diff --git a/build/actions/device.js b/build/actions/device.js
index f0446bf6..6e33be3a 100644
--- a/build/actions/device.js
+++ b/build/actions/device.js
@@ -70,9 +70,19 @@
     description: 'register a device',
     help: 'Use this command to register a device to an application.\n\nExamples:\n\n	$ resin device register MyApp',
     permission: 'user',
+    options: [
+      {
+        signature: 'uuid',
+        description: 'custom uuid',
+        parameter: 'uuid',
+        alias: 'u'
+      }
+    ],
     action: function(params, options, done) {
       return resin.models.application.get(params.application).then(function(application) {
-        return resin.models.device.generateUUID().then(function(uuid) {
+        return Promise["try"](function() {
+          return options.uuid || resin.models.device.generateUUID();
+        }).then(function(uuid) {
           console.info("Registering to " + application.app_name + ": " + uuid);
           return resin.models.device.register(application.app_name, uuid);
         });
diff --git a/doc/cli.markdown b/doc/cli.markdown
index 126e1e26..f5ba48e0 100644
--- a/doc/cli.markdown
+++ b/doc/cli.markdown
@@ -250,6 +250,12 @@ Examples:
 
 	$ resin device register MyApp
 
+### Options
+
+#### --uuid, -u <uuid>
+
+custom uuid
+
 ## device rm <uuid>
 
 Use this command to remove a device from resin.io.
diff --git a/lib/actions/device.coffee b/lib/actions/device.coffee
index 1a55a002..aa07b211 100644
--- a/lib/actions/device.coffee
+++ b/lib/actions/device.coffee
@@ -98,10 +98,18 @@ exports.register =
 			$ resin device register MyApp
 	'''
 	permission: 'user'
+	options: [
+		signature: 'uuid'
+		description: 'custom uuid'
+		parameter: 'uuid'
+		alias: 'u'
+	]
 	action: (params, options, done) ->
 		resin.models.application.get(params.application).then (application) ->
 
-			resin.models.device.generateUUID().then (uuid) ->
+			Promise.try ->
+				return options.uuid or resin.models.device.generateUUID()
+			.then (uuid) ->
 				console.info("Registering to #{application.app_name}: #{uuid}")
 				return resin.models.device.register(application.app_name, uuid)
 		.get('uuid')