diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/index.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/index.ts
index 58892d4835..c5784524d8 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/index.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/index.ts
@@ -247,6 +247,10 @@ export function registerCommands(program: Command) {
     .description(
       'Open up an interactive guide to creating new things in your app',
     )
+    .option(
+      '--select <name>',
+      'Select the thing you want to be creating upfront',
+    )
     .action(lazy(() => import('./new/new'), 'default'));
 
   registerConfigCommands(program);
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/new/new.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/new/new.ts
index 6a8477f487..b611e76786 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/new/new.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/new/new.ts
@@ -41,13 +41,16 @@ import {
 import { runAdditionalActions } from '../../lib/new/additionalActions';
 import { executePluginPackageTemplate } from '../../lib/new/executeTemplate';
 import { TemporaryDirectoryManager } from './TemporaryDirectoryManager';
+import { OptionValues } from 'commander';
 
-export default async () => {
+export default async (opts: OptionValues) => {
   const pkgJson = await fs.readJson(paths.resolveTargetRoot('package.json'));
   const cliConfig = pkgJson.backstage?.cli;
 
   const { templates, globals } = readCliConfig(cliConfig);
-  const template = verifyTemplate(await templateSelector(templates));
+  const template = verifyTemplate(
+    await templateSelector(templates, opts.select),
+  );
 
   const codeOwnersFilePath = await getCodeownersFilePath(paths.targetRoot);
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/new/templateSelector.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/new/templateSelector.ts
index 53bc00bbd8..7b963ad2e6 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lib/new/templateSelector.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/new/templateSelector.ts
@@ -47,7 +47,15 @@ export function readCliConfig(cliConfig: CliConfig) {
 
 export async function templateSelector(
   templates: TemplateLocation[],
+  selected?: string,
 ): Promise<TemplateLocation> {
+  if (selected) {
+    const template = templates.find(t => t.id === selected);
+    if (!template) {
+      throw new Error(`Template '${selected}' not found`);
+    }
+    return template;
+  }
   const answer = await inquirer.prompt<{ name: TemplateLocation }>([
     {
       type: 'list',