diff --git a/packages/@sanity/cli/src/actions/init-project/initProject.ts b/packages/@sanity/cli/src/actions/init-project/initProject.ts
index c0e838dac2e..9407c35e860 100644
--- a/packages/@sanity/cli/src/actions/init-project/initProject.ts
+++ b/packages/@sanity/cli/src/actions/init-project/initProject.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@ import {
   installNewPackages,
 } from '../../packageManager'
 import {
+  ALLOWED_PACKAGE_MANAGERS,
+  allowedPackageManagersString,
   getPartialEnvWithNpmPath,
   type PackageManager,
 } from '../../packageManager/packageManagerChoice'
@@ -133,6 +135,7 @@ export default async function initSanity(
   const useGit = typeof commitMessage === 'undefined' ? true : Boolean(commitMessage)
   const bareOutput = cliFlags.bare
   const env = cliFlags.env
+  const packageManager = cliFlags['package-manager']
 
   let defaultConfig = cliFlags['dataset-default']
   let showDefaultConfigPrompt = !defaultConfig
@@ -458,8 +461,6 @@ export default async function initSanity(
 
     // eslint-disable-next-line no-process-exit
     process.exit(0)
-
-    return
   }
 
   // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-shadow
@@ -542,15 +543,35 @@ export default async function initSanity(
   // Bootstrap Sanity, creating required project files, manifests etc
   await bootstrapTemplate(templateOptions, context)
 
-  // Now for the slow part... installing dependencies
-  const pkgManager = await getPackageManagerChoice(outputPath, {
-    prompt,
-    interactive: unattended ? false : isInteractive,
-  })
+  let pkgManager: PackageManager
+
+  // If the user has specified a package manager, and it's allowed use that
+  if (packageManager && ALLOWED_PACKAGE_MANAGERS.includes(packageManager)) {
+    pkgManager = packageManager
+  } else {
+    // Otherwise, try to find the most optimal package manager to use
+    pkgManager = (
+      await getPackageManagerChoice(outputPath, {
+        prompt,
+        interactive: unattended ? false : isInteractive,
+      })
+    ).chosen
 
-  trace.log({step: 'selectPackageManager', selectedOption: pkgManager.chosen})
+    // only log warning if a package manager flag is passed
+    if (packageManager) {
+      output.warn(
+        chalk.yellow(
+          `Given package manager "${packageManager}" is not supported. Supported package managers are ${allowedPackageManagersString}.`,
+        ),
+      )
+      output.print(`Using ${pkgManager} as package manager`)
+    }
+  }
+
+  trace.log({step: 'selectPackageManager', selectedOption: pkgManager})
 
-  await installDeclaredPackages(outputPath, pkgManager.chosen, context)
+  // Now for the slow part... installing dependencies
+  await installDeclaredPackages(outputPath, pkgManager, context)
 
   // Try initializing a git repository
   if (useGit) {
@@ -585,7 +606,7 @@ export default async function initSanity(
     bun: 'bun dev',
     manual: 'npm run dev',
   }
-  const devCommand = devCommandMap[pkgManager.chosen]
+  const devCommand = devCommandMap[pkgManager]
 
   const isCurrentDir = outputPath === process.cwd()
   if (isCurrentDir) {
diff --git a/packages/@sanity/cli/src/commands/init/initCommand.ts b/packages/@sanity/cli/src/commands/init/initCommand.ts
index 89e41bb5c28..2863f626b38 100644
--- a/packages/@sanity/cli/src/commands/init/initCommand.ts
+++ b/packages/@sanity/cli/src/commands/init/initCommand.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@ import {detectFrameworkRecord, LocalFileSystemDetector} from '@vercel/fs-detecto
 
 import initPlugin from '../../actions/init-plugin/initPlugin'
 import initProject from '../../actions/init-project/initProject'
+import {
+  allowedPackageManagersString,
+  type PackageManager,
+} from '../../packageManager/packageManagerChoice'
 import {type CliCommandDefinition} from '../../types'
 
 const helpText = `
@@ -22,6 +26,7 @@ Options
   --project-plan <name> Optionally select a plan for a new project
   --coupon <name> Optionally select a coupon for a new project (cannot be used with --project-plan)
   --no-typescript Do not use TypeScript for template files
+  --package-manager <name> Specify which package manager to use [allowed: ${allowedPackageManagersString}]
 
 Examples
   # Initialize a new project, prompt for required information along the way
@@ -80,6 +85,8 @@ export interface InitFlags {
   'reconfigure'?: boolean
 
   'organization'?: string
+
+  'package-manager'?: PackageManager
 }
 
 export const initCommand: CliCommandDefinition<InitFlags> = {
diff --git a/packages/@sanity/cli/src/packageManager/packageManagerChoice.ts b/packages/@sanity/cli/src/packageManager/packageManagerChoice.ts
index 6e1c0ac21a8..8d419d6e783 100644
--- a/packages/@sanity/cli/src/packageManager/packageManagerChoice.ts
+++ b/packages/@sanity/cli/src/packageManager/packageManagerChoice.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,11 @@ import {isInteractive} from '../util/isInteractive'
 
 export type PackageManager = 'npm' | 'yarn' | 'pnpm' | 'bun' | 'manual'
 
+export const ALLOWED_PACKAGE_MANAGERS: PackageManager[] = ['npm', 'yarn', 'pnpm', 'bun', 'manual']
+export const allowedPackageManagersString = ALLOWED_PACKAGE_MANAGERS.map((pm) => `"${pm}"`).join(
+  ' | ',
+)
+
 const EXPERIMENTAL = ['bun']
 
 /**