diff --git a/src/baudolo/seed/__main__.py b/src/baudolo/seed/__main__.py
index 9ffdcad..c4d3f2f 100644
--- a/src/baudolo/seed/__main__.py
+++ b/src/baudolo/seed/__main__.py
@@ -73,9 +73,30 @@ def main() -> None:
         help="Database name or '*' to dump all databases",
     )
     parser.add_argument("username", help="Database username")
-    parser.add_argument("password", help="Database password")
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "password",
+        nargs="?",
+        help="Deprecated: database password as an argument, visible in the "
+        "process list; use --password-stdin",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--password-stdin",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="Read the database password from stdin",
+    )
 
     args = parser.parse_args()
+    if args.password_stdin == (args.password is not None):
+        parser.error("give the password either via --password-stdin or as an argument")
+    if args.password_stdin:
+        password = sys.stdin.read().removesuffix("\n")
+    else:
+        print(
+            "WARNING: a password argument is visible in the process list; "
+            "use --password-stdin",
+            file=sys.stderr,
+        )
+        password = args.password
 
     try:
         check_and_add_entry(
@@ -83,7 +104,7 @@ def main() -> None:
             instance=args.instance,
             database=args.database,
             username=args.username,
-            password=args.password,
+            password=password,
         )
     except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001 - CLI boundary: any failure becomes exit 1
         print(f"ERROR: {exc}", file=sys.stderr)
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_seed_integration.py b/tests/integration/test_seed_integration.py
index ca1ee1d..3209075 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_seed_integration.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_seed_integration.py
@@ -65,6 +65,32 @@ def run_seed_expect_fail(
     )
 
 
+def run_seed_stdin(
+    csv_path: Path, instance: str, database: str, username: str, stdin: str, *extra: str
+) -> subprocess.CompletedProcess:
+    """
+    Run the real CLI with --password-stdin, feeding the password on stdin.
+    Any extra arguments are appended after the username.
+    """
+    return subprocess.run(
+        [
+            sys.executable,
+            "-m",
+            "baudolo.seed",
+            "--password-stdin",
+            str(csv_path),
+            instance,
+            database,
+            username,
+            *extra,
+        ],
+        input=stdin,
+        text=True,
+        capture_output=True,
+        check=False,
+    )
+
+
 def read_csv_semicolon(path: Path) -> list[dict]:
     with path.open("r", encoding="utf-8", newline="") as f:
         reader = csv.DictReader(f, delimiter=";")
@@ -195,6 +221,61 @@ class TestSeedIntegration(unittest.TestCase):
             self.assertEqual(len(rows), 1)
             self.assertEqual(rows[0]["database"], "my_db-1")
 
+    def test_password_stdin_stores_the_password_without_its_trailing_newline(
+        self,
+    ) -> None:
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as td:
+            p = Path(td) / "databases.csv"
+
+            cp = run_seed_stdin(p, "docker.test", "appdb", "alice", "s3cr;et\n")
+
+            self.assertEqual(cp.returncode, 0, cp.stderr)
+            self.assertNotIn("WARNING", cp.stderr)
+            rows = read_csv_semicolon(p)
+            self.assertEqual(len(rows), 1)
+            self.assertEqual(rows[0]["username"], "alice")
+            self.assertEqual(rows[0]["password"], "s3cr;et")
+
+    def test_password_argument_still_works_with_a_deprecation_warning(self) -> None:
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as td:
+            p = Path(td) / "databases.csv"
+
+            cp = run_seed(p, "docker.test", "appdb", "alice", "secret")
+
+            self.assertIn("--password-stdin", cp.stderr)
+            self.assertEqual(read_csv_semicolon(p)[0]["password"], "secret")
+
+    def test_password_given_both_ways_is_rejected(self) -> None:
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as td:
+            p = Path(td) / "databases.csv"
+
+            cp = run_seed_stdin(p, "docker.test", "appdb", "alice", "pw\n", "pw")
+
+            self.assertNotEqual(cp.returncode, 0)
+            self.assertFalse(p.exists(), "Should not create file on invalid input")
+
+    def test_password_given_no_way_is_rejected(self) -> None:
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as td:
+            p = Path(td) / "databases.csv"
+
+            cp = subprocess.run(
+                [
+                    sys.executable,
+                    "-m",
+                    "baudolo.seed",
+                    str(p),
+                    "docker.test",
+                    "appdb",
+                    "alice",
+                ],
+                text=True,
+                capture_output=True,
+                check=False,
+            )
+
+            self.assertNotEqual(cp.returncode, 0)
+            self.assertFalse(p.exists(), "Should not create file on invalid input")
+
     def test_file_is_semicolon_delimited_and_has_header(self) -> None:
         with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as td:
             p = Path(td) / "databases.csv"
diff --git a/tests/unit/seed/test_main.py b/tests/unit/seed/test_main.py
index 4da6585..253f723 100644
--- a/tests/unit/seed/test_main.py
+++ b/tests/unit/seed/test_main.py
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ class TestSeedMain(unittest.TestCase):
         ns.database = "db"
         ns.username = "user"
         ns.password = "pass"
+        ns.password_stdin = False
         parse_args.return_value = ns
 
         seed_main.main()
@@ -195,6 +196,7 @@ class TestSeedMain(unittest.TestCase):
         ns.database = "db"
         ns.username = "user"
         ns.password = "pass"
+        ns.password_stdin = False
         parse_args.return_value = ns
 
         seed_main.main()