diff --git a/code/lib/cli/src/generate.ts b/code/lib/cli/src/generate.ts
index b5aa64f7f77d..a1a3d83ddfbb 100644
--- a/code/lib/cli/src/generate.ts
+++ b/code/lib/cli/src/generate.ts
@@ -58,6 +58,17 @@ command('init')
   .option('-y --yes', 'Answer yes to all prompts')
   .option('-b --builder <webpack5 | vite>', 'Builder library')
   .option('-l --linkable', 'Prepare installation for link (contributor helper)')
+  // due to how Commander handles default values and negated options, we have to elevate the default into Commander, and we have to specify `--dev`
+  // alongside `--no-dev` even if we are unlikely to directly use `--dev`. https://github.com/tj/commander.js/issues/2068#issuecomment-1804524585
+  .option(
+    '--dev',
+    'Launch the development server after completing initialization. Enabled by default',
+    process.env.CI !== 'true' && process.env.IN_STORYBOOK_SANDBOX !== 'true'
+  )
+  .option(
+    '--no-dev',
+    'Complete the initialization of Storybook without launching the Storybook development server'
+  )
   .action((options: CommandOptions) => {
     initiate(options).catch(() => process.exit(1));
   });
diff --git a/code/lib/cli/src/generators/types.ts b/code/lib/cli/src/generators/types.ts
index 763df2c4d1a6..5a8f7350f9bf 100644
--- a/code/lib/cli/src/generators/types.ts
+++ b/code/lib/cli/src/generators/types.ts
@@ -53,4 +53,5 @@ export type CommandOptions = {
   disableTelemetry?: boolean;
   enableCrashReports?: boolean;
   debug?: boolean;
+  dev?: boolean;
 };
diff --git a/code/lib/cli/src/initiate.ts b/code/lib/cli/src/initiate.ts
index 4d83666780b2..9d54c099f19b 100644
--- a/code/lib/cli/src/initiate.ts
+++ b/code/lib/cli/src/initiate.ts
@@ -405,7 +405,7 @@ export async function doInitiate(options: CommandOptions): Promise<
   );
 
   return {
-    shouldRunDev: process.env.CI !== 'true' && process.env.IN_STORYBOOK_SANDBOX !== 'true',
+    shouldRunDev: !!options.dev,
     projectType,
     packageManager,
     storybookCommand,
diff --git a/code/lib/cli/src/sandbox.ts b/code/lib/cli/src/sandbox.ts
index d06c633c1a4d..621d62976c10 100644
--- a/code/lib/cli/src/sandbox.ts
+++ b/code/lib/cli/src/sandbox.ts
@@ -225,6 +225,7 @@ export const sandbox = async ({
         process.chdir(templateDestination);
         // we run doInitiate, instead of initiate, to avoid sending this init event to telemetry, because it's not a real world project
         await doInitiate({
+          dev: process.env.CI !== 'true' && process.env.IN_STORYBOOK_SANBOX !== 'true',
           ...options,
         });
         process.chdir(before);
diff --git a/docs/api/cli-options.md b/docs/api/cli-options.md
index 7177cce8caef..ae2cb3d779f1 100644
--- a/docs/api/cli-options.md
+++ b/docs/api/cli-options.md
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ Options include:
 | `--debug`                | Outputs more logs in the CLI to assist debugging<br/>`storybook init --debug`                                                                                                               |
 | `--disable-telemetry`    | Disables Storybook's telemetry. Learn more about it [here](../configure/telemetry.md#how-to-opt-out)<br/>`storybook init --disable-telemetry`                                               |
 | `--enable-crash-reports` | Enables sending crash reports to Storybook's telemetry. Learn more about it [here](../configure/telemetry.md#crash-reports-disabled-by-default)<br/>`storybook init --enable-crash-reports` |
+| `--no-dev`               | Complete the initialization of Storybook without running the Storybook dev server<br/>`storybook init --no-dev`                                                                             |
 
 ### `add`