diff --git a/cmd/protoc-gen-go-drpc/main.go b/cmd/protoc-gen-go-drpc/main.go
index 9cda156..0bb3f3b 100644
--- a/cmd/protoc-gen-go-drpc/main.go
+++ b/cmd/protoc-gen-go-drpc/main.go
@@ -15,8 +15,9 @@ import (
 )
 
 type config struct {
-	protolib string
-	json     bool
+	protolib   string
+	json       bool
+	standalone bool
 }
 
 func main() {
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ func main() {
 	var conf config
 	flags.StringVar(&conf.protolib, "protolib", "google.golang.org/protobuf", "which protobuf library to use for encoding")
 	flags.BoolVar(&conf.json, "json", true, "generate encoders with json support")
+	flags.BoolVar(&conf.standalone, "standalone", false, "generate code that work outside of generated messages")
 
 	protogen.Options{
 		ParamFunc: flags.Set,
@@ -40,7 +42,11 @@ func main() {
 }
 
 func generateFile(plugin *protogen.Plugin, file *protogen.File, conf config) {
-	gf := plugin.NewGeneratedFile(file.GeneratedFilenamePrefix+"_drpc.pb.go", file.GoImportPath)
+	path := file.GoImportPath
+	if conf.standalone {
+		path = "."
+	}
+	gf := plugin.NewGeneratedFile(file.GeneratedFilenamePrefix+"_drpc.pb.go", path)
 	d := &drpc{gf, file}
 
 	d.P("// Code generated by protoc-gen-go-drpc. DO NOT EDIT.")