diff --git a/src/codegen/cli/commands/init/main.py b/src/codegen/cli/commands/init/main.py
index 06cedf762..2b21e7e4a 100644
--- a/src/codegen/cli/commands/init/main.py
+++ b/src/codegen/cli/commands/init/main.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 from codegen.cli.commands.init.render import get_success_message
 from codegen.cli.git.url import get_git_organization_and_repo
 from codegen.cli.rich.codeblocks import format_command
+from codegen.cli.utils.constants import ProgrammingLanguage
 from codegen.cli.workspace.initialize_workspace import initialize_codegen
 
 
@@ -17,7 +18,8 @@
 @click.option("--repo-name", type=str, help="The name of the repository")
 @click.option("--organization-name", type=str, help="The name of the organization")
 @click.option("--fetch-docs", is_flag=True, help="Fetch docs and examples (requires auth)")
-def init_command(repo_name: str | None = None, organization_name: str | None = None, fetch_docs: bool = False):
+@click.option("--language", type=click.Choice(["python", "typescript"], case_sensitive=False), help="Override automatic language detection")
+def init_command(repo_name: str | None = None, organization_name: str | None = None, fetch_docs: bool = False, language: str | None = None):
     """Initialize or update the Codegen folder."""
     # Print a message if not in a git repo
     try:
@@ -31,6 +33,11 @@ def init_command(repo_name: str | None = None, organization_name: str | None = N
         rich.print(format_command("codegen init"))
         sys.exit(1)
 
+    # Convert language string to enum if provided
+    programming_language = None
+    if language:
+        programming_language = ProgrammingLanguage[language.upper()]
+
     # Only create session if we need to fetch docs
     session = CodegenSession() if fetch_docs else None
     codegen_dir = Path.cwd() / CODEGEN_DIR if not session else session.codegen_dir
@@ -46,11 +53,13 @@ def init_command(repo_name: str | None = None, organization_name: str | None = N
             cwd_org, cwd_repo = get_git_organization_and_repo(session.git_repo)
             session.config.organization_name = session.config.organization_name or cwd_org
             session.config.repo_name = session.config.repo_name or cwd_repo
+        if programming_language:
+            session.config.programming_language = programming_language
         session.write_config()
 
     action = "Updating" if is_update else "Initializing"
-    rich.print("")  # Add a newline before the spinner
-    codegen_dir, docs_dir, examples_dir = initialize_codegen(action, session=session, fetch_docs=fetch_docs)
+    rich.print("")
+    codegen_dir, docs_dir, examples_dir = initialize_codegen(action, session=session, fetch_docs=fetch_docs, programming_language=programming_language)
 
     # Print success message
     rich.print(f"✅ {action} complete\n")
diff --git a/src/codegen/cli/workspace/initialize_workspace.py b/src/codegen/cli/workspace/initialize_workspace.py
index e57d7ee50..1012ab879 100644
--- a/src/codegen/cli/workspace/initialize_workspace.py
+++ b/src/codegen/cli/workspace/initialize_workspace.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import shutil
 from contextlib import nullcontext
 from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Optional
 
 import requests
 import rich
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@
 from codegen.cli.git.repo import get_git_repo
 from codegen.cli.git.url import get_git_organization_and_repo
 from codegen.cli.rich.spinners import create_spinner
+from codegen.cli.utils.constants import ProgrammingLanguage
 from codegen.cli.utils.notebooks import create_notebook
 from codegen.cli.workspace.docs_workspace import populate_api_docs
 from codegen.cli.workspace.examples_workspace import populate_examples
@@ -20,9 +22,7 @@
 
 
 def initialize_codegen(
-    status: Status | str = "Initializing",
-    session: CodegenSession | None = None,
-    fetch_docs: bool = False,
+    status: Status | str = "Initializing", session: CodegenSession | None = None, fetch_docs: bool = False, programming_language: Optional[ProgrammingLanguage] = None
 ) -> tuple[Path, Path, Path]:
     """Initialize or update the codegen directory structure and content.
 
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ def initialize_codegen(
         status: Either a Status object to update, or a string action being performed ("Initializing" or "Updating")
         session: Optional CodegenSession for fetching docs and examples
         fetch_docs: Whether to fetch docs and examples (requires auth)
+        programming_language: Optional override for the programming language
 
     Returns:
         Tuple of (codegen_folder, docs_folder, examples_folder)
@@ -111,7 +112,11 @@ def initialize_codegen(
             populate_examples(session, EXAMPLES_FOLDER, response.examples, status_obj)
 
             # Set programming language
-            session.config.programming_language = str(response.language)
+            if programming_language:
+                session.config.programming_language = programming_language
+            else:
+                session.config.programming_language = str(response.language)
+
             session.write_config()
 
     return CODEGEN_FOLDER, DOCS_FOLDER, EXAMPLES_FOLDER