diff --git a/cmd/file.go b/cmd/file.go
index 3f69e5c..9b038fe 100644
--- a/cmd/file.go
+++ b/cmd/file.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package cmd
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"path"
+	"time"
 
 	"gopkg.in/ini.v1"
 
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ func init() {
 	fileCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&destination, "output", "o", getDefaultCredentialsFile(), "output file for credentials")
 	fileCmd.PersistentFlags().StringVarP(&profileName, "profile", "p", "default", "profile name")
 	fileCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&force, "force", "f", false, "overwrite existing profile without prompting")
+	fileCmd.PersistentFlags().BoolVarP(&autoRefresh, "refresh", "R", false, "automatically refresh credentials in file")
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(fileCmd)
 }
 
@@ -46,17 +48,54 @@ var fileCmd = &cobra.Command{
 
 func runFile(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	role = args[0]
+	err := updateCredentialsFile(role, profileName, destination, noIpRestrict, assumeRole)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if autoRefresh {
+		log.Infof("starting automatic file refresh for %s", role)
+		go fileRefresher(role, profileName, destination, noIpRestrict, assumeRole)
+		<-shutdown
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func updateCredentialsFile(role, profile, filename string, noIpRestrict bool, assumeRole []string) error {
 	credentials, err := creds.GetCredentials(role, noIpRestrict, assumeRole)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	err = writeCredentialsFile(credentials)
+	err = writeCredentialsFile(credentials, profile, filename)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	return nil
 }
 
+func fileRefresher(role, profile, filename string, noIpRestrict bool, assumeRole []string) {
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(time.Minute)
+
+	for {
+		select {
+		case _ = <-ticker.C:
+			log.Debug("checking credentials")
+			expiring, err := isExpiring(filename, profile, 10)
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Errorf("error checking credential expiration: %v", err)
+			}
+			if expiring {
+				log.Info("credentials are expiring soon, refreshing...")
+				err = updateCredentialsFile(role, profile, filename, noIpRestrict, assumeRole)
+				if err != nil {
+					log.Errorf("error updating credentials: %v", err)
+				} else {
+					log.Info("credentials refreshed!")
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func getDefaultCredentialsFile() string {
 	home, err := homedir.Dir()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -74,7 +113,7 @@ func getDefaultAwsConfigFile() string {
 }
 
 func shouldOverwriteCredentials() bool {
-	if force {
+	if force || autoRefresh {
 		return true
 	}
 	userForce, err := util.PromptBool(fmt.Sprintf("Overwrite %s profile?", profileName))
@@ -84,7 +123,35 @@ func shouldOverwriteCredentials() bool {
 	return userForce
 }
 
-func writeCredentialsFile(credentials *creds.AwsCredentials) error {
+func isExpiring(filename, profile string, thresholdMinutes int) (bool, error) {
+	fileContents, err := ini.Load(filename)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	section, err := fileContents.GetSection(profile)
+	if err != nil {
+		return true, err
+	}
+	expiration, err := section.GetKey("expiration")
+	if err != nil {
+		return true, err
+	}
+	expirationTime, err := expiration.Time()
+	if err != nil {
+		return true, err
+	}
+	diff := time.Duration(thresholdMinutes) * time.Minute
+	timeUntilExpiration := expirationTime.Sub(time.Now()).Round(0)
+	log.Debugf("%s until expiration, refresh threshold is %s", timeUntilExpiration, diff)
+	if timeUntilExpiration < diff {
+		log.Debug("will refresh")
+		return true, nil
+	}
+	log.Debug("will not refresh")
+	return false, nil
+}
+
+func writeCredentialsFile(credentials *creds.AwsCredentials, profile, filename string) error {
 	var credentialsINI *ini.File
 	var err error
 
@@ -92,8 +159,8 @@ func writeCredentialsFile(credentials *creds.AwsCredentials) error {
 	ini.PrettyFormat = false
 	ini.PrettyEqual = true
 
-	if util.FileExists(destination) {
-		credentialsINI, err = ini.Load(destination)
+	if util.FileExists(filename) {
+		credentialsINI, err = ini.Load(filename)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -101,18 +168,19 @@ func writeCredentialsFile(credentials *creds.AwsCredentials) error {
 		credentialsINI = ini.Empty()
 	}
 
-	if _, err := credentialsINI.GetSection(profileName); err == nil {
+	if _, err := credentialsINI.GetSection(profile); err == nil {
 		// section already exists, should we overwrite?
 		if !shouldOverwriteCredentials() {
 			// user says no, so we'll just bail out
-			return fmt.Errorf("not overwriting %s profile", profileName)
+			return fmt.Errorf("not overwriting %s profile", profile)
 		}
 	}
 
-	credentialsINI.Section(profileName).Key("aws_access_key_id").SetValue(credentials.AccessKeyId)
-	credentialsINI.Section(profileName).Key("aws_secret_access_key").SetValue(credentials.SecretAccessKey)
-	credentialsINI.Section(profileName).Key("aws_session_token").SetValue(credentials.SessionToken)
-	err = credentialsINI.SaveTo(destination)
+	credentialsINI.Section(profile).Key("aws_access_key_id").SetValue(credentials.AccessKeyId)
+	credentialsINI.Section(profile).Key("aws_secret_access_key").SetValue(credentials.SecretAccessKey)
+	credentialsINI.Section(profile).Key("aws_session_token").SetValue(credentials.SessionToken)
+	credentialsINI.Section(profile).Key("expiration").SetValue(credentials.Expiration.Format("2006-01-02T15:04:05Z07:00"))
+	err = credentialsINI.SaveTo(filename)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/vars.go b/cmd/vars.go
index 4b3d84e..63aa8d2 100644
--- a/cmd/vars.go
+++ b/cmd/vars.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ var (
 	destination           string
 	destinationConfig     string
 	force                 bool
+	autoRefresh           bool
 	noIpRestrict          bool
 	metadataRegion        string
 	metadataListenAddr    string