diff --git a/cmd/auth.go b/cmd/auth.go
index dac73bda9..160704b4b 100644
--- a/cmd/auth.go
+++ b/cmd/auth.go
@@ -2,10 +2,14 @@ package cmd
 
 import (
 	"github.com/astronomerio/astro-cli/auth"
+	"github.com/astronomerio/astro-cli/config"
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
 var (
+	registryOverride string
+
 	authRootCmd = &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "auth",
 		Short: "Mangage astronomer identity",
@@ -16,7 +20,7 @@ var (
 		Use:   "login",
 		Short: "Login to Astronomer services",
 		Long:  "Login to Astronomer services",
-		Run:   authLogin,
+		RunE:  authLogin,
 	}
 
 	authLogoutCmd = &cobra.Command{
@@ -33,13 +37,23 @@ func init() {
 
 	// Auth login
 	authRootCmd.AddCommand(authLoginCmd)
-
+	authLoginCmd.Flags().StringVarP(&registryOverride, "registry", "r", "", "pass a custom project registry for authentication")
 	// Auth logout
 	authRootCmd.AddCommand(authLogoutCmd)
 }
 
-func authLogin(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
+func authLogin(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
+	if len(registryOverride) > 0 {
+		config.CFG.RegistryAuthority.SetProjectString(registryOverride)
+	}
+
+	if config.CFG.RegistryAuthority.GetHomeString() == "" &&
+		registryOverride == "" {
+		return errors.New("No registry set. Use -r to pass a custom registry\n\nEx.\nastro auth login -r registry.EXAMPLE_DOMAIN.com\n ")
+	}
+
 	auth.Login()
+	return nil
 }
 
 func authLogout(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {