diff --git a/cmd/esc/cli/env_set.go b/cmd/esc/cli/env_set.go
index 626eb3b5..f3552dac 100644
--- a/cmd/esc/cli/env_set.go
+++ b/cmd/esc/cli/env_set.go
@@ -5,21 +5,23 @@ package cli
 import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
-	"regexp"
-	"strconv"
-
 	"github.com/ccojocar/zxcvbn-go"
-	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
-	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
-
 	"github.com/pulumi/esc/syntax/encoding"
 	"github.com/pulumi/pulumi/sdk/v3/go/common/resource"
 	"github.com/pulumi/pulumi/sdk/v3/go/common/util/contract"
+	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
+	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
+	"io"
+	"os"
+	"regexp"
+	"strconv"
 )
 
 func newEnvSetCmd(env *envCommand) *cobra.Command {
 	var secret bool
 	var plaintext bool
+	var filename string
+	var inputYaml bool
 
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "set [<org-name>/][<project-name>/]<environment-name> <path> <value>",
@@ -45,7 +47,12 @@ func newEnvSetCmd(env *envCommand) *cobra.Command {
 			if ref.version != "" {
 				return fmt.Errorf("the set command does not accept versions")
 			}
-			if len(args) < 2 {
+			reqArgs := 2
+			if filename != "" {
+				// if filename is provided, we only need a path
+				reqArgs = 1
+			}
+			if len(args) < reqArgs {
 				return fmt.Errorf("expected a path and a value")
 			}
 
@@ -57,17 +64,32 @@ func newEnvSetCmd(env *envCommand) *cobra.Command {
 				return fmt.Errorf("path must contain at least one element")
 			}
 
-			var yamlValue yaml.Node
-			if err := yaml.Unmarshal([]byte(args[1]), &yamlValue); err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("invalid value: %w", err)
+			var value []byte
+			if filename == "" {
+				value = []byte(args[1])
+			} else {
+				value, err = readFileInput(filename)
+				if err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
 			}
-			if len(yamlValue.Content) == 0 {
-				// This can happen when the value is empty (e.g. when "" is present on the command line). Treat this
-				// as the empty string.
-				err = yaml.Unmarshal([]byte(`""`), &yamlValue)
-				contract.IgnoreError(err)
+
+			var yamlValue yaml.Node
+			if inputYaml {
+				if err := yaml.Unmarshal(value, &yamlValue); err != nil {
+					return fmt.Errorf("invalid value: %w", err)
+				}
+				if len(yamlValue.Content) == 0 {
+					// This can happen when the value is empty (e.g. when "" is present on the command line). Treat this
+					// as the empty string.
+					err = yaml.Unmarshal([]byte(`""`), &yamlValue)
+					contract.IgnoreError(err)
+				}
+				yamlValue = *yamlValue.Content[0]
+			} else {
+				// treat input as a raw string
+				yamlValue.SetString(string(value))
 			}
-			yamlValue = *yamlValue.Content[0]
 
 			if looksLikeSecret(path, yamlValue) && !secret && !plaintext {
 				return fmt.Errorf("value looks like a secret; rerun with --secret to mark it as such, or --plaintext if you meant to leave it as plaintext")
@@ -147,10 +169,30 @@ func newEnvSetCmd(env *envCommand) *cobra.Command {
 	cmd.Flags().BoolVar(
 		&plaintext, "plaintext", false,
 		"true to leave the value in plaintext")
+	cmd.Flags().StringVar(
+		&filename, "file", "", "read value from file. use `-` to read from stdin.")
+	cmd.Flags().BoolVar(
+		&inputYaml, "yaml", true, "treat value as a structured yaml node.")
 
 	return cmd
 }
 
+// readFileInput reads the full content of filename, or stdin if filename is `-`
+func readFileInput(filename string) (input []byte, err error) {
+	if filename == "-" {
+		input, err = io.ReadAll(os.Stdin)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("reading stdin: %w", err)
+		}
+	} else {
+		input, err = os.ReadFile(filename)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("reading file: %w", err)
+		}
+	}
+	return input, err
+}
+
 // keyPattern is the regular expression a configuration key must match before we check (and error) if we think
 // it is a password
 var keyPattern = regexp.MustCompile("(?i)passwd|pass|password|pwd|secret|token")
diff --git a/syntax/encoding/yaml.go b/syntax/encoding/yaml.go
index abc0cb65..ef43b2fa 100644
--- a/syntax/encoding/yaml.go
+++ b/syntax/encoding/yaml.go
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ func (s YAMLSyntax) Set(prefix, path resource.PropertyPath, new yaml.Node) (*yam
 		s.Kind = new.Kind
 		s.Tag = new.Tag
 		s.Value = new.Value
+		s.Style = new.Style
 		return s.Node, nil
 	}