diff --git a/app/flatpak-builtins-install.c b/app/flatpak-builtins-install.c
index 505ec5e0..f7666f3b 100644
--- a/app/flatpak-builtins-install.c
+++ b/app/flatpak-builtins-install.c
@@ -463,6 +463,7 @@ flatpak_builtin_install (int argc, char **argv, GCancellable *cancellable, GErro
   g_autoptr(GPtrArray) dirs = NULL;
   FlatpakDir *dir;
   const char *remote;
+  g_autofree char *remote_url = NULL;
   char **prefs = NULL;
   int i, n_prefs;
   g_autofree char *target_branch = NULL;
@@ -497,7 +498,15 @@ flatpak_builtin_install (int argc, char **argv, GCancellable *cancellable, GErro
   if (argc < 3)
     return usage_error (context, _("REMOTE and REF must be specified"), error);
 
-  remote = argv[1];
+  if (g_path_is_absolute (argv[1]) ||
+      g_str_has_prefix (argv[1], "./"))
+    {
+      g_autoptr(GFile) remote_file = g_file_new_for_commandline_arg (argv[1]);
+      remote_url = g_file_get_uri (remote_file);
+      remote = remote_url;
+    }
+  else
+    remote = argv[1];
   prefs = &argv[2];
   n_prefs = argc - 2;
 
diff --git a/doc/flatpak-install.xml b/doc/flatpak-install.xml
index 476194ee..1dc51805 100644
--- a/doc/flatpak-install.xml
+++ b/doc/flatpak-install.xml
@@ -74,6 +74,11 @@
             the specified <arg choice="plain">REMOTE</arg>, but you can limit this by using the --app or
             --runtime option, or by supplying the initial element in the REF.
         </para>
+        <para>
+            If <arg choice="plain">REMOTE</arg> is a uri or a path (absolute or relative starting with ./)
+            to a local repository, then that repository will be used as the source, and a temporary remote
+            will be created for the lifetime of the <arg choice="plain">REF</arg>.
+        </para>
         <para>
             The alternative form of the command (<arg>--from</arg> or
             <arg>--bundle</arg> allows you to