diff --git a/docs/commands/sites.md b/docs/commands/sites.md
index aa1d956bfc9..40f6c267403 100644
--- a/docs/commands/sites.md
+++ b/docs/commands/sites.md
@@ -71,6 +71,10 @@ Create a site from a starter template.
 netlify sites:create-template
 ```
 
+**Arguments**
+
+- repository - repository to use as starter template
+
 **Flags**
 
 - `account-slug` (*string*) - account slug to create the site under
@@ -81,6 +85,14 @@ netlify sites:create-template
 - `httpProxy` (*string*) - Proxy server address to route requests through.
 - `httpProxyCertificateFilename` (*string*) - Certificate file to use when connecting using a proxy server
 
+**Examples**
+
+```bash
+netlify sites:create-template
+netlify sites:create-template nextjs-blog-theme
+netlify sites:create-template my-github-profile/my-template
+```
+
 ---
 ## `sites:delete`
 
diff --git a/src/commands/sites/sites-create-template.js b/src/commands/sites/sites-create-template.js
index b9dfe26a665..a9be596a0b7 100644
--- a/src/commands/sites/sites-create-template.js
+++ b/src/commands/sites/sites-create-template.js
@@ -2,12 +2,14 @@
 
 const inquirer = require('inquirer')
 const pick = require('lodash/pick')
+const parseGitHubUrl = require('parse-github-url')
 const prettyjson = require('prettyjson')
+const terminalLink = require('terminal-link')
 
 const { chalk, error, getRepoData, log, logJson, track, warn } = require('../../utils')
 const { configureRepo } = require('../../utils/init/config')
 const { getGitHubToken } = require('../../utils/init/config-github')
-const { createRepo, getTemplatesFromGitHub } = require('../../utils/sites/utils')
+const { createRepo, getTemplatesFromGitHub, validateTemplate } = require('../../utils/sites/utils')
 
 const { getSiteNameInput } = require('./sites-create')
 
@@ -23,12 +25,45 @@ const fetchTemplates = async (token) => {
     }))
 }
 
+const getTemplateName = async ({ ghToken, options, repository }) => {
+  if (repository) {
+    const { repo } = parseGitHubUrl(repository)
+    return repo || `netlify-templates/${repository}`
+  }
+
+  if (options.url) {
+    const urlFromOptions = new URL(options.url)
+    return urlFromOptions.pathname.slice(1)
+  }
+
+  const templates = await fetchTemplates(ghToken)
+
+  log(`Choose one of our starter templates. Netlify will create a new repo for this template in your GitHub account.`)
+
+  const { templateName } = await inquirer.prompt([
+    {
+      type: 'list',
+      name: 'templateName',
+      message: 'Template:',
+      choices: templates.map((template) => ({
+        value: template.slug,
+        name: template.name,
+      })),
+    },
+  ])
+
+  return templateName
+}
+
+const getGitHubLink = ({ options, templateName }) => options.url || `https://github.com/${templateName}`
+
 /**
  * The sites:create-template command
+ * @param repository {string}
  * @param {import('commander').OptionValues} options
  * @param {import('../base-command').BaseCommand} command
  */
-const sitesCreateTemplate = async (options, command) => {
+const sitesCreateTemplate = async (repository, options, command) => {
   const { api } = command.netlify
 
   await command.authenticate()
@@ -36,27 +71,22 @@ const sitesCreateTemplate = async (options, command) => {
   const { globalConfig } = command.netlify
   const ghToken = await getGitHubToken({ globalConfig })
 
-  let { url: templateUrl } = options
-
-  if (templateUrl) {
-    const urlFromOptions = new URL(templateUrl)
-    templateUrl = { templateName: urlFromOptions.pathname.slice(1) }
-  } else {
-    const templates = await fetchTemplates(ghToken)
-
-    log(`Choose one of our starter templates. Netlify will create a new repo for this template in your GitHub account.`)
-
-    templateUrl = await inquirer.prompt([
-      {
-        type: 'list',
-        name: 'templateName',
-        message: 'Template:',
-        choices: templates.map((template) => ({
-          value: template.slug,
-          name: template.name,
-        })),
-      },
-    ])
+  const templateName = await getTemplateName({ ghToken, options, repository })
+  const { exists, isTemplate } = await validateTemplate({ templateName, ghToken })
+  if (!exists) {
+    const githubLink = getGitHubLink({ options, templateName })
+    error(
+      `Could not find template ${chalk.bold(templateName)}. Please verify it exists and you can ${terminalLink(
+        'access to it on GitHub',
+        githubLink,
+      )}`,
+    )
+    return
+  }
+  if (!isTemplate) {
+    const githubLink = getGitHubLink({ options, templateName })
+    error(`${terminalLink(chalk.bold(templateName), githubLink)} is not a valid GitHub template`)
+    return
   }
 
   const accounts = await api.listAccountsForUser()
@@ -90,12 +120,12 @@ const sitesCreateTemplate = async (options, command) => {
       const siteName = inputName ? inputName.trim() : siteSuggestion
 
       // Create new repo from template
-      const repoResp = await createRepo(templateUrl, ghToken, siteName)
+      const repoResp = await createRepo(templateName, ghToken, siteName)
 
       if (repoResp.errors) {
         if (repoResp.errors[0].includes('Name already exists on this account')) {
           warn(
-            `Oh no! We found already a repository with this name. It seems you have already created a template with the name ${templateUrl.templateName}. Please try to run the command again and provide a different name.`,
+            `Oh no! We found already a repository with this name. It seems you have already created a template with the name ${templateName}. Please try to run the command again and provide a different name.`,
           )
           await inputSiteName()
         } else {
@@ -206,7 +236,13 @@ Create a site from a starter template.`,
     .option('-u, --url [url]', 'template url')
     .option('-a, --account-slug [slug]', 'account slug to create the site under')
     .option('-c, --with-ci', 'initialize CI hooks during site creation')
+    .argument('[repository]', 'repository to use as starter template')
     .addHelpText('after', `(Beta) Create a site from starter template.`)
+    .addExamples([
+      'netlify sites:create-template',
+      'netlify sites:create-template nextjs-blog-theme',
+      'netlify sites:create-template my-github-profile/my-template',
+    ])
     .action(sitesCreateTemplate)
 
 module.exports = { createSitesFromTemplateCommand, fetchTemplates }
diff --git a/src/utils/sites/utils.js b/src/utils/sites/utils.js
index 66d74f03896..9b1aec85cd1 100644
--- a/src/utils/sites/utils.js
+++ b/src/utils/sites/utils.js
@@ -12,8 +12,27 @@ const getTemplatesFromGitHub = async (token) => {
   return allTemplates
 }
 
-const createRepo = async (templateUrl, ghToken, siteName) => {
-  const resp = await fetch(`https://api.github.com/repos/${templateUrl.templateName}/generate`, {
+const validateTemplate = async ({ ghToken, templateName }) => {
+  const response = await fetch(`https://api.github.com/repos/${templateName}`, {
+    headers: {
+      Authorization: `token ${ghToken}`,
+    },
+  })
+
+  if (response.status === 404) {
+    return { exists: false }
+  }
+
+  if (!response.ok) {
+    throw new Error(`Error fetching template ${templateName}: ${await response.text()}`)
+  }
+
+  const data = await response.json()
+  return { exists: true, isTemplate: data.is_template }
+}
+
+const createRepo = async (templateName, ghToken, siteName) => {
+  const resp = await fetch(`https://api.github.com/repos/${templateName}/generate`, {
     method: 'POST',
     headers: {
       Authorization: `token ${ghToken}`,
@@ -27,4 +46,4 @@ const createRepo = async (templateUrl, ghToken, siteName) => {
   return data
 }
 
-module.exports = { getTemplatesFromGitHub, createRepo }
+module.exports = { getTemplatesFromGitHub, createRepo, validateTemplate }
diff --git a/tests/integration/140.command.sites.test.js b/tests/integration/140.command.sites.test.js
index 6189077cd45..da481c1e31d 100644
--- a/tests/integration/140.command.sites.test.js
+++ b/tests/integration/140.command.sites.test.js
@@ -30,6 +30,11 @@ const createRepoStub = sinon.stub(templatesUtils, 'createRepo').callsFake(() =>
   branch: 'main',
 }))
 
+const validateTemplateStub = sinon.stub(templatesUtils, 'validateTemplate').callsFake(() => ({
+  exists: true,
+  isTemplate: true,
+}))
+
 const jsonRenderSpy = sinon.spy(prettyjson, 'render')
 
 const { createSitesFromTemplateCommand, fetchTemplates } = require('../../src/commands/sites/sites-create-template')
@@ -37,11 +42,15 @@ const { createSitesFromTemplateCommand, fetchTemplates } = require('../../src/co
 /* eslint-enable import/order */
 const { withMockApi } = require('./utils/mock-api')
 
+const inquirerStub = sinon.stub(inquirer, 'prompt').callsFake(() => Promise.resolve({ accountSlug: 'test-account' }))
+
 test.beforeEach(() => {
+  inquirerStub.resetHistory()
   gitMock.resetHistory()
   getTemplatesStub.resetHistory()
   createRepoStub.resetHistory()
   jsonRenderSpy.resetHistory()
+  validateTemplateStub.resetHistory()
 })
 
 const siteInfo = {
@@ -74,8 +83,6 @@ const routes = [
 ]
 
 test.serial('netlify sites:create-template', async (t) => {
-  const inquirerStub = sinon.stub(inquirer, 'prompt').callsFake(() => Promise.resolve({ accountSlug: 'test-account' }))
-
   await withMockApi(routes, async ({ apiUrl }) => {
     Object.defineProperty(process, 'env', {
       value: {
@@ -103,12 +110,9 @@ test.serial('netlify sites:create-template', async (t) => {
       }),
     )
   })
-  inquirerStub.restore()
 })
 
 test.serial('should not fetch templates if one is passed as option', async (t) => {
-  const inquirerStub = sinon.stub(inquirer, 'prompt').callsFake(() => Promise.resolve({ accountSlug: 'test-account' }))
-
   await withMockApi(routes, async ({ apiUrl }) => {
     Object.defineProperty(process, 'env', {
       value: {
@@ -131,12 +135,9 @@ test.serial('should not fetch templates if one is passed as option', async (t) =
 
     t.truthy(getTemplatesStub.notCalled)
   })
-  inquirerStub.restore()
 })
 
 test.serial('should throw an error if the URL option is not a valid URL', async (t) => {
-  const inquirerStub = sinon.stub(inquirer, 'prompt').callsFake(() => Promise.resolve({ accountSlug: 'test-account' }))
-
   await withMockApi(routes, async ({ apiUrl }) => {
     Object.defineProperty(process, 'env', {
       value: {
@@ -155,7 +156,6 @@ test.serial('should throw an error if the URL option is not a valid URL', async
 
     t.truthy(error.message.includes('Invalid URL'))
   })
-  inquirerStub.restore()
 })
 
 test.serial('should return an array of templates with name, source code url and slug', async (t) => {