diff --git a/.changeset/sharp-forks-tap.md b/.changeset/sharp-forks-tap.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b62963ac2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/sharp-forks-tap.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+'@codeshift/cli': patch
+'@codeshift/initializer': patch
+---
+
+Init command can now be called without the transform or preset flag and output an empty directory
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/index.ts b/packages/cli/src/index.ts
index 08fc7ea69..755487a16 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/index.ts
@@ -82,6 +82,9 @@ program
     'after',
     `
 Examples:
+  # Initializes an empty codeshift package at the ~/Desktop directory
+  $ codeshift-cli init --package-name foobar --transform 10.0.0 ~/Desktop
+
   # Initializes a new codeshift package with a transform for 10.0.0
   $ codeshift-cli init --package-name foobar --transform 10.0.0 ~/Desktop
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/init.ts b/packages/cli/src/init.ts
index 05759c091..5e2efef1f 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/init.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/init.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import path from 'path';
-import { initDirectory } from '@codeshift/initializer';
+import { initDirectory, initTransform } from '@codeshift/initializer';
 
 export default async function init(
   packageName: string,
@@ -7,13 +7,10 @@ export default async function init(
   preset?: string,
   targetPath: string = '.',
 ) {
-  if (transform) {
-    initDirectory(packageName, transform, 'version', targetPath);
-  }
+  initDirectory(packageName, targetPath);
 
-  if (preset) {
-    initDirectory(packageName, preset, 'preset', targetPath);
-  }
+  if (transform) initTransform(packageName, transform, 'version', targetPath);
+  if (preset) initTransform(packageName, preset, 'preset', targetPath);
 
   console.log(
     `🚚 New codemod package created at: ${path.join(targetPath, packageName)}`,
diff --git a/packages/initializer/src/index.ts b/packages/initializer/src/index.ts
index c8694af38..feb140d8a 100644
--- a/packages/initializer/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/initializer/src/index.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import fs from 'fs-extra';
+import path from 'path';
 import semver from 'semver';
 import * as recast from 'recast';
 import { version as utilVersion } from '@codeshift/utils/package.json';
@@ -98,25 +99,47 @@ function updateConfig(
 
 export function initDirectory(
   packageName: string,
-  transform: string,
-  type: 'version' | 'preset',
   targetPath: string = './',
   isReduced: boolean = false,
 ) {
-  if (type === 'version' && !semver.valid(transform)) {
+
+  const basePath = `${targetPath}/${packageName.replace('/', '__')}`;
+  const configPath = `${basePath}${
+    !isReduced ? '/src' : ''
+  }/codeshift.config.js`;
+
+  fs.copySync(`${__dirname}/../template${isReduced ? '/src' : ''}`, basePath, {
+    filter: (src) => !src.includes('src/codemod')
+  });
+
+  if (!isReduced) {
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(basePath, 'package.json'), getPackageJson(packageName));
+  }
+
+  if (!fs.existsSync(configPath)) {
+    fs.writeFileSync(configPath, getConfig(packageName));
+  }
+}
+
+export function initTransform(packageName: string,
+  id: string,
+  type: 'version' | 'preset',
+  targetPath: string = './',
+  isReduced: boolean = false) {
+if (type === 'version' && !semver.valid(id)) {
     throw new Error(
-      `Provided version ${transform} is not a valid semver version`,
+      `Provided version ${id} is not a valid semver version`,
     );
   }
 
   const basePath = `${targetPath}/${packageName.replace('/', '__')}`;
-  const transformPath = `${basePath}${!isReduced ? '/src' : ''}/${transform}`;
+  const transformPath = `${basePath}${!isReduced ? '/src' : ''}/${id}`;
   const configPath = `${basePath}${
     !isReduced ? '/src' : ''
   }/codeshift.config.js`;
 
   if (fs.existsSync(transformPath)) {
-    throw new Error(`Codemod for ${type} "${transform}" already exists`);
+    throw new Error(`Codemod for ${type} "${id}" already exists`);
   }
 
   fs.copySync(`${__dirname}/../template${isReduced ? '/src' : ''}`, basePath);
@@ -125,24 +148,21 @@ export function initDirectory(
     transformPath,
   );
 
+  const testFilePath = path.join(transformPath, 'transform.spec.ts');
   const testFile = fs
-    .readFileSync(`${transformPath}/transform.spec.ts`, 'utf8')
+    .readFileSync(testFilePath, 'utf8')
     .replace('<% packageName %>', packageName)
     .replace('<% seperator %>', type === 'version' ? '@' : '#')
-    .replace('<% transform %>', transform || '');
+    .replace('<% transform %>', id || '');
 
-  fs.writeFileSync(`${transformPath}/transform.spec.ts`, testFile);
+  fs.writeFileSync(testFilePath, testFile);
 
   if (!isReduced) {
-    fs.writeFileSync(`${basePath}/package.json`, getPackageJson(packageName));
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(basePath, 'package.json'), getPackageJson(packageName));
   }
 
-  if (!fs.existsSync(configPath)) {
-    fs.writeFileSync(configPath, getConfig(packageName, transform));
-  } else {
-    fs.writeFileSync(
-      configPath,
-      updateConfig(configPath, packageName, transform || '', type),
-    );
-  }
+  fs.writeFileSync(
+    configPath,
+    updateConfig(configPath, packageName, id || '', type),
+  );
 }
diff --git a/scripts/initialize.ts b/scripts/initialize.ts
index c48dd2418..f2939813b 100644
--- a/scripts/initialize.ts
+++ b/scripts/initialize.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { initDirectory } from '@codeshift/initializer';
+import { initDirectory, initTransform } from '@codeshift/initializer';
 
 const targetPath = `${__dirname}/../community`;
 
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@ export function main(packageName: string, transform?: string) {
   if (!transform) throw new Error('Version was not provided');
 
   if (transform) {
-    initDirectory(packageName, transform, 'version', targetPath);
+    initDirectory(packageName, targetPath);
+    initTransform(packageName, transform, 'version', targetPath);
   }
 
   console.log(