diff --git a/cmd/abigen/main.go b/cmd/abigen/main.go
index 3a1ae6f4c3..3ac37ba7ad 100644
--- a/cmd/abigen/main.go
+++ b/cmd/abigen/main.go
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 var (
-	abiFlag = flag.String("abi", "", "Path to the Ethereum contract ABI json to bind")
+	abiFlag = flag.String("abi", "", "Path to the Ethereum contract ABI json to bind, - for STDIN")
 	binFlag = flag.String("bin", "", "Path to the Ethereum contract bytecode (generate deploy method)")
 	typFlag = flag.String("type", "", "Struct name for the binding (default = package name)")
 
@@ -75,16 +75,27 @@ func main() {
 		bins  []string
 		types []string
 	)
-	if *solFlag != "" {
+	if *solFlag != "" || *abiFlag == "-" {
 		// Generate the list of types to exclude from binding
 		exclude := make(map[string]bool)
 		for _, kind := range strings.Split(*excFlag, ",") {
 			exclude[strings.ToLower(kind)] = true
 		}
-		contracts, err := compiler.CompileSolidity(*solcFlag, *solFlag)
-		if err != nil {
-			fmt.Printf("Failed to build Solidity contract: %v\n", err)
-			os.Exit(-1)
+
+		var contracts map[string]*compiler.Contract
+		var err error
+		if *solFlag != "" {
+			contracts, err = compiler.CompileSolidity(*solcFlag, *solFlag)
+			if err != nil {
+				fmt.Printf("Failed to build Solidity contract: %v\n", err)
+				os.Exit(-1)
+			}
+		} else {
+			contracts, err = contractsFromStdin()
+			if err != nil {
+				fmt.Printf("Failed to read input ABIs from STDIN: %v\n", err)
+				os.Exit(-1)
+			}
 		}
 		// Gather all non-excluded contract for binding
 		for name, contract := range contracts {
@@ -138,3 +149,12 @@ func main() {
 		os.Exit(-1)
 	}
 }
+
+func contractsFromStdin() (map[string]*compiler.Contract, error) {
+	bytes, err := ioutil.ReadAll(os.Stdin)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return compiler.ParseCombinedJSON(bytes, "", "", "", "")
+}
diff --git a/common/compiler/solidity.go b/common/compiler/solidity.go
index 234714a2b9..f6e8d2e42a 100644
--- a/common/compiler/solidity.go
+++ b/common/compiler/solidity.go
@@ -31,11 +31,17 @@ import (
 
 var versionRegexp = regexp.MustCompile(`([0-9]+)\.([0-9]+)\.([0-9]+)`)
 
+// Contract contains information about a compiled contract, alongside its code.
 type Contract struct {
 	Code string       `json:"code"`
 	Info ContractInfo `json:"info"`
 }
 
+// ContractInfo contains information about a compiled contract, including access
+// to the ABI definition, user and developer docs, and metadata.
+//
+// Depending on the source, language version, compiler version, and compiler
+// options will provide information about how the contract was compiled.
 type ContractInfo struct {
 	Source          string      `json:"source"`
 	Language        string      `json:"language"`
@@ -142,8 +148,22 @@ func (s *Solidity) run(cmd *exec.Cmd, source string) (map[string]*Contract, erro
 	if err := cmd.Run(); err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("solc: %v\n%s", err, stderr.Bytes())
 	}
+
+	return ParseCombinedJSON(stdout.Bytes(), source, s.Version, s.Version, strings.Join(s.makeArgs(), " "))
+}
+
+// ParseCombinedJSON takes the direct output of a solc --combined-output run and
+// parses it into a map of string contract name to Contract structs. The
+// provided source, language and compiler version, and compiler options are all
+// passed through into the Contract structs.
+//
+// The solc output is expected to contain ABI, user docs, and dev docs.
+//
+// Returns an error if the JSON is malformed or missing data, or if the JSON
+// embedded within the JSON is malformed.
+func ParseCombinedJSON(combinedJSON []byte, source string, languageVersion string, compilerVersion string, compilerOptions string) (map[string]*Contract, error) {
 	var output solcOutput
-	if err := json.Unmarshal(stdout.Bytes(), &output); err != nil {
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(combinedJSON, &output); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
@@ -168,9 +188,9 @@ func (s *Solidity) run(cmd *exec.Cmd, source string) (map[string]*Contract, erro
 			Info: ContractInfo{
 				Source:          source,
 				Language:        "Solidity",
-				LanguageVersion: s.Version,
-				CompilerVersion: s.Version,
-				CompilerOptions: strings.Join(s.makeArgs(), " "),
+				LanguageVersion: languageVersion,
+				CompilerVersion: compilerVersion,
+				CompilerOptions: compilerOptions,
 				AbiDefinition:   abi,
 				UserDoc:         userdoc,
 				DeveloperDoc:    devdoc,