diff --git a/kadmin/kadmin.1 b/kadmin/kadmin.1
index f6e970776..f45a2a4ed 100644
--- a/kadmin/kadmin.1
+++ b/kadmin/kadmin.1
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ principal to authenticate as
 keytab for authentication principal
 .It Fl c Ar file , Fl Fl config-file= Ns Ar file
 location of config file
+.It Fl H Ar HDB , Fl Fl hdb= Ns Ar HDB
+location of HDB
 .It Fl k Ar file , Fl Fl key-file= Ns Ar file
 location of master key file
 .It Fl r Ar realm , Fl Fl realm= Ns Ar realm
diff --git a/kadmin/kadmin.c b/kadmin/kadmin.c
index 602ef91a5..d2f5abadd 100644
--- a/kadmin/kadmin.c
+++ b/kadmin/kadmin.c
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ int local_flag;
 static int ad_flag;
 static int help_flag;
 static int version_flag;
+static char *hdb;
 static char *realm;
 static char *admin_server;
 static int server_port = 0;
@@ -63,6 +64,10 @@ static struct getargs args[] = {
 	"key-file",	'k',	arg_string, &keyfile,
 	"location of master key file", "file"
     },
+    {
+	"hdb",	'H',	arg_string,   &hdb,
+	"HDB to use", "hdb"
+    },
     {
 	"realm",	'r',	arg_string,   &realm,
 	"realm to use", "realm"
@@ -204,6 +209,11 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	conf.mask |= KADM5_CONFIG_REALM;
     }
 
+    if (hdb) {
+	conf.dbname = hdb;
+	conf.mask |= KADM5_CONFIG_DBNAME;
+    }
+
     if (admin_server) {
 	conf.admin_server = admin_server;
 	conf.mask |= KADM5_CONFIG_ADMIN_SERVER;