diff --git a/source/net/filebot/Main.java b/source/net/filebot/Main.java
index bda774e4..3b069a70 100644
--- a/source/net/filebot/Main.java
+++ b/source/net/filebot/Main.java
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ public class Main {
 		}
 	}
 
-	private static void onStart(ArgumentBean args) {
+	private static void onStart(ArgumentBean args) throws Exception {
 		// publish file arguments
 		List<File> files = args.getFiles(false);
 		if (files.size() > 0) {
diff --git a/source/net/filebot/cli/ArgumentBean.java b/source/net/filebot/cli/ArgumentBean.java
index 6538bb0e..443fa500 100644
--- a/source/net/filebot/cli/ArgumentBean.java
+++ b/source/net/filebot/cli/ArgumentBean.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import static java.util.Arrays.*;
 import static java.util.Collections.*;
 import static net.filebot.Logging.*;
 import static net.filebot.hash.VerificationUtilities.*;
+import static net.filebot.media.XattrMetaInfo.*;
 import static net.filebot.subtitle.SubtitleUtilities.*;
 import static net.filebot.util.FileUtilities.*;
 
@@ -66,7 +67,7 @@ public class ArgumentBean {
 	@Option(name = "--conflict", usage = "Conflict resolution", metaVar = "[skip, override, auto, index, fail]")
 	public String conflict = "skip";
 
-	@Option(name = "--filter", usage = "Filter expression", metaVar = "expression")
+	@Option(name = "--filter", usage = "Match filter expression", metaVar = "expression")
 	public String filter = null;
 
 	@Option(name = "--format", usage = "Format expression", metaVar = "expression")
@@ -144,6 +145,9 @@ public class ArgumentBean {
 	@Option(name = "-exec", usage = "Execute command", metaVar = "command", handler = RestOfArgumentsHandler.class)
 	public List<String> exec = new ArrayList<String>();
 
+	@Option(name = "--file-filter", usage = "Input file filter expression", metaVar = "expression")
+	public String inputFileFilter = null;
+
 	@Argument
 	public List<String> arguments = new ArrayList<String>();
 
@@ -171,7 +175,7 @@ public class ArgumentBean {
 		return clearPrefs;
 	}
 
-	public List<File> getFiles(boolean resolveFolders) {
+	public List<File> getFiles(boolean resolveFolders) throws Exception {
 		if (arguments == null || arguments.isEmpty()) {
 			return emptyList();
 		}
@@ -206,6 +210,11 @@ public class ArgumentBean {
 			}
 		}
 
+		// input file filter (e.g. useful on Windows where find -exec is not an option)
+		if (inputFileFilter != null) {
+			return filter(files, new ExpressionFileFilter(inputFileFilter, f -> f));
+		}
+
 		return files;
 	}
 
@@ -244,7 +253,7 @@ public class ArgumentBean {
 	}
 
 	public FileFilter getFileFilter() throws Exception {
-		return filter == null ? FILES : new ExpressionFileFilter(filter);
+		return filter == null ? FILES : new ExpressionFileFilter(filter, xattr::getMetaInfo);
 	}
 
 	public Datasource getDatasource() {
diff --git a/source/net/filebot/format/ExpressionFileFilter.java b/source/net/filebot/format/ExpressionFileFilter.java
index 1242c47e..e345cdf0 100644
--- a/source/net/filebot/format/ExpressionFileFilter.java
+++ b/source/net/filebot/format/ExpressionFileFilter.java
@@ -1,19 +1,26 @@
 package net.filebot.format;
 
 import static net.filebot.Logging.*;
-import static net.filebot.media.XattrMetaInfo.*;
 
 import java.io.File;
 import java.io.FileFilter;
+import java.util.function.Function;
 
 import javax.script.ScriptException;
 
 public class ExpressionFileFilter implements FileFilter {
 
 	private ExpressionFilter filter;
+	private Function<File, Object> match;
 
 	public ExpressionFileFilter(String expression) throws ScriptException {
+		// use file object as match object by default
+		this(expression, f -> f);
+	}
+
+	public ExpressionFileFilter(String expression, Function<File, Object> match) throws ScriptException {
 		this.filter = new ExpressionFilter(expression);
+		this.match = match;
 	}
 
 	public ExpressionFilter getExpressionFilter() {
@@ -23,7 +30,7 @@ public class ExpressionFileFilter implements FileFilter {
 	@Override
 	public boolean accept(File f) {
 		try {
-			return filter.matches(new MediaBindingBean(xattr.getMetaInfo(f), f));
+			return filter.matches(new MediaBindingBean(match.apply(f), f));
 		} catch (Exception e) {
 			debug.warning("Filter expression failed: " + e);
 		}
diff --git a/source/net/filebot/ui/rename/Preset.java b/source/net/filebot/ui/rename/Preset.java
index ec4a5b11..840a3427 100644
--- a/source/net/filebot/ui/rename/Preset.java
+++ b/source/net/filebot/ui/rename/Preset.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import static java.util.Collections.*;
 import static net.filebot.Logging.*;
 import static net.filebot.Settings.*;
 import static net.filebot.WebServices.*;
+import static net.filebot.media.XattrMetaInfo.*;
 import static net.filebot.util.FileUtilities.*;
 
 import java.io.File;
@@ -60,7 +61,7 @@ public class Preset {
 	}
 
 	public ExpressionFileFilter getIncludeFilter() {
-		return getInputFolder() == null ? null : getValue(includes, expression -> new ExpressionFileFilter(expression));
+		return getInputFolder() == null ? null : getValue(includes, expression -> new ExpressionFileFilter(expression, xattr::getMetaInfo));
 	}
 
 	public ExpressionFileFormat getFormat() {