diff --git a/CHANGELOG.adoc b/CHANGELOG.adoc
index 25a93787e4..7343786e16 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.adoc
+++ b/CHANGELOG.adoc
@@ -2,6 +2,27 @@
 
 == DFX
 
+- feat: add option to specify initial cycles for newly created canisters (#1433)
+
+Added option to `dfx canister create` and `dfx deploy` commands: `--with-cycles <with-cycles>`.
+This allows the user to specify the initial cycle balance of a canister created by their wallet.
+This option is a no-op for the Sodium network.
+
+[source, bash]
+----
+dfx canister create --with-cycles 8000000000 some_canister
+dfx deploy --with-cycles 8000000000
+----
+
+Help string:
+[source, bash]
+----
+Specifies the initial cycle balance to deposit into the newly
+created canister. The specified amount needs to take the
+canister create fee into account. This amount is deducted
+from the wallet's cycle balance
+----
+
 - feat: install `dfx` by version or tag (#1426)
 
 This feature adds a new dfx command `toolchain` which have intuitive subcommands.
diff --git a/src/dfx/src/commands/canister/create.rs b/src/dfx/src/commands/canister/create.rs
index 1a3c4a951a..840e5d98ce 100644
--- a/src/dfx/src/commands/canister/create.rs
+++ b/src/dfx/src/commands/canister/create.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ use crate::lib::environment::Environment;
 use crate::lib::error::DfxResult;
 use crate::lib::operations::canister::create_canister;
 use crate::lib::root_key::fetch_root_key_if_needed;
+use crate::util::clap::validators::cycle_amount_validator;
 use crate::util::expiry_duration;
 
 use anyhow::bail;
@@ -17,6 +18,12 @@ pub struct CanisterCreateOpts {
     /// Creates all canisters configured in dfx.json.
     #[clap(long, required_unless_present("canister-name"))]
     all: bool,
+
+    /// Specifies the initial cycle balance to deposit into the newly created canister.
+    /// The specified amount needs to take the canister create fee into account.
+    /// This amount is deducted from the wallet's cycle balance.
+    #[clap(long, validator(cycle_amount_validator))]
+    with_cycles: Option<String>,
 }
 
 pub async fn exec(env: &dyn Environment, opts: CanisterCreateOpts) -> DfxResult {
@@ -24,14 +31,14 @@ pub async fn exec(env: &dyn Environment, opts: CanisterCreateOpts) -> DfxResult
     let timeout = expiry_duration();
 
     fetch_root_key_if_needed(env).await?;
-
+    let with_cycles = opts.with_cycles.as_deref();
     if let Some(canister_name) = opts.canister_name.clone() {
-        create_canister(env, canister_name.as_str(), timeout).await
+        create_canister(env, canister_name.as_str(), timeout, with_cycles).await
     } else if opts.all {
         // Create all canisters.
         if let Some(canisters) = &config.get_config().canisters {
             for canister_name in canisters.keys() {
-                create_canister(env, canister_name, timeout).await?;
+                create_canister(env, canister_name, timeout, with_cycles).await?;
             }
         }
         Ok(())
diff --git a/src/dfx/src/commands/deploy.rs b/src/dfx/src/commands/deploy.rs
index c1f780cdf2..26c565742f 100644
--- a/src/dfx/src/commands/deploy.rs
+++ b/src/dfx/src/commands/deploy.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ use crate::lib::error::DfxResult;
 use crate::lib::operations::canister::deploy_canisters;
 use crate::lib::provider::create_agent_environment;
 use crate::lib::root_key::fetch_root_key_if_needed;
+use crate::util::clap::validators::cycle_amount_validator;
 use crate::util::expiry_duration;
 
 use clap::Clap;
@@ -29,6 +30,12 @@ pub struct DeployOpts {
     /// "http://localhost:12345/" is a valid network name.
     #[clap(long)]
     network: Option<String>,
+
+    /// Specifies the initial cycle balance to deposit into the newly created canister.
+    /// The specified amount needs to take the canister create fee into account.
+    /// This amount is deducted from the wallet's cycle balance.
+    #[clap(long, validator(cycle_amount_validator))]
+    with_cycles: Option<String>,
 }
 
 pub fn exec(env: &dyn Environment, opts: DeployOpts) -> DfxResult {
@@ -38,6 +45,7 @@ pub fn exec(env: &dyn Environment, opts: DeployOpts) -> DfxResult {
     let canister_name = opts.canister_name.as_deref();
     let argument = opts.argument.as_deref();
     let argument_type = opts.argument_type.as_deref();
+    let with_cycles = opts.with_cycles.as_deref();
 
     let mut runtime = Runtime::new().expect("Unable to create a runtime");
     runtime.block_on(fetch_root_key_if_needed(&env))?;
@@ -48,5 +56,6 @@ pub fn exec(env: &dyn Environment, opts: DeployOpts) -> DfxResult {
         argument,
         argument_type,
         timeout,
+        with_cycles,
     ))
 }
diff --git a/src/dfx/src/lib/operations/canister/create_canister.rs b/src/dfx/src/lib/operations/canister/create_canister.rs
index c0a686cecc..84ed153459 100644
--- a/src/dfx/src/lib/operations/canister/create_canister.rs
+++ b/src/dfx/src/lib/operations/canister/create_canister.rs
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ pub async fn create_canister(
     env: &dyn Environment,
     canister_name: &str,
     timeout: Duration,
+    with_cycles: Option<&str>,
 ) -> DfxResult {
     let log = env.get_logger();
     info!(log, "Creating canister {:?}...", canister_name);
@@ -68,8 +69,12 @@ pub async fn create_canister(
                     .await?;
                 create_result.canister_id
             } else {
+                let cycles = match with_cycles {
+                    None => 1000000000001_u64,
+                    Some(amount) => amount.parse::<u64>()?,
+                };
                 wallet
-                    .wallet_create_canister(1000000000001_u64, None)
+                    .wallet_create_canister(cycles, None)
                     .call_and_wait(waiter_with_timeout(timeout))
                     .await?
                     .0
diff --git a/src/dfx/src/lib/operations/canister/deploy_canisters.rs b/src/dfx/src/lib/operations/canister/deploy_canisters.rs
index edac1111c0..486f465bb1 100644
--- a/src/dfx/src/lib/operations/canister/deploy_canisters.rs
+++ b/src/dfx/src/lib/operations/canister/deploy_canisters.rs
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ pub async fn deploy_canisters(
     argument: Option<&str>,
     argument_type: Option<&str>,
     timeout: Duration,
+    with_cycles: Option<&str>,
 ) -> DfxResult {
     let log = env.get_logger();
 
@@ -38,7 +39,14 @@ pub async fn deploy_canisters(
         info!(log, "Deploying all canisters.");
     }
 
-    register_canisters(env, &canister_names, &initial_canister_id_store, timeout).await?;
+    register_canisters(
+        env,
+        &canister_names,
+        &initial_canister_id_store,
+        timeout,
+        with_cycles,
+    )
+    .await?;
 
     build_canisters(env, &canister_names, &config)?;
 
@@ -71,6 +79,7 @@ async fn register_canisters(
     canister_names: &[String],
     canister_id_store: &CanisterIdStore,
     timeout: Duration,
+    with_cycles: Option<&str>,
 ) -> DfxResult {
     let canisters_to_create = canister_names
         .iter()
@@ -82,7 +91,7 @@ async fn register_canisters(
     } else {
         info!(env.get_logger(), "Creating canisters...");
         for canister_name in &canisters_to_create {
-            create_canister(env, &canister_name, timeout).await?;
+            create_canister(env, &canister_name, timeout, with_cycles).await?;
         }
     }
     Ok(())
diff --git a/src/dfx/src/util/clap/validators.rs b/src/dfx/src/util/clap/validators.rs
index cee06fe2d8..1961be7997 100644
--- a/src/dfx/src/util/clap/validators.rs
+++ b/src/dfx/src/util/clap/validators.rs
@@ -17,6 +17,13 @@ pub fn is_request_id(v: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
     }
 }
 
+pub fn cycle_amount_validator(cycles: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
+    if cycles.parse::<u64>().is_ok() {
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+    Err("Must be a non negative amount.".to_string())
+}
+
 pub fn compute_allocation_validator(compute_allocation: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
     if let Ok(num) = compute_allocation.parse::<u64>() {
         if num <= 100 {