diff --git a/yubioath/cli/__main__.py b/yubioath/cli/__main__.py
index 1a77add6..c9cc7772 100644
--- a/yubioath/cli/__main__.py
+++ b/yubioath/cli/__main__.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ from __future__ import print_function
 
 from .. import __version__
 from ..core.ccid import open_scard
-from ..core.standard import TYPE_HOTP, TYPE_TOTP
+from ..core.standard import ALG_SHA1, ALG_SHA256, TYPE_HOTP, TYPE_TOTP
 from ..core.utils import parse_uri
 from ..core.exc import NoSpaceError
 from .keystore import get_keystore
@@ -136,23 +136,44 @@ def show(ctx, query, slot1, slot2, timestamp):
 @click.option('-S', '--destination', type=click.IntRange(0, 2), default=0)
 @click.option('-N', '--name', required=False, help='Credential name.')
 @click.option('-A', '--oath-type', type=click.Choice(['totp', 'hotp']),
-              default='totp', help='OATH algorithm.')
+              default='totp', help='Specify whether this is a time or counter-based OATH credential.')
 @click.option('-D', '--digits', type=click.Choice(['6', '8']), default='6',
               callback=lambda c, p, v: int(v), help='Number of digits.')
+@click.option('-H', '--hmac-algorithm', type=click.Choice(['SHA1', 'SHA256']), default='SHA1',
+              help='HMAC algorithm for OTP generation.')
 @click.option('-I', '--imf', type=int, default=0, help='Initial moving factor.')
 @click.option('-T', '--touch', is_flag=True, help='Require touch.')
 @click.pass_context
-def put(ctx, key, destination, name, oath_type, digits, imf, touch):
+def put(ctx, key, destination, name, oath_type, hmac_algorithm, digits, imf, touch):
     """
     Stores a new OATH credential in the YubiKey.
     """
     if key.startswith('otpauth://'):
         parsed = parse_uri(key)
         key = parsed['secret']
-        name = name or parsed.get('name')
+        name = parsed.get('name')
         oath_type = parsed.get('type')
-        digits = digits or int(parsed.get('digits', '6'))
-        imf = imf or int(parsed.get('counter', '0'))
+        hmac_algorithm = parsed.get('algorithm', 'SHA1').upper()
+        digits = int(parsed.get('digits', '6'))
+        imf = int(parsed.get('counter', '0'))
+
+    if oath_type not in ['totp', 'hotp']:
+        ctx.fail('Invalid OATH credential type')
+
+    if hmac_algorithm == 'SHA1':
+        algo = ALG_SHA1
+    elif hmac_algorithm == 'SHA256':
+        algo = ALG_SHA256
+    else:
+        ctx.fail('Invalid HMAC algorithm')
+
+    if digits == 5 and name.startswith('Steam:'):
+        # Steam is a special case where we allow the otpauth URI to contain a 'digits'
+        # value of '5'.
+        digits = 6
+
+    if digits not in [6, 8]:
+        ctx.fail('Invalid number of digits for OTP')
 
     digits = digits or 6
     unpadded = key.upper()
@@ -165,7 +186,7 @@ def put(ctx, key, destination, name, oath_type, digits, imf, touch):
         oath_type = TYPE_TOTP if oath_type == 'totp' else TYPE_HOTP
         try:
             controller.add_cred(dev, name, key, oath_type, digits=digits,
-                                imf=imf, require_touch=touch)
+                                imf=imf, algo=algo, require_touch=touch)
         except NoSpaceError:
             ctx.fail('There is not enough space to add another credential on your device.'
             'To create free space to add a new credential, delete those you no longer need.')
diff --git a/yubioath/gui/__main__.py b/yubioath/gui/__main__.py
index c0a37847..50ea111f 100644
--- a/yubioath/gui/__main__.py
+++ b/yubioath/gui/__main__.py
@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ class YubiOathApplication(qt.Application):
                         self._controller.add_cred(
                         dialog.name, dialog.key, oath_type=dialog.oath_type,
                         digits=dialog.n_digits,
+                        algo=dialog.algorithm,
                         require_touch=dialog.require_touch)
                     except NoSpaceError:
                         QtGui.QMessageBox.critical(self.window, m.no_space, m.no_space_desc)
diff --git a/yubioath/gui/messages.py b/yubioath/gui/messages.py
index c7d9a229..ce90def0 100644
--- a/yubioath/gui/messages.py
+++ b/yubioath/gui/messages.py
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ cred_key = "Secret key (base32)"
 cred_type = "Credential type"
 cred_totp = "Time based (TOTP)"
 cred_hotp = "Counter based (HOTP)"
+algorithm = "Algorithm"
 invalid_name = "Invalid name"
 invalid_name_desc = "Name must be at least 3 characters"
 invalid_key = "Invalid key"
@@ -111,6 +112,13 @@ qr_not_found_desc = "No usable QR code detected. Make sure the QR code is " \
 qr_not_supported = "Credential not supported"
 qr_not_supported_desc = "This credential type is not supported for slot " \
     "based usage."
+qr_invalid_type = "Invalid OTP type"
+qr_invalid_type_desc = "Only TOTP and HOTP types are supported."
+qr_invalid_digits = "Invalid number of digits"
+qr_invalid_digits_desc = "An OTP may only contain 6 or 8 digits."
+qr_invalid_algo = "Unsupported algorithm"
+qr_invalid_algo_desc = "SHA1 and SHA256 are the only supported OTP algorithms " \
+    "at this time."
 tt_slot_enabled_1 = "Check to calculate TOTP codes using the YubiKey " \
     "standard slot %d credential."
 tt_num_digits = "The number of digits to show for the credential."
diff --git a/yubioath/gui/view/add_cred.py b/yubioath/gui/view/add_cred.py
index 45e13ee8..d14bf609 100644
--- a/yubioath/gui/view/add_cred.py
+++ b/yubioath/gui/view/add_cred.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 # for the parts of OpenSSL used as well as that of the covered work.
 
 from yubioath.yubicommon import qt
-from ...core.standard import TYPE_TOTP, TYPE_HOTP
+from ...core.standard import ALG_SHA1, ALG_SHA256, TYPE_TOTP, TYPE_HOTP
 from ...core.utils import parse_uri
 from .. import messages as m
 from ..qrparse import parse_qr_codes
@@ -99,6 +99,10 @@ class AddCredDialog(qt.Dialog):
         self._n_digits.addItems(['6', '8'])
         layout.addRow(m.n_digits, self._n_digits)
 
+        self._algorithm = QtGui.QComboBox()
+        self._algorithm.addItems(['SHA-1', 'SHA-256'])
+        layout.addRow(m.algorithm, self._algorithm)
+
         self._require_touch = QtGui.QCheckBox(m.require_touch)
         # Touch-required support not available before 4.2.6
         if self._version >= (4, 2, 6):
@@ -128,11 +132,26 @@ class AddCredDialog(qt.Dialog):
 
     def _handle_qr(self, parsed):
         if parsed:
+            otp_type = parsed['type'].lower()
+            n_digits = parsed.get('digits', '6')
+            algo = parsed.get('algorithm', 'SHA1').upper()
+
+            if otp_type not in ['totp', 'hotp']:
+                QtGui.QMessageBox.warning(self, m.qr_invalid_type, m.qr_invalid_type_desc)
+                return
+            if n_digits not in ['6', '8']:
+                QtGui.QMessageBox.warning(self, m.qr_invalid_digits, m.qr_invalid_digits_desc)
+                return
+            if algo not in ['SHA1', 'SHA256']:
+                # RFC6238 says SHA512 is also supported, but it's not implemented here yet.
+                QtGui.QMessageBox.warning(self, m.qr_invalid_algo, m.qr_invalid_algo_desc)
+                return
+
             self._cred_name.setText(parsed['name'])
             self._cred_key.setText(parsed['secret'])
-            n_digits = parsed.get('digits', '6')
             self._n_digits.setCurrentIndex(0 if n_digits == '6' else 1)
-            if parsed['type'] == 'totp':
+            self._algorithm.setCurrentIndex(0 if algo == 'SHA1' else 1)
+            if otp_type == 'totp':
                 self._cred_totp.setChecked(True)
             else:
                 self._cred_hotp.setChecked(True)
@@ -177,6 +196,10 @@ class AddCredDialog(qt.Dialog):
     def n_digits(self):
         return int(self._n_digits.currentText())
 
+    @property
+    def algorithm(self):
+        return ALG_SHA1 if self._algorithm.currentIndex() == 0 else ALG_SHA256
+
     @property
     def require_touch(self):
         return self._require_touch.isChecked()