This patch allows you to provide the Stunnel configuration file on stdin or on any arbitrary file descriptor. stunnel -conf_stdin # take the configuration from standard input stunnel -conf_fd=# # take the configuration from file descriptor number "#" This allows you much greater flexibility, in that you can generate dynamic stunnel configurations on the fly without resorting to temporary stunnel.conf files. I'm debating if I should make it possible to have the config file on stdin work in non-daemon mode. For example, with the a file such as this: client = yes pid = connect = www.example.com:443 you'd be able to run stunnel like this: $ stunnel stunnel.conf GET / HTTP/1.0 <== typed by you. <== typed by you. HTTP/1.0 200 OK <== returned by remote .... and have your stdin and stdout connected to the remote end. If you use 'stunnel -conf_stdin' this is not possible, because the config file (stdin) is closed after being read. The only way I can think to get around this is by instead using -conf_fd= instead, or by modifying the patch to create some new config option that says 'config ends here' and makes sure that it leaves the file descriptor open. I'm not too pleased with that second option.