diff --git a/butane_cli/src/lib.rs b/butane_cli/src/lib.rs
index 9b96027f..f1a56de9 100644
--- a/butane_cli/src/lib.rs
+++ b/butane_cli/src/lib.rs
@@ -49,14 +49,16 @@ pub fn default_name() -> String {
     Utc::now().format("%Y%m%d_%H%M%S%3f").to_string()
 }
 
-pub fn init(base_dir: &PathBuf, name: &str, connstr: &str) -> Result<()> {
+pub fn init(base_dir: &PathBuf, name: &str, connstr: &str, connect: bool) -> Result<()> {
     if db::get_backend(name).is_none() {
         eprintln!("Unknown backend {name}");
         std::process::exit(1);
     };
 
     let spec = db::ConnectionSpec::new(name, connstr);
-    db::connect(&spec)?; // ensure we can
+    if connect {
+        db::connect(&spec)?;
+    }
     std::fs::create_dir_all(base_dir)?;
     spec.save(base_dir)?;
 
diff --git a/butane_cli/src/main.rs b/butane_cli/src/main.rs
index f0d9402c..5db1f29c 100644
--- a/butane_cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/butane_cli/src/main.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ use butane_cli::{
     base_dir, clean, clear_data, collapse_migrations, delete_table, detach_latest_migration, embed,
     get_migrations, handle_error, list_migrations, migrate, Result,
 };
-use clap::{value_parser, Arg, ArgMatches};
+use clap::{value_parser, Arg, ArgMatches, ArgAction};
 
 fn main() {
     let app = clap::Command::new("butane")
@@ -33,6 +33,14 @@ fn main() {
                         .required(true)
                         .index(2)
                         .help("Database connection string. Format depends on backend"),
+                )
+                .arg(
+                    Arg::new("connect")
+                    .long("no-connect")
+                    .action(ArgAction::SetFalse)
+                    .required(false)
+                    .num_args(0)
+                    .help("Do not connect to the database"),
                 ),
         )
         .subcommand(
@@ -158,7 +166,8 @@ fn init(base_dir: &PathBuf, args: Option<&ArgMatches>) -> Result<()> {
     let args = args.unwrap();
     let name: &String = args.get_one("BACKEND").unwrap();
     let connstr: &String = args.get_one("CONNECTION").unwrap();
-    butane_cli::init(base_dir, name, connstr)
+    let connect: bool = *args.get_one::<bool>("connect").unwrap();
+    butane_cli::init(base_dir, name, connstr, connect)
 }
 
 fn make_migration(base_dir: &PathBuf, args: Option<&ArgMatches>) -> Result<()> {