diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 76fd8adea..7ffcced5e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -580,6 +580,12 @@ network_params:
   # How long you want the network to wait before starting up
   genesis_delay: 20
 
+  # Unix timestamp for genesis. If specified (non-zero), this overrides genesis_delay.
+  # When set to 0 (default), the genesis time is automatically calculated based on current time and genesis_delay.
+  # Use this field to set a specific genesis time for the network.
+  # Defaults to 0
+  genesis_time: 0
+
   # The gas limit of the network set at genesis
   # Defaults to 60000000
 
diff --git a/network_params.yaml b/network_params.yaml
index 52e1585b5..1ae668bde 100644
--- a/network_params.yaml
+++ b/network_params.yaml
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ network_params:
     very lucky have athlete"
   preregistered_validator_count: 0
   genesis_delay: 20
+  genesis_time: 0
   genesis_gaslimit: 60000000
   max_per_epoch_activation_churn_limit: 8
   churn_limit_quotient: 65536
diff --git a/src/network_launcher/kurtosis.star b/src/network_launcher/kurtosis.star
index 841f077bf..2d4b28c37 100644
--- a/src/network_launcher/kurtosis.star
+++ b/src/network_launcher/kurtosis.star
@@ -41,11 +41,16 @@ def launch(
     plan.print(json.indent(json.encode(validator_data)))
 
     # We need to send the same genesis time to both the EL and the CL to ensure that timestamp based forking works as expected
-    final_genesis_timestamp = shared_utils.get_final_genesis_timestamp(
-        plan,
-        network_params.genesis_delay
-        + CL_GENESIS_DATA_GENERATION_TIME
-        + num_participants * CL_NODE_STARTUP_TIME,
+    # If genesis_time is specified (non-zero), use it; otherwise, derive it from genesis_delay
+    final_genesis_timestamp = (
+        str(network_params.genesis_time)
+        if network_params.genesis_time > 0
+        else shared_utils.get_final_genesis_timestamp(
+            plan,
+            network_params.genesis_delay
+            + CL_GENESIS_DATA_GENERATION_TIME
+            + num_participants * CL_NODE_STARTUP_TIME,
+        )
     )
 
     # if preregistered validator count is 0 (default) then calculate the total number of validators from the participants
diff --git a/src/package_io/input_parser.star b/src/package_io/input_parser.star
index 3eae00830..c3d563975 100644
--- a/src/package_io/input_parser.star
+++ b/src/package_io/input_parser.star
@@ -418,6 +418,7 @@ def input_parser(plan, input_args):
             seconds_per_slot=result["network_params"]["seconds_per_slot"],
             slot_duration_ms=result["network_params"]["slot_duration_ms"],
             genesis_delay=result["network_params"]["genesis_delay"],
+            genesis_time=result["network_params"]["genesis_time"],
             genesis_gaslimit=result["network_params"]["genesis_gaslimit"],
             max_per_epoch_activation_churn_limit=result["network_params"][
                 "max_per_epoch_activation_churn_limit"
@@ -1151,6 +1152,7 @@ def default_network_params():
         "preregistered_validator_keys_mnemonic": constants.DEFAULT_MNEMONIC,
         "preregistered_validator_count": 0,
         "genesis_delay": 20,
+        "genesis_time": 0,
         "genesis_gaslimit": 60000000,
         "max_per_epoch_activation_churn_limit": 8,
         "churn_limit_quotient": 65536,
@@ -1232,6 +1234,7 @@ def default_minimal_network_params():
         "preregistered_validator_keys_mnemonic": constants.DEFAULT_MNEMONIC,
         "preregistered_validator_count": 0,
         "genesis_delay": 20,
+        "genesis_time": 0,
         "genesis_gaslimit": 60000000,
         "max_per_epoch_activation_churn_limit": 4,
         "churn_limit_quotient": 32,
diff --git a/src/package_io/sanity_check.star b/src/package_io/sanity_check.star
index 1cf25c37f..3a98ebd33 100644
--- a/src/package_io/sanity_check.star
+++ b/src/package_io/sanity_check.star
@@ -198,6 +198,7 @@ SUBCATEGORY_PARAMS = {
         "preregistered_validator_keys_mnemonic",
         "preregistered_validator_count",
         "genesis_delay",
+        "genesis_time",
         "genesis_gaslimit",
         "max_per_epoch_activation_churn_limit",
         "churn_limit_quotient",