diff --git a/cmd/oo/docs_comment.go b/cmd/oo/docs_comment.go
index ac00cd1..a18956f 100644
--- a/cmd/oo/docs_comment.go
+++ b/cmd/oo/docs_comment.go
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func docsCommentCmd() *cobra.Command {
-	var spec, author, out string
+	var spec, author, out, basePath string
 	var replace bool
 	cmd := &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "comment FILE_ID",
@@ -65,14 +65,23 @@ text split across runs. At most one comment lands on a paragraph.
 				return fmt.Errorf("%s is not a .docx (comments need Word format)", title)
 			}
 
-			var buf bytes.Buffer
-			if _, err := c.DownloadFile(ctx, args[0], &buf); err != nil {
-				return err
+			var base []byte
+			if basePath != "" {
+				base, err = os.ReadFile(basePath)
+				if err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+			} else {
+				var buf bytes.Buffer
+				if _, err := c.DownloadFile(ctx, args[0], &buf); err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+				base = buf.Bytes()
 			}
 			if author == "" {
 				author = selfDisplayName(cmd)
 			}
-			annotated, applied, err := onlyoffice.InjectDocxComments(buf.Bytes(), author, comments)
+			annotated, applied, err := onlyoffice.InjectDocxComments(base, author, comments)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
@@ -124,6 +133,7 @@ text split across runs. At most one comment lands on a paragraph.
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&spec, "spec", "", "JSON file: [{\"anchor\":...,\"text\":...}] (required)")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&author, "author", "", "comment author (default: the authenticated portal user)")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&out, "out", "", "local output path (default: <title> - comments.docx)")
+	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&basePath, "base", "", "local clean .docx to annotate instead of downloading FILE_ID (re-apply without stacking comments)")
 	cmd.Flags().BoolVar(&replace, "replace", false, "upload the annotated copy back over the same file id")
 	return cmd
 }