diff --git a/bin/pungi-koji b/bin/pungi-koji
index 68dfc44b..42dcb424 100755
--- a/bin/pungi-koji
+++ b/bin/pungi-koji
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ if here != '/usr/bin':
     sys.path[0] = os.path.dirname(here)
 
 from pungi.phases import PHASES_NAMES
-from pungi import get_full_version
+from pungi import get_full_version, util
 
 
 # force C locales
@@ -130,8 +130,9 @@ def main():
     parser.add_argument(
         "--koji-event",
         metavar="ID",
-        type=int,
-        help="specify a koji event for populating package set",
+        type=util.parse_koji_event,
+        help="specify a koji event for populating package set, either as event ID "
+             "or a path to a compose from which to reuse the event",
     )
     parser.add_argument(
         "--version",
diff --git a/pungi/util.py b/pungi/util.py
index ce6d7ae7..0bcd6d60 100644
--- a/pungi/util.py
+++ b/pungi/util.py
@@ -13,8 +13,9 @@
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 # along with this program; if not, see <https://gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-
+import argparse
 import fnmatch
+import json
 import subprocess
 import os
 import shutil
@@ -836,3 +837,21 @@ def get_tz_offset():
     hours = offset / 3600
     minutes = (offset / 60) % 60
     return "%+03d:%02d" % (hours, minutes)
+
+
+def parse_koji_event(event):
+    """Process event specification. If event looks like a number, it will be
+    used as is. If a string is given, it will be interpreted as a path to the
+    topdir of another compose, from which an even it will be extracted.
+    """
+    try:
+        return int(event)
+    except ValueError:
+        pass
+    try:
+        with open(os.path.join(event, "work/global/koji-event")) as f:
+            return json.load(f)["id"]
+    except (IOError, OSError, KeyError):
+        raise argparse.ArgumentTypeError(
+            "%s is not a number or path to compose with valid Koji event" % event
+        )
diff --git a/tests/test_util.py b/tests/test_util.py
index c8a72074..3fa34804 100644
--- a/tests/test_util.py
+++ b/tests/test_util.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python2
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
+import argparse
 import mock
 import os
 import sys
@@ -685,5 +686,23 @@ class TestTZOffset(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(util.get_tz_offset(), "+00:00")
 
 
+class TestParseKojiEvent(PungiTestCase):
+
+    def test_number(self):
+        self.assertEqual(util.parse_koji_event("1234"), 1234)
+
+    def test_correct_path(self):
+        touch(
+            os.path.join(self.topdir, 'work/global/koji-event'),
+            '{"id": 19769058, "ts": 1527641311.22855}'
+        )
+
+        self.assertEqual(util.parse_koji_event(self.topdir), 19769058)
+
+    def test_bad_path(self):
+        with self.assertRaises(argparse.ArgumentTypeError):
+            util.parse_koji_event(self.topdir)
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()