diff --git a/twitchdl/commands.py b/twitchdl/commands.py
index 341881d..8798150 100644
--- a/twitchdl/commands.py
+++ b/twitchdl/commands.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ from functools import partial
 
 from twitchdl import twitch
 from twitchdl.download import download_file
+from twitchdl.exceptions import ConsoleError
 from twitchdl.output import print_out
 from twitchdl.utils import slugify
 
@@ -157,7 +158,21 @@ def _video_target_filename(video, format):
     return name + "." + format
 
 
+def parse_video_id(video_id):
+    """This can be either a integer ID or an URL to the video on twitch."""
+    if re.search(r"^\d+$", video_id):
+        return int(video_id)
+
+    match = re.search(r"^https://www.twitch.tv/videos/(\d+)$", video_id)
+    if match:
+        return int(match.group(1))
+
+    raise ConsoleError("Invalid video ID given, expected integer ID or Twitch URL")
+
+
 def download(video_id, max_workers, format='mkv', **kwargs):
+    video_id = parse_video_id(video_id)
+
     print("Looking up video...")
     video = twitch.get_video(video_id)
 
diff --git a/twitchdl/console.py b/twitchdl/console.py
index 4ba1807..bb00531 100644
--- a/twitchdl/console.py
+++ b/twitchdl/console.py
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 from argparse import ArgumentParser
 from collections import namedtuple
 
+from twitchdl.exceptions import ConsoleError
+from twitchdl.output import print_err
 from . import commands
 
 
@@ -27,7 +29,7 @@ COMMANDS = [
         arguments=[
             (["video_id"], {
                 "help": "video ID",
-                "type": int,
+                "type": str,
             }),
             (["-w", "--max_workers"], {
                 "help": "maximal number of threads for downloading vods concurrently (default 5)",
@@ -78,4 +80,7 @@ def main():
         parser.print_help()
         return
 
-    args.func(**args.__dict__)
+    try:
+        args.func(**args.__dict__)
+    except ConsoleError as e:
+        print_err(e)
diff --git a/twitchdl/exceptions.py b/twitchdl/exceptions.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d0ff78d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/twitchdl/exceptions.py
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+
+class ConsoleError(Exception):
+    """Raised when an error occurs and script exectuion should halt."""
+    pass