diff --git a/miden/src/cli/verify.rs b/miden/src/cli/verify.rs
index 71e259ab4..c44e2e3c0 100644
--- a/miden/src/cli/verify.rs
+++ b/miden/src/cli/verify.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use std::path::Path;
 use std::{path::PathBuf, time::Instant};
 
 use assembly::diagnostics::{IntoDiagnostic, Report, WrapErr};
@@ -19,12 +20,14 @@ pub struct VerifyCmd {
     #[clap(short = 'p', long = "proof", value_parser)]
     proof_file: PathBuf,
     /// Program hash (hex)
-    #[clap(short = 'h', long = "program-hash")]
+    #[clap(short = 'x', long = "program-hash")]
     program_hash: String,
 }
 
 impl VerifyCmd {
     pub fn execute(&self) -> Result<(), Report> {
+        let (input_file, output_file) = self.infer_defaults();
+
         println!("===============================================================================");
         println!("Verifying proof: {}", self.proof_file.display());
         println!("-------------------------------------------------------------------------------");
@@ -33,18 +36,21 @@ impl VerifyCmd {
         let program_hash = ProgramHash::read(&self.program_hash).map_err(Report::msg)?;
 
         // load input data from file
-        let input_data = InputFile::read(&self.input_file, &self.proof_file)?;
+        let input_data = InputFile::read(&Some(input_file), &self.proof_file.as_ref())?;
 
         // fetch the stack inputs from the arguments
         let stack_inputs = input_data.parse_stack_inputs().map_err(Report::msg)?;
 
         // load outputs data from file
-        let outputs_data =
-            OutputFile::read(&self.output_file, &self.proof_file).map_err(Report::msg)?;
+        let outputs_data = OutputFile::read(&Some(output_file), &self.proof_file.as_ref())
+            .map_err(Report::msg)?;
 
         // load proof from file
-        let proof = ProofFile::read(&Some(self.proof_file.clone()), &self.proof_file)
-            .map_err(Report::msg)?;
+        let proof = ProofFile::read(
+            &Some(self.proof_file.clone()),
+            &self.proof_file.as_ref(),
+        )
+        .map_err(Report::msg)?;
 
         let now = Instant::now();
 
@@ -62,4 +68,30 @@ impl VerifyCmd {
 
         Ok(())
     }
+
+    fn infer_defaults(&self) -> (PathBuf, PathBuf) {
+        let proof_file = if self.proof_file.exists() {
+            self.proof_file.clone()
+        } else {
+            PathBuf::from("default_proof_file.txt")
+        };
+
+        let base_name = proof_file.file_stem().expect("Invalid proof file").to_str().unwrap();
+
+        let input_file = self.input_file.clone().unwrap_or_else(|| {
+            let mut input_path =
+                proof_file.parent().unwrap_or_else(|| Path::new(".")).to_path_buf();
+            input_path.push(format!("{}.inputs", base_name));
+            input_path
+        });
+
+        let output_file = self.output_file.clone().unwrap_or_else(|| {
+            let mut output_path =
+                proof_file.parent().unwrap_or_else(|| Path::new(".")).to_path_buf();
+            output_path.push(format!("{}.outputs", base_name));
+            output_path
+        });
+
+        return (input_file, output_file);
+    }
 }