diff --git a/docs/help.md b/docs/help.md
index 289125f..350afca 100644
--- a/docs/help.md
+++ b/docs/help.md
@@ -127,8 +127,8 @@ Options:
                                   Attachment with explicit mimetype,
                                   --at image.jpg image/jpeg
   -T, --tool TEXT                 Name of a tool to make available to the model
-  --tools TEXT                    Python code block defining functions to
-                                  register as tools
+  --functions TEXT                Python code block or file path defining
+                                  functions to register as tools
   --td, --tools-debug             Show full details of tool executions
   --ta, --tools-approve           Manually approve every tool execution
   -o, --option <TEXT TEXT>...     key/value options for the model
@@ -628,9 +628,10 @@ Usage: llm tools list [OPTIONS]
   List available tools that have been provided by plugins
 
 Options:
-  --json        Output as JSON
-  --tools TEXT  Python code block defining functions to register as tools
-  --help        Show this message and exit.
+  --json            Output as JSON
+  --functions TEXT  Python code block or file path defining functions to
+                    register as tools
+  --help            Show this message and exit.
 ```
 
 (help-aliases)=
diff --git a/docs/tools.md b/docs/tools.md
index e1d09c4..66de5a8 100644
--- a/docs/tools.md
+++ b/docs/tools.md
@@ -20,4 +20,4 @@ In LLM every tool is a defined as a Python function. The function can take any n
 
 Tool functions should include a docstring that describes what the function does. This docstring will become the description that is passed to the model.
 
-The Python API can accept functions directly. The command-line interface has two ways for tools to be defined: via plugins that implement the {ref}`register_tools() plugin hook <plugin-hooks-register-tools>`, or directly on the command-line using the `--tools` argument to specify a block of Python code defining one or more functions.
\ No newline at end of file
+The Python API can accept functions directly. The command-line interface has two ways for tools to be defined: via plugins that implement the {ref}`register_tools() plugin hook <plugin-hooks-register-tools>`, or directly on the command-line using the `--functions` argument to specify a block of Python code defining one or more functions - or a path to a Python file containing the same.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/llm/cli.py b/llm/cli.py
index c22ef1c..69f501e 100644
--- a/llm/cli.py
+++ b/llm/cli.py
@@ -344,8 +344,9 @@ def cli():
 )
 @click.option(
     "python_tools",
-    "--tools",
-    help="Python code block defining functions to register as tools",
+    "--functions",
+    help="Python code block or file path defining functions to register as tools",
+    multiple=True,
 )
 @click.option(
     "tools_debug",
@@ -757,7 +758,8 @@ def prompt(
 
     extra_tools = []
     if python_tools:
-        extra_tools = _tools_from_code(python_tools)
+        for code_or_path in python_tools:
+            extra_tools = _tools_from_code(code_or_path)
 
     if tools or python_tools:
         prompt_method = conversation.chain
@@ -2286,15 +2288,17 @@ def tools():
 @click.option("json_", "--json", is_flag=True, help="Output as JSON")
 @click.option(
     "python_tools",
-    "--tools",
-    help="Python code block defining functions to register as tools",
+    "--functions",
+    help="Python code block or file path defining functions to register as tools",
+    multiple=True,
 )
 def tools_list(json_, python_tools):
     "List available tools that have been provided by plugins"
     tools = get_tools()
     if python_tools:
-        for tool in _tools_from_code(python_tools):
-            tools[tool.name] = tool
+        for code_or_path in python_tools:
+            for tool in _tools_from_code(code_or_path):
+                tools[tool.name] = tool
     if json_:
         click.echo(
             json.dumps(
@@ -3565,16 +3569,21 @@ def load_template(name: str) -> Template:
     return _parse_yaml_template(name, content)
 
 
-def _tools_from_code(code: str) -> List[Tool]:
+def _tools_from_code(code_or_path: str) -> List[Tool]:
     """
     Treat all Python functions in the code as tools
     """
+    if "\n" not in code_or_path and code_or_path.endswith(".py"):
+        try:
+            code_or_path = pathlib.Path(code_or_path).read_text()
+        except FileNotFoundError:
+            raise click.ClickException("File not found: {}".format(code_or_path))
     globals = {}
     tools = []
     try:
-        exec(code, globals)
+        exec(code_or_path, globals)
     except SyntaxError as ex:
-        raise click.ClickException("Error in --tools definition: {}".format(ex))
+        raise click.ClickException("Error in --functions definition: {}".format(ex))
     # Register all callables in the locals dict:
     for name, value in globals.items():
         if callable(value) and not name.startswith("_"):
diff --git a/tests/test_plugins.py b/tests/test_plugins.py
index dddf185..1cd42ee 100644
--- a/tests/test_plugins.py
+++ b/tests/test_plugins.py
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ def test_register_fragment_loaders(logs_db, httpx_mock):
     ]
 
 
-def test_register_tools():
+def test_register_tools(tmpdir):
     def upper(text: str) -> str:
         """Convert text to uppercase."""
         return text.upper()
@@ -271,11 +271,22 @@ def test_register_tools():
             },
         }
         # And test the --tools option
+        functions_path = str(tmpdir / "functions.py")
+        with open(functions_path, "w") as fp:
+            fp.write("def example(s: str, i: int):\n    return s + '-' + str(i)")
         result3 = runner.invoke(
-            cli.cli, ["tools", "--tools", "def reverse(s: str): return s[::-1]"]
+            cli.cli,
+            [
+                "tools",
+                "--functions",
+                "def reverse(s: str): return s[::-1]",
+                "--functions",
+                functions_path,
+            ],
         )
         assert result3.exit_code == 0
         assert "reverse(s: str)" in result3.output
+        assert "example(s: str, i: int)" in result3.output
     finally:
         plugins.pm.unregister(name="ToolsPlugin")
         assert llm.get_tools() == {}