diff --git a/src/datacustomcode/cli.py b/src/datacustomcode/cli.py
index 84da911..e283995 100644
--- a/src/datacustomcode/cli.py
+++ b/src/datacustomcode/cli.py
@@ -198,6 +198,11 @@ def zip(path: str, network: str):
     default=None,
     help="SF CLI org alias or username. Fetches credentials via `sf org display`.",
 )
+@click.option(
+    "--use-in-feature",
+    default="SearchIndexChunking",
+    help="Feature where this function will be used.",
+)
 def deploy(
     path: str,
     name: str,
@@ -207,6 +212,7 @@ def deploy(
     profile: str,
     network: str,
     sf_cli_org: Optional[str],
+    use_in_feature: Optional[str],
 ):
     from datacustomcode.constants import USE_IN_FEATURE_MAPPING_FOR_CONNECT_API
     from datacustomcode.deploy import (
@@ -242,20 +248,18 @@ def deploy(
     )
 
     if package_type == "function":
-        # Infer use_in_feature from function signature
+        # Try to infer use_in_feature from function signature; fall back to
+        # the explicit flag value (defaults to SearchIndexChunking)
         entrypoint_path = os.path.join(path, ENTRYPOINT_FILE)
-        use_in_feature = infer_use_in_feature(entrypoint_path)
-        if use_in_feature:
+        inferred = infer_use_in_feature(entrypoint_path)
+        if inferred:
+            use_in_feature = inferred
             logger.info(f"Inferred use_in_feature: {use_in_feature}")
         else:
-            click.secho(
-                "Error: Could not infer function invoke options. "
-                "Please provide --use-in-feature",
-                fg="red",
-            )
-            raise click.Abort()
+            logger.info(f"Using use_in_feature: {use_in_feature}")
 
-        # Map user-provided feature names to API names
+        assert use_in_feature is not None
+        # Map feature names to Connect API names
         mapped_feature = USE_IN_FEATURE_MAPPING_FOR_CONNECT_API.get(
             use_in_feature, use_in_feature
         )
diff --git a/tests/test_sf_cli_contract.py b/tests/test_sf_cli_contract.py
index f53123e..61f7f15 100644
--- a/tests/test_sf_cli_contract.py
+++ b/tests/test_sf_cli_contract.py
@@ -188,6 +188,26 @@ def test_accepts_network_flag(
         result = runner.invoke(deploy, [*self._BASE_ARGS, "--network", "custom"])
         assert result.exit_code != 2, result.output
 
+    @patch("datacustomcode.token_provider.SFCLITokenProvider")
+    @patch("datacustomcode.deploy.deploy_full")
+    @patch("datacustomcode.cli.find_base_directory")
+    @patch("datacustomcode.cli.get_package_type")
+    def test_accepts_use_in_feature_flag(
+        self, mock_pkg_type, mock_find_base, mock_deploy_full, mock_sf_cli_provider
+    ):
+        mock_find_base.return_value = "payload"
+        mock_pkg_type.return_value = "function"
+        mock_provider_instance = mock_sf_cli_provider.return_value
+        mock_provider_instance.get_token.return_value = AccessTokenResponse(
+            access_token="tok", instance_url="https://example.com"
+        )
+        runner = CliRunner()
+        result = runner.invoke(
+            deploy,
+            [*self._BASE_ARGS, "--use-in-feature", "SearchIndexChunking"],
+        )
+        assert result.exit_code != 2, result.output
+
 
 class TestRunArgContract:
     """