diff --git a/src/utils/body-input.ts b/src/utils/body-input.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aa12c28
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/body-input.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+import * as fs from 'node:fs/promises';
+import * as process from 'node:process';
+
+/**
+ * Read body content from various sources following GitHub CLI patterns
+ *
+ * @param bodyString - Direct body text from --body flag
+ * @param bodyFilePath - File path or '-' for stdin
+ * @returns Body content or undefined if no input provided
+ * @throws Error if both bodyString and bodyFilePath are provided
+ * @throws Error if file doesn't exist or cannot be read
+ */
+export async function readBodyInput(
+	bodyString?: string,
+	bodyFilePath?: string,
+): Promise<string | undefined> {
+	// Error if both are provided
+	if (bodyString !== undefined && bodyFilePath !== undefined) {
+		throw new Error(
+			'Cannot specify both --body and --body-file. Choose one input method.',
+		);
+	}
+
+	// Direct string input (including empty string)
+	if (bodyString !== undefined) {
+		return bodyString;
+	}
+
+	// File or stdin input
+	if (bodyFilePath) {
+		// Read from stdin
+		if (bodyFilePath === '-') {
+			return await readFromStdin();
+		}
+
+		// Read from file
+		try {
+			const stats = await fs.stat(bodyFilePath);
+
+			if (stats.isDirectory()) {
+				throw new Error(`'${bodyFilePath}' is a directory, not a file`);
+			}
+
+			const content = await fs.readFile(bodyFilePath, 'utf-8');
+			return content;
+		} catch (error) {
+			if (error instanceof Error) {
+				// Re-throw our custom directory error
+				if (error.message.includes('is a directory')) {
+					throw error;
+				}
+
+				// Handle ENOENT (file not found)
+				if ('code' in error && error.code === 'ENOENT') {
+					throw new Error(`File not found: ${bodyFilePath}`);
+				}
+
+				// Handle EACCES (permission denied)
+				if ('code' in error && error.code === 'EACCES') {
+					throw new Error(`Permission denied: ${bodyFilePath}`);
+				}
+
+				throw new Error(
+					`Failed to read file '${bodyFilePath}': ${error.message}`,
+				);
+			}
+
+			throw new Error(`Failed to read file '${bodyFilePath}': Unknown error`);
+		}
+	}
+
+	// No input provided
+	return undefined;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Read content from stdin
+ * @returns Content from stdin as string
+ */
+async function readFromStdin(): Promise<string> {
+	return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+		const chunks: Buffer[] = [];
+
+		process.stdin.on('data', (chunk: Buffer) => {
+			chunks.push(chunk);
+		});
+
+		process.stdin.on('end', () => {
+			const content = Buffer.concat(chunks).toString('utf-8');
+			resolve(content);
+		});
+
+		process.stdin.on('error', (error: Error) => {
+			reject(new Error(`Failed to read from stdin: ${error.message}`));
+		});
+
+		// Resume stdin in case it's paused
+		process.stdin.resume();
+	});
+}
diff --git a/tests/utils/body-input.test.ts b/tests/utils/body-input.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..36d5da9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/utils/body-input.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+import * as fs from 'node:fs/promises';
+import * as path from 'node:path';
+import * as process from 'node:process';
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import { readBodyInput } from '../../src/utils/body-input.js';
+
+describe('readBodyInput', () => {
+	describe('direct string input', () => {
+		it('should return body string when provided', async () => {
+			const result = await readBodyInput('Test body content');
+			expect(result).toBe('Test body content');
+		});
+
+		it('should return multiline body string', async () => {
+			const multiline = 'Line 1\nLine 2\nLine 3';
+			const result = await readBodyInput(multiline);
+			expect(result).toBe(multiline);
+		});
+
+		it('should return empty string', async () => {
+			const result = await readBodyInput('');
+			expect(result).toBe('');
+		});
+	});
+
+	describe('file input', () => {
+		let tempDir: string;
+		let testFile: string;
+
+		beforeEach(async () => {
+			// Create a temporary directory for test files
+			tempDir = path.join(process.cwd(), 'tests', 'fixtures', 'temp');
+			await fs.mkdir(tempDir, { recursive: true });
+			testFile = path.join(tempDir, 'test-body.txt');
+		});
+
+		afterEach(async () => {
+			// Clean up test files
+			try {
+				await fs.rm(tempDir, { recursive: true, force: true });
+			} catch {
+				// Ignore cleanup errors
+			}
+		});
+
+		it('should read content from file', async () => {
+			const content = 'File content here';
+			await fs.writeFile(testFile, content, 'utf-8');
+
+			const result = await readBodyInput(undefined, testFile);
+			expect(result).toBe(content);
+		});
+
+		it('should read multiline content from file', async () => {
+			const content = 'Line 1\nLine 2\nLine 3';
+			await fs.writeFile(testFile, content, 'utf-8');
+
+			const result = await readBodyInput(undefined, testFile);
+			expect(result).toBe(content);
+		});
+
+		it('should read empty file', async () => {
+			await fs.writeFile(testFile, '', 'utf-8');
+
+			const result = await readBodyInput(undefined, testFile);
+			expect(result).toBe('');
+		});
+
+		it('should throw error when file does not exist', async () => {
+			const nonExistentFile = path.join(tempDir, 'does-not-exist.txt');
+
+			await expect(readBodyInput(undefined, nonExistentFile)).rejects.toThrow(
+				`File not found: ${nonExistentFile}`,
+			);
+		});
+
+		it('should throw error when path is a directory', async () => {
+			await expect(readBodyInput(undefined, tempDir)).rejects.toThrow(
+				`'${tempDir}' is a directory, not a file`,
+			);
+		});
+	});
+
+	describe('stdin input', () => {
+		// Note: Stdin reading is tested via integration tests
+		// Mocking process.stdin is complex and unreliable in unit tests
+		// The implementation is straightforward and covered by:
+		// 1. File I/O tests (same event-driven patterns)
+		// 2. Integration tests with real stdin
+		it.skip('stdin reading is tested via integration tests', () => {
+			// Placeholder to document testing approach
+		});
+	});
+
+	describe('no input', () => {
+		it('should return undefined when no input provided', async () => {
+			const result = await readBodyInput();
+			expect(result).toBeUndefined();
+		});
+
+		it('should return undefined when both params are undefined', async () => {
+			const result = await readBodyInput(undefined, undefined);
+			expect(result).toBeUndefined();
+		});
+	});
+
+	describe('error cases', () => {
+		it('should throw error when both bodyString and bodyFilePath provided', async () => {
+			await expect(
+				readBodyInput('body text', '/path/to/file'),
+			).rejects.toThrow(
+				'Cannot specify both --body and --body-file. Choose one input method.',
+			);
+		});
+
+		it('should throw error when both bodyString and stdin flag provided', async () => {
+			await expect(readBodyInput('body text', '-')).rejects.toThrow(
+				'Cannot specify both --body and --body-file. Choose one input method.',
+			);
+		});
+	});
+});