diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 967408c..b3a3a6c 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # This file is automatically @generated by Cargo.
 # It is not intended for manual editing.
-version = 3
+version = 4
 
 [[package]]
 name = "anstream"
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ checksum = "78b3ae25bc7c8c38cec158d1f2757ee79e9b3740fbc7ccf0e59e4b08d793fa89"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "mvw"
-version = "0.1.5"
+version = "0.1.6"
 dependencies = [
  "clap",
  "dialoguer",
diff --git a/src/dirlist.rs b/src/dirlist.rs
index 01095a6..2d88dd9 100644
--- a/src/dirlist.rs
+++ b/src/dirlist.rs
@@ -12,11 +12,26 @@ enum DirListEntry {
     Text(String)
 }
 
-impl ToString for DirListEntry {
+impl DirListEntry {
     fn to_string(&self) -> String {
         match self {
             DirListEntry::Text(line) => line.clone(),
-            DirListEntry::Path(path) => path.display().to_string()[2..].to_string(),
+            // TODO only strip first to chars if they're `./`
+            DirListEntry::Path(path) => {
+                let checkstring = path.display().to_string();
+                if &checkstring[0..2] == "./" {
+                    path.display().to_string()[2..].to_string()
+                } else {
+                    path.display().to_string()
+                }
+            },
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn exists(&self) -> bool {
+        match self {
+            DirListEntry::Text(filename) => Path::new(filename).exists(),
+            DirListEntry::Path(path) => path.exists(),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -72,12 +87,12 @@ impl DirList {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn from_list(list: &[String]) -> Self {
+    pub fn from_list(list: &[PathBuf]) -> Self {
         Self {
             safe_source: false,
             noop: false,
             verbose: false,
-            entries: list.iter().map(|l| DirListEntry::Text(l.to_string())).collect(),
+            entries: list.iter().map(|l| DirListEntry::Path(l.clone())).collect(),
         }
     }
 
@@ -102,8 +117,20 @@ impl DirList {
         let mut intermediate_files: HashMap<String, String> = HashMap::new();
 
         self.run_basic_checks(target_list)?;
+
         if ! self.safe_source {
-            println!("Implement check if target files already exist");
+            // if target == source => next
+            // if target exists and is not in source list => Err
+            // if target exists and is in source list => use intermediate files, which is normal functionality below
+            let tgt_len = target_list.entries.len();
+            for i in 0..tgt_len {
+                if self.entries[i].to_string() != target_list.entries[i].to_string() {
+                    if target_list.entries[i].exists() {
+                        return Err(format!("ERROR: Target '{}' already exists", target_list.entries[i].to_string()).to_string());
+                    }
+                }
+
+            }
         }
 
         for i in 0..src_len {
@@ -151,8 +178,7 @@ impl DirList {
     fn run_basic_checks(&self, target_list: &DirList) -> Result<(), String> {
         // Make sure there are an equal number of sources and destinations
         if self.entries.len() != target_list.entries.len() {
-            return Err("ERROR: Source and target list don't have the same number of
-            lines.".to_string());
+            return Err("ERROR: Source and target list don't have the same number of lines.".to_string());
         }
 
         // Make sure destination names are not empty
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 9046b5a..aea3350 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -39,9 +39,8 @@ struct Cli {
     #[arg(short, long)]
     editor: Option<String>,
 
-//    /// Apply substitution pattern(s) instead of using an editor
-//    #[arg(short, long)]
-//    pattern: Option<Vec<String>>,
+    #[arg(required = false)]
+    files: Vec<std::path::PathBuf>,
 }
 
 
@@ -85,14 +84,31 @@ fn edit_temp_file(tmpfile: &String, editor_cli: &Option<String>) {
 }
 
 fn main() {
-    let args = Cli::parse();
+    let mut args = Cli::parse();
 
     // Place lockfile to not have multiple mvw processes running in the same dir at the same time
     lock_dir();
     let _cleanup = Cleanup; // Cleanup LOCK_FILE on panic
 
-    // read directory contents into vector of Strings
-    let mut source_list = DirList::from_current_dir();
+    // Do some pre-checks if files were entered on the commandline
+    // Prevent duplicates
+    args.files.sort();
+    args.files.dedup();
+    if ! args.files.is_empty() {
+        for file in &args.files {
+            // Check if remaining files exist
+            if ! file.exists() {
+                println!("File {:?} does not exist, exiting", file);
+                process::exit(1);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    let mut source_list = if ! args.files.is_empty() {
+                                DirList::from_list(&args.files)
+                            } else {
+                                DirList::from_current_dir()
+                            };
 
     // create named tempfile and fill with paths
     let temp_file = create_temp_file();