diff --git a/src/tools/amduat_pel_cli.c b/src/tools/amduat_pel_cli.c
index 9832536..b0e0129 100644
--- a/src/tools/amduat_pel_cli.c
+++ b/src/tools/amduat_pel_cli.c
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ static void amduat_pel_cli_print_usage(FILE *stream) {
           "\n"
           "exec:\n"
           "  amduat-pel exec --program PATH|-\n"
+          "                 [--program-format raw|artifact]\n"
           "                 [--input PATH ...] [--input-format raw|artifact]\n"
           "                 [--output-dir DIR] [--output-format raw|artifact]\n"
           "                 [--result-out PATH|-] [--format text|json]\n"
@@ -657,6 +658,8 @@ static int amduat_pel_cli_cmd_exec(int argc,
   const char **input_paths = NULL;
   size_t input_paths_len = 0;
   amduat_asl_io_format_t input_format = AMDUAT_ASL_IO_RAW;
+  amduat_asl_io_format_t program_format = AMDUAT_ASL_IO_RAW;
+  bool program_format_set = false;
   amduat_asl_io_format_t output_format = AMDUAT_ASL_IO_RAW;
   amduat_format_output_t format;
   const char *output_dir = ".";
@@ -709,6 +712,16 @@ static int amduat_pel_cli_cmd_exec(int argc,
         fprintf(stderr, "error: invalid input-format\n");
         return AMDUAT_PEL_CLI_EXIT_USAGE;
       }
+    } else if (strcmp(argv[i], "--program-format") == 0) {
+      if (i + 1 >= argc) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "error: --program-format requires a value\n");
+        return AMDUAT_PEL_CLI_EXIT_USAGE;
+      }
+      if (!amduat_asl_io_format_parse(argv[++i], &program_format)) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "error: invalid program-format\n");
+        return AMDUAT_PEL_CLI_EXIT_USAGE;
+      }
+      program_format_set = true;
     } else if (strcmp(argv[i], "--output-dir") == 0) {
       if (i + 1 >= argc) {
         fprintf(stderr, "error: --output-dir requires a path\n");
@@ -756,6 +769,10 @@ static int amduat_pel_cli_cmd_exec(int argc,
     return AMDUAT_PEL_CLI_EXIT_USAGE;
   }
 
+  if (!program_format_set && input_format == AMDUAT_ASL_IO_ARTIFACT) {
+    program_format = AMDUAT_ASL_IO_ARTIFACT;
+  }
+
   if (!amduat_pel_cli_read_path_once(program_path,
                                      &stdin_used,
                                      &program_bytes,
@@ -808,19 +825,36 @@ static int amduat_pel_cli_cmd_exec(int argc,
     }
   }
 
-  if (!amduat_pel_exec_program_artifact(
-          amduat_artifact(amduat_octets(program_bytes, program_len)),
-          inputs,
-          input_paths_len,
-          NULL,
-          &outputs,
-          &outputs_len,
-          &result)) {
-    fprintf(stderr, "error: exec failed\n");
-    free(program_bytes);
-    program_bytes = NULL;
-    exit_code = AMDUAT_PEL_CLI_EXIT_STORE;
-    goto exec_cleanup;
+  {
+    amduat_artifact_t program_artifact;
+    memset(&program_artifact, 0, sizeof(program_artifact));
+    if (!amduat_asl_artifact_from_bytes(amduat_octets(program_bytes,
+                                                      program_len),
+                                        program_format,
+                                        false,
+                                        amduat_type_tag(0),
+                                        &program_artifact)) {
+      fprintf(stderr, "error: invalid program artifact\n");
+      free(program_bytes);
+      program_bytes = NULL;
+      exit_code = AMDUAT_PEL_CLI_EXIT_CODEC;
+      goto exec_cleanup;
+    }
+    if (!amduat_pel_exec_program_artifact(program_artifact,
+                                          inputs,
+                                          input_paths_len,
+                                          NULL,
+                                          &outputs,
+                                          &outputs_len,
+                                          &result)) {
+      amduat_asl_artifact_free(&program_artifact);
+      fprintf(stderr, "error: exec failed\n");
+      free(program_bytes);
+      program_bytes = NULL;
+      exit_code = AMDUAT_PEL_CLI_EXIT_STORE;
+      goto exec_cleanup;
+    }
+    amduat_asl_artifact_free(&program_artifact);
   }
   free(program_bytes);
   program_bytes = NULL;