diff --git a/gto/api.py b/gto/api.py
index 092cb45f..e0e1a16c 100644
--- a/gto/api.py
+++ b/gto/api.py
@@ -210,7 +210,8 @@ def deregister(
 def deprecate(
     repo: Union[str, Repo],
     name: str,
-    message: str = None,
+    ref: Optional[str] = None,
+    message: Optional[str] = None,
     stdout: bool = False,
     simple: Optional[bool] = None,
     force: bool = False,
@@ -222,6 +223,7 @@ def deprecate(
     with GitRegistry.from_repo(repo) as reg:
         return reg.deprecate(
             name=name,
+            ref=ref,
             message=message,
             stdout=stdout,
             simple=simple,
diff --git a/gto/cli.py b/gto/cli.py
index 5f36658c..ae7896e4 100644
--- a/gto/cli.py
+++ b/gto/cli.py
@@ -579,6 +579,9 @@ def deprecate(
     name: str = arg_name,
     version: str = Argument(None, help="Artifact version"),
     stage: str = Argument(None, help="Stage to unassign"),
+    ref: Optional[str] = Option(
+        None, "--ref", help="Git reference to use (for model deprecation)"
+    ),
     message: Optional[str] = option_message,
     simple: str = option_simple,
     force: bool = option_force,
@@ -615,6 +618,7 @@ def deprecate(
         gto.api.deprecate(
             repo=repo,
             name=name,
+            ref=ref,
             message=message,
             simple=simple,  # type: ignore
             force=force,