+  with temporary_dir() as td:
+    target = os.path.join(td, 'foo.pex')
+    should_create = os.path.join(td, 'foo.1')
+
+    tempfile_preamble = "\n".join([
+      "import sys",
+      "open('{0}', 'w').close()".format(should_create),
+      "sys.exit(3)"
+    ])
+
+    pex_builder = PEXBuilder(preamble=tempfile_preamble)
+    pex_builder.build(target)
+
+    assert not os.path.exists(should_create)
+
+    pex = PEX(target)
+    process = pex.run(blocking=False)
+    process.wait()
+
+    assert process.returncode == 3
+    assert os.path.exists(should_create)
+
+
 def test_pex_builder_compilation():
   with nested(temporary_dir(), temporary_dir(), temporary_dir()) as (td1, td2, td3):
     src = os.path.join(td1, 'src.py')