diff --git a/pkg/fission-cli/main.go b/pkg/fission-cli/main.go
index 4eed3f57..df5b7ce1 100644
--- a/pkg/fission-cli/main.go
+++ b/pkg/fission-cli/main.go
@@ -272,11 +272,12 @@ func NewCliApp() *cli.App {
 	// specs
 	specDirFlag := cli.StringFlag{Name: "specdir", Usage: "Directory to store specs, defaults to ./specs"}
 	specNameFlag := cli.StringFlag{Name: "name", Usage: "(optional) Name for the app, applied to resources as a Kubernetes annotation"}
+	specDeployIDFlag := cli.StringFlag{Name: "deployid, id", Usage: "(optional) Deployment ID for the spec deployment config"}
 	specWaitFlag := cli.BoolFlag{Name: "wait", Usage: "Wait for package builds"}
 	specWatchFlag := cli.BoolFlag{Name: "watch", Usage: "Watch local files for change, and re-apply specs as necessary"}
 	specDeleteFlag := cli.BoolFlag{Name: "delete", Usage: "Allow apply to delete resources that no longer exist in the specification"}
 	specSubCommands := []cli.Command{
-		{Name: "init", Usage: "Create an initial declarative app specification", Flags: []cli.Flag{specDirFlag, specNameFlag}, Action: specInit},
+		{Name: "init", Usage: "Create an initial declarative app specification", Flags: []cli.Flag{specDirFlag, specNameFlag, specDeployIDFlag}, Action: specInit},
 		{Name: "validate", Usage: "Validate Fission app specification", Flags: []cli.Flag{specDirFlag}, Action: specValidate},
 		{Name: "apply", Usage: "Create, update, or delete Fission resources from app specification", Flags: []cli.Flag{specDirFlag, specDeleteFlag, specWaitFlag, specWatchFlag}, Action: specApply},
 		{Name: "destroy", Usage: "Delete all Fission resources in the app specification", Flags: []cli.Flag{specDirFlag}, Action: specDestroy},
diff --git a/pkg/fission-cli/spec.go b/pkg/fission-cli/spec.go
index ce40cddc..ec9ef25a 100644
--- a/pkg/fission-cli/spec.go
+++ b/pkg/fission-cli/spec.go
@@ -168,6 +168,11 @@ func specInit(c *cli.Context) error {
 		name = util.KubifyName(basename)
 	}
 
+	deployID := c.String("deployid")
+	if len(deployID) == 0 {
+		deployID = uuid.NewV4().String()
+	}
+
 	// Create spec dir
 	fmt.Printf("Creating fission spec directory '%v'\n", specDir)
 	err := os.MkdirAll(specDir, 0755)
@@ -190,7 +195,7 @@ func specInit(c *cli.Context) error {
 		// All resources will be annotated with the UID when they're created. This allows
 		// us to be idempotent, as well as to delete resources when their specs are
 		// removed.
-		UID: uuid.NewV4().String(),
+		UID: deployID,
 	}
 	err = writeDeploymentConfig(specDir, &dc)
 	util.CheckErr(err, "write deployment config")