diff --git a/youtube_dl/__init__.py b/youtube_dl/__init__.py
index 9bb952457..3e4ecc2f1 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/__init__.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/__init__.py
@@ -283,6 +283,13 @@ def _real_main(argv=None):
         postprocessors.append({
             'key': 'FFmpegEmbedSubtitle',
         })
+    if opts.starttime or opts.endtime:
+        d = {'key': 'FFmpegCutVideo'}
+        if opts.starttime:
+            d['startTime'] = int(opts.starttime)
+        if opts.endtime:
+            d['endTime'] = int(opts.endtime)
+        postprocessors.append(d)
     if opts.embedthumbnail:
         already_have_thumbnail = opts.writethumbnail or opts.write_all_thumbnails
         postprocessors.append({
diff --git a/youtube_dl/options.py b/youtube_dl/options.py
index 7d1bbc021..6bf0ea197 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/options.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/options.py
@@ -853,6 +853,14 @@ def parseOpts(overrideArguments=None):
         '--convert-subs', '--convert-subtitles',
         metavar='FORMAT', dest='convertsubtitles', default=None,
         help='Convert the subtitles to other format (currently supported: srt|ass|vtt|lrc)')
+    postproc.add_option(
+        '--start-time',
+        metavar='TIME', dest='starttime', default=None,
+        help='Cuts the video/audio starting at start-time')
+    postproc.add_option(
+        '--end-time',
+        metavar='TIME', dest='endtime', default=None,
+        help='Cuts the vidoe/audio up to end-time')
 
     parser.add_option_group(general)
     parser.add_option_group(network)
diff --git a/youtube_dl/postprocessor/ffmpeg.py b/youtube_dl/postprocessor/ffmpeg.py
index 973d9ad84..b5bae917f 100644
--- a/youtube_dl/postprocessor/ffmpeg.py
+++ b/youtube_dl/postprocessor/ffmpeg.py
@@ -227,32 +227,38 @@ class FFmpegCutVideoPP(FFmpegPostProcessor):
         return "%d:%02d:%02d" % (h, m, s)
 
     def run(self, information):
-        if not self._startTime and not self._endTime:
-            self._downloader.to_screen('[ffmpeg] No startTime or endTime. Keeping original')
+        if self._startTime == 0 and self._endTime == None:
+            self._downloader.to_screen('[ffmpeg] No start time or end time. Keeping original')
             return [], information
 
-        if self._endTime <= self._startTime:
-            raise PostProcessingError("WARNING: endTime smaller than startTime")
+        if self._endTime and self._endTime <= self._startTime:
+            raise PostProcessingError("end time smaller or equal to the start time")
 
-        duration = information['duration']
-        if self._endTime and self._endTime > duration:
-            self._downloader.to_screen('WARNING: endTime greater than video duration')
+        if self._endTime == 0:
+            raise PostProcessingError("end time can't be zero")
+
+        duration = information.get('duration')
+
+        if self._endTime and duration and self._endTime >= duration:
+            self._downloader.to_screen('WARNING: end time greater than video duration')
             self._endTime = None
 
         options = ['-c', 'copy']
-        message = '[ffmpeg] Cutting video  '
+        message = '[ffmpeg] Cutting video '
 
         if self._startTime:
             start = self.toTime(self._startTime)
             options.extend(['-ss', start])
             message += 'from %s ' % (start)
-            duration -= self._startTime
+            if duration:
+                duration -= self._startTime
 
-        if self._endTime and self._endTime < duration:
+        if self._endTime:
             end = self.toTime(self._endTime)
             options.extend(['-to', end])
             message += 'to %s' % (end)
-            duration -= self._endTime
+            if duration:
+                duration -= self._endTime
 
         if '-to' not in options and '-ss' not in options:
             self._downloader.to_screen('[ffmpeg] Nothing to cut. Keeping original')
@@ -261,7 +267,8 @@ class FFmpegCutVideoPP(FFmpegPostProcessor):
         path = information['filepath']
         temp_filename = prepend_extension(path, 'temp')
         self._downloader.to_screen(message)
-        information['duration'] = duration
+        if duration:
+            information['duration'] = duration
         self.run_ffmpeg(path, temp_filename, options)
         os.remove(encodeFilename(path))
         os.rename(encodeFilename(temp_filename), encodeFilename(path))