diff --git a/coverage/cmdline.py b/coverage/cmdline.py
index 002a8e448..ec5af05c6 100644
--- a/coverage/cmdline.py
+++ b/coverage/cmdline.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 from coverage import env
 from coverage.collector import CTracer
 from coverage.config import CoverageConfig
+from coverage.control import DEFAULT_DATAFILE
 from coverage.data import combinable_files, debug_data_file
 from coverage.debug import info_formatter, info_header, short_stack
 from coverage.exceptions import _BaseCoverageException, _ExceptionDuringRun, NoSource
@@ -123,6 +124,17 @@ class Opts:
         metavar="OUTFILE",
         help="Write the JSON report to this file. Defaults to 'coverage.json'",
     )
+    output_coverage = optparse.make_option(
+        '', '--data-file', action='store', dest="output_coverage",
+        metavar="OUTFILE",
+        help="Write the recorded coverage information to this file. Defaults to '.coverage'"
+    )
+    input_coverage = optparse.make_option(
+        '', '--data-file', action='store', dest="input_coverage",
+        metavar="INPUT",
+        help="Read coverage data for report generation from this file (needed if you have "
+             "specified -o previously). Defaults to '.coverage'"
+    )
     json_pretty_print = optparse.make_option(
         '', '--pretty-print', action='store_true',
         help="Format the JSON for human readers.",
@@ -320,6 +332,8 @@ def get_prog_name(self):
     Opts.rcfile,
     ]
 
+REPORT_ARGS = [Opts.input_coverage]
+
 CMDS = {
     'annotate': CmdOptionParser(
         "annotate",
@@ -328,7 +342,7 @@ def get_prog_name(self):
             Opts.ignore_errors,
             Opts.include,
             Opts.omit,
-            ] + GLOBAL_ARGS,
+            ] + REPORT_ARGS + GLOBAL_ARGS,
         usage="[options] [modules]",
         description=(
             "Make annotated copies of the given files, marking statements that are executed " +
@@ -342,6 +356,7 @@ def get_prog_name(self):
             Opts.append,
             Opts.keep,
             Opts.quiet,
+            Opts.output_coverage
             ] + GLOBAL_ARGS,
         usage="[options] <path1> <path2> ... <pathN>",
         description=(
@@ -369,7 +384,7 @@ def get_prog_name(self):
     ),
 
     'erase': CmdOptionParser(
-        "erase", GLOBAL_ARGS,
+        "erase", [Opts.input_coverage] + GLOBAL_ARGS,
         description="Erase previously collected coverage data.",
     ),
 
@@ -395,7 +410,7 @@ def get_prog_name(self):
             Opts.no_skip_covered,
             Opts.skip_empty,
             Opts.title,
-            ] + GLOBAL_ARGS,
+            ] + REPORT_ARGS + GLOBAL_ARGS,
         usage="[options] [modules]",
         description=(
             "Create an HTML report of the coverage of the files.  " +
@@ -416,7 +431,7 @@ def get_prog_name(self):
             Opts.json_pretty_print,
             Opts.quiet,
             Opts.show_contexts,
-            ] + GLOBAL_ARGS,
+            ] + REPORT_ARGS + GLOBAL_ARGS,
         usage="[options] [modules]",
         description="Generate a JSON report of coverage results."
     ),
@@ -435,7 +450,7 @@ def get_prog_name(self):
             Opts.skip_covered,
             Opts.no_skip_covered,
             Opts.skip_empty,
-            ] + GLOBAL_ARGS,
+            ] + REPORT_ARGS + GLOBAL_ARGS,
         usage="[options] [modules]",
         description="Report coverage statistics on modules."
     ),
@@ -450,6 +465,7 @@ def get_prog_name(self):
             Opts.include,
             Opts.module,
             Opts.omit,
+            Opts.output_coverage,
             Opts.pylib,
             Opts.parallel_mode,
             Opts.source,
@@ -469,7 +485,7 @@ def get_prog_name(self):
             Opts.output_xml,
             Opts.quiet,
             Opts.skip_empty,
-            ] + GLOBAL_ARGS,
+            ] + REPORT_ARGS + GLOBAL_ARGS,
         usage="[options] [modules]",
         description="Generate an XML report of coverage results."
     ),
@@ -572,8 +588,11 @@ def command_line(self, argv):
         else:
             concurrency = None
 
+        data_file = getattr(options, "output_coverage", None) \
+            or getattr(options, "input_coverage", None)
         # Do something.
         self.coverage = Coverage(
+            data_file=data_file or DEFAULT_DATAFILE,
             data_suffix=options.parallel_mode,
             cover_pylib=options.pylib,
             timid=options.timid,
diff --git a/coverage/control.py b/coverage/control.py
index 99319c056..5c4371def 100644
--- a/coverage/control.py
+++ b/coverage/control.py
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@ def override_config(cov, **kwargs):
         cov.config = original_config
 
 
-_DEFAULT_DATAFILE = DefaultValue("MISSING")
+DEFAULT_DATAFILE = DefaultValue("MISSING")
+_DEFAULT_DATAFILE = DEFAULT_DATAFILE  # Just in case, for backwards compatibility
 
 class Coverage:
     """Programmatic access to coverage.py.
@@ -101,7 +102,7 @@ def current(cls):
             return None
 
     def __init__(
-        self, data_file=_DEFAULT_DATAFILE, data_suffix=None, cover_pylib=None,
+        self, data_file=DEFAULT_DATAFILE, data_suffix=None, cover_pylib=None,
         auto_data=False, timid=None, branch=None, config_file=True,
         source=None, source_pkgs=None, omit=None, include=None, debug=None,
         concurrency=None, check_preimported=False, context=None,
@@ -198,7 +199,7 @@ def __init__(
         # data_file=None means no disk file at all. data_file missing means
         # use the value from the config file.
         self._no_disk = data_file is None
-        if data_file is _DEFAULT_DATAFILE:
+        if data_file is DEFAULT_DATAFILE:
             data_file = None
 
         self.config = None
diff --git a/tests/test_cmdline.py b/tests/test_cmdline.py
index 42f313f81..a6c8c0fce 100644
--- a/tests/test_cmdline.py
+++ b/tests/test_cmdline.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 import coverage
 import coverage.cmdline
 from coverage import env
+from coverage.control import DEFAULT_DATAFILE
 from coverage.config import CoverageConfig
 from coverage.exceptions import _ExceptionDuringRun
 from coverage.version import __url__
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ class BaseCmdLineTest(CoverageTest):
         contexts=None, pretty_print=None, show_contexts=None,
     )
     _defaults.Coverage(
+        data_file=DEFAULT_DATAFILE,
         cover_pylib=None, data_suffix=None, timid=None, branch=None,
         config_file=True, source=None, include=None, omit=None, debug=None,
         concurrency=None, check_preimported=True, context=None, messages=True,
@@ -245,6 +247,11 @@ def test_combine(self):
             cov.combine(None, strict=True, keep=False)
             cov.save()
             """)
+        self.cmd_executes("combine --data-file=foo.cov", """\
+            cov = Coverage(data_file="foo.cov")
+            cov.combine(None, strict=True, keep=False)
+            cov.save()
+            """)
 
     def test_combine_doesnt_confuse_options_with_args(self):
         # https://github.com/nedbat/coveragepy/issues/385
@@ -300,6 +307,10 @@ def test_erase(self):
             cov = Coverage()
             cov.erase()
             """)
+        self.cmd_executes("erase --data-file=foo.cov", """\
+            cov = Coverage(data_file="foo.cov")
+            cov.erase()
+            """)
 
     def test_version(self):
         # coverage --version
@@ -510,6 +521,11 @@ def test_report(self):
             cov.load()
             cov.report(sort='-foo')
             """)
+        self.cmd_executes("report --data-file=foo.cov.2", """\
+            cov = Coverage(data_file="foo.cov.2")
+            cov.load()
+            cov.report(show_missing=None)
+            """)
 
     def test_run(self):
         # coverage run [-p] [-L] [--timid] MODULE.py [ARG1 ARG2 ...]
@@ -636,6 +652,15 @@ def test_run(self):
             cov.stop()
             cov.save()
             """)
+        self.cmd_executes("run --data-file=output.coverage foo.py", """\
+            cov = Coverage(data_file="output.coverage")
+            runner = PyRunner(['foo.py'], as_module=False)
+            runner.prepare()
+            cov.start()
+            runner.run()
+            cov.stop()
+            cov.save()
+            """)
 
     def test_multiprocessing_needs_config_file(self):
         # You can't use command-line args to add options to multiprocessing