diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/conversion/cli.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/conversion/cli.py
index d68c16c559..a78e40fe67 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/conversion/cli.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/conversion/cli.py
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ def check_command_line_options(parser, args, log):
             ('-h' in args or '--help' in args):
         log.error('Cannot read from', input)
         raise SystemExit(1)
+    if input.endswith('.recipe') and not os.access(input, os.R_OK):
+        input = args[1]
 
     output = args[2]
     if (output.startswith('.') and output[:2] not in {'..', '.'} and '/' not in
diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/conversion/plugins/recipe_input.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/conversion/plugins/recipe_input.py
index 9bd4077528..2630ff0c85 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/conversion/plugins/recipe_input.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/conversion/plugins/recipe_input.py
@@ -68,10 +68,15 @@ class RecipeInput(InputFormatPlugin):
                 recipe = compile_recipe(self.recipe_source)
                 log('Using custom recipe')
             else:
-                from calibre.web.feeds.recipes.collection import \
-                        get_builtin_recipe_by_title
+                from calibre.web.feeds.recipes.collection import (
+                        get_builtin_recipe_by_title, get_builtin_recipe_titles)
                 title = getattr(opts, 'original_recipe_input_arg', recipe_or_file)
                 title = os.path.basename(title).rpartition('.')[0]
+                titles = frozenset(get_builtin_recipe_titles())
+                if title not in titles:
+                    title = getattr(opts, 'original_recipe_input_arg', recipe_or_file)
+                    title = title.rpartition('.')[0]
+
                 raw = get_builtin_recipe_by_title(title, log=log,
                         download_recipe=not opts.dont_download_recipe)
                 builtin = False