diff --git a/Backend/URL.hs b/Backend/URL.hs
index 8ec270e953..77397bddef 100644
--- a/Backend/URL.hs
+++ b/Backend/URL.hs
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ backend = Backend
 	}
 
 {- Every unique url has a corresponding key. -}
-fromUrl :: String -> Maybe Integer -> Annex Key
-fromUrl url size = return $ stubKey
+fromUrl :: String -> Maybe Integer -> Key
+fromUrl url size = stubKey
 	{ keyName = genKeyName url
 	, keyBackendName = "URL"
 	, keySize = size
diff --git a/Command/AddUrl.hs b/Command/AddUrl.hs
index 96a966e8d9..0de4da78f5 100644
--- a/Command/AddUrl.hs
+++ b/Command/AddUrl.hs
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ performRemote r relaxed uri file sz = ifAnnexed file adduri geturi
 
 downloadRemoteFile :: Remote -> Bool -> URLString -> FilePath -> Maybe Integer -> Annex (Maybe Key)
 downloadRemoteFile r relaxed uri file sz = do
-	urlkey <- Backend.URL.fromUrl uri sz
+	let urlkey = Backend.URL.fromUrl uri sz
 	liftIO $ createDirectoryIfMissing True (parentDir file)
 	ifM (Annex.getState Annex.fast <||> pure relaxed)
 		( do
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ performQuvi relaxed pageurl videourl file = ifAnnexed file addurl geturl
 #ifdef WITH_QUVI
 addUrlFileQuvi :: Bool -> URLString -> URLString -> FilePath -> Annex (Maybe Key)
 addUrlFileQuvi relaxed quviurl videourl file = do
-	key <- Backend.URL.fromUrl quviurl Nothing
+	let key = Backend.URL.fromUrl quviurl Nothing
 	ifM (pure relaxed <||> Annex.getState Annex.fast)
 		( do
 			cleanup webUUID quviurl file key Nothing
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ addUrlFile relaxed url urlinfo file = do
 
 downloadWeb :: URLString -> Url.UrlInfo -> FilePath -> Annex (Maybe Key)
 downloadWeb url urlinfo file = do
-	dummykey <- addSizeUrlKey urlinfo <$> Backend.URL.fromUrl url Nothing
+	let dummykey = addSizeUrlKey urlinfo $ Backend.URL.fromUrl url Nothing
 	let downloader f _ = do
 		showOutput
 		downloadUrl [url] f
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ cleanup u url file key mtmp = do
 nodownload :: URLString -> Url.UrlInfo -> FilePath -> Annex (Maybe Key)
 nodownload url urlinfo file
 	| Url.urlExists urlinfo = do
-		key <- Backend.URL.fromUrl url (Url.urlSize urlinfo)
+		let key = Backend.URL.fromUrl url (Url.urlSize urlinfo)
 		cleanup webUUID url file key Nothing
 		return (Just key)
 	| otherwise = do
diff --git a/Command/FromKey.hs b/Command/FromKey.hs
index ebc0e6f6e3..584d913fc5 100644
--- a/Command/FromKey.hs
+++ b/Command/FromKey.hs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {- git-annex command
  -
- - Copyright 2010 Joey Hess <id@joeyh.name>
+ - Copyright 2010, 2015 Joey Hess <id@joeyh.name>
  -
  - Licensed under the GNU GPL version 3 or higher.
  -}
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ import qualified Annex.Queue
 import Annex.Content
 import Types.Key
 import qualified Annex
+import qualified Backend.URL
+
+import Network.URI
 
 cmd :: [Command]
 cmd = [notDirect $ notBareRepo $
@@ -28,7 +31,7 @@ seek ps = do
 
 start :: Bool -> [String] -> CommandStart
 start force (keyname:file:[]) = do
-	let key = fromMaybe (error "bad key") $ file2key keyname
+	let key = mkKey keyname
 	unless force $ do
 		inbackend <- inAnnex key
 		unless inbackend $ error $
@@ -45,12 +48,19 @@ massAdd = go True =<< map (separate (== ' ')) . lines <$> liftIO getContents
   where
 	go status [] = next $ return status
 	go status ((keyname,f):rest) | not (null keyname) && not (null f) = do
-		let key = fromMaybe (error $ "bad key " ++ keyname) $ file2key keyname
+		let key = mkKey keyname
 		ok <- perform' key f
 		let !status' = status && ok
 		go status' rest
 	go _ _ = error "Expected pairs of key and file on stdin, but got something else."
 
+mkKey :: String -> Key
+mkKey s = case file2key s of
+	Just k -> k
+	Nothing -> case parseURI s of
+		Just _u -> Backend.URL.fromUrl s Nothing
+		Nothing -> error $ "bad key " ++ s
+
 perform :: Key -> FilePath -> CommandPerform
 perform key file = do
 	ok <- perform' key file
diff --git a/Command/ImportFeed.hs b/Command/ImportFeed.hs
index 6d3a1765b5..4bc3f52f46 100644
--- a/Command/ImportFeed.hs
+++ b/Command/ImportFeed.hs
@@ -370,4 +370,4 @@ clearFeedProblem :: URLString -> Annex ()
 clearFeedProblem url = void $ liftIO . tryIO . removeFile =<< feedState url
 
 feedState :: URLString -> Annex FilePath
-feedState url = fromRepo . gitAnnexFeedState =<< fromUrl url Nothing
+feedState url = fromRepo $ gitAnnexFeedState $ fromUrl url Nothing
diff --git a/Command/RegisterUrl.hs b/Command/RegisterUrl.hs
index d0e8065970..4282db58a4 100644
--- a/Command/RegisterUrl.hs
+++ b/Command/RegisterUrl.hs
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@ module Command.RegisterUrl where
 
 import Common.Annex
 import Command
-import Types.Key
 import Logs.Web
 import Annex.UUID
+import Command.FromKey (mkKey)
 
 cmd :: [Command]
 cmd = [notDirect $ notBareRepo $
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ seek = withWords start
 
 start :: [String] -> CommandStart
 start (keyname:url:[]) = do
-	let key = fromMaybe (error "bad key") $ file2key keyname
+	let key = mkKey keyname
 	showStart "registerurl" url
 	next $ perform key url
 start [] = do
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ massAdd = go True =<< map (separate (== ' ')) . lines <$> liftIO getContents
   where
 	go status [] = next $ return status
 	go status ((keyname,u):rest) | not (null keyname) && not (null u) = do
-		let key = fromMaybe (error $ "bad key " ++ keyname) $ file2key keyname
+		let key = mkKey keyname
 		ok <- perform' key u
 		let !status' = status && ok
 		go status' rest
diff --git a/Remote/BitTorrent.hs b/Remote/BitTorrent.hs
index 05326e390e..a4ec11bf16 100644
--- a/Remote/BitTorrent.hs
+++ b/Remote/BitTorrent.hs
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ torrentUrlNum u
 
 {- A Key corresponding to the URL of a torrent file. -}
 torrentUrlKey :: URLString -> Annex Key
-torrentUrlKey u = fromUrl (fst $ torrentUrlNum u) Nothing
+torrentUrlKey u = return $ fromUrl (fst $ torrentUrlNum u) Nothing
 
 {- Temporary directory used to download a torrent. -}
 tmpTorrentDir :: URLString -> Annex FilePath
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 58525853ef..e899df2ff4 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+git-annex (5.20150523) UNRELEASED; urgency=medium
+
+  * fromkey, registerurl: Allow urls to be specified instead of keys,
+    and generate URL keys.
+
+ -- Joey Hess <id@joeyh.name>  Fri, 22 May 2015 22:23:32 -0400
+
 git-annex (5.20150522) unstable; urgency=medium
 
   * import: Refuse to import files that are within the work tree, as that
diff --git a/doc/git-annex-fromkey.mdwn b/doc/git-annex-fromkey.mdwn
index 1126e823ee..461f42eb6b 100644
--- a/doc/git-annex-fromkey.mdwn
+++ b/doc/git-annex-fromkey.mdwn
@@ -15,6 +15,12 @@ If the key and file are not specified on the command line, they are
 instead read from stdin. Any number of lines can be provided in this
 mode, each containing a key and filename, separated by a single space.
 
+Normally the key is a git-annex formatted key. However, to make it easier
+to use this to add urls, if the key cannot be parsed as a key, and is a
+valid url, an URL key is constructed from the url. Note that this does not
+register the url as a location of the key; use [[git-annex-registerurl]](1)
+to do that.
+
 # OPTIONS
 
 * `--force`
diff --git a/doc/git-annex-registerurl.mdwn b/doc/git-annex-registerurl.mdwn
index 961fcbba2b..05328abbbf 100644
--- a/doc/git-annex-registerurl.mdwn
+++ b/doc/git-annex-registerurl.mdwn
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@ If the key and url are not specified on the command line, they are
 instead read from stdin. Any number of lines can be provided in this
 mode, each containing a key and url, separated by a single space.
 
+Normally the key is a git-annex formatted key. However, to make it easier
+to use this to add urls, if the key cannot be parsed as a key, and is a
+valid url, an URL key is constructed from the url.
+
 # SEE ALSO
 
 [[git-annex]](1)