diff --git a/internal/cmd/cli/create/computeinstance/create_compute_instance_cmd.go b/internal/cmd/cli/create/computeinstance/create_compute_instance_cmd.go
index 6d8a2bc16..0f4e3b082 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/cli/create/computeinstance/create_compute_instance_cmd.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/cli/create/computeinstance/create_compute_instance_cmd.go
@@ -150,6 +150,12 @@ func Cmd() *cobra.Command {
 		nil,
 		networkAttachmentFlagHelp,
 	)
+	flags.BoolVar(
+		&runner.args.windows,
+		"windows",
+		false,
+		windowsFlagHelp,
+	)
 
 	result.MarkFlagsMutuallyExclusive("catalog-item", "template")
 	result.MarkFlagsOneRequired("catalog-item", "template")
@@ -173,6 +179,7 @@ type runnerContext struct {
 		runStrategy             string
 		userData                string
 		networkAttachments      []string
+		windows                 bool
 	}
 	logger                 *slog.Logger
 	console                *terminal.Console
@@ -723,6 +730,9 @@ func (c *runnerContext) buildSpec(templateID string,
 	if c.args.userData != "" {
 		spec.UserData = new(c.args.userData)
 	}
+	if c.args.windows {
+		spec.IsWindows = new(true)
+	}
 	if err := c.applyNetworkingFlags(&spec); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -869,6 +879,9 @@ func (c *runnerContext) buildSpecFromCatalogItem(catalogItemID string) (*publicv
 	if c.args.userData != "" {
 		spec.UserData = new(c.args.userData)
 	}
+	if c.args.windows {
+		spec.IsWindows = new(true)
+	}
 	if err := c.applyNetworkingFlags(&spec); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -1022,3 +1035,7 @@ comma-separated specification in the format
 {{ bt }}subnet=ID[,security-groups=ID,ID...]{{ bt }}. Can be
 specified multiple times to attach multiple NICs.
 `
+
+const windowsFlagHelp = `
+_[BOOLEAN]_ - Create a Windows VM. Defaults to {{ bt }}false{{ bt }} (Linux VM).
+`
diff --git a/internal/cmd/cli/create/computeinstance/create_compute_instance_cmd_test.go b/internal/cmd/cli/create/computeinstance/create_compute_instance_cmd_test.go
index 3aacfb06f..4fe5a5bd4 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/cli/create/computeinstance/create_compute_instance_cmd_test.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/cli/create/computeinstance/create_compute_instance_cmd_test.go
@@ -71,6 +71,25 @@ var _ = Describe("buildSpec", func() {
 		}.Build()
 		Expect(proto.Equal(spec, want)).To(BeTrue(), "spec should equal expected spec")
 	})
+
+	It("should set IsWindows when windows flag is true", func() {
+		c := &runnerContext{}
+		c.args.windows = true
+		spec, err := c.buildSpec("tmpl", nil)
+		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+
+		Expect(spec.IsWindows).NotTo(BeNil())
+		Expect(*spec.IsWindows).To(BeTrue())
+	})
+
+	It("should leave IsWindows nil when windows flag is false", func() {
+		c := &runnerContext{}
+		c.args.windows = false
+		spec, err := c.buildSpec("tmpl", nil)
+		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+
+		Expect(spec.IsWindows).To(BeNil())
+	})
 })
 
 var _ = Describe("buildSpecFromCatalogItem", func() {
@@ -107,6 +126,25 @@ var _ = Describe("buildSpecFromCatalogItem", func() {
 		_, err := c.buildSpecFromCatalogItem("cat-003")
 		Expect(err).To(HaveOccurred())
 	})
+
+	It("should set IsWindows when windows flag is true", func() {
+		c := &runnerContext{}
+		c.args.windows = true
+		spec, err := c.buildSpecFromCatalogItem("cat-004")
+		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+
+		Expect(spec.IsWindows).NotTo(BeNil())
+		Expect(*spec.IsWindows).To(BeTrue())
+	})
+
+	It("should leave IsWindows nil when windows flag is false", func() {
+		c := &runnerContext{}
+		c.args.windows = false
+		spec, err := c.buildSpecFromCatalogItem("cat-005")
+		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+
+		Expect(spec.IsWindows).To(BeNil())
+	})
 })
 
 var _ = Describe("Create computeinstance flag registration", func() {
@@ -144,6 +182,15 @@ var _ = Describe("Create computeinstance flag registration", func() {
 		Expect(flag).NotTo(BeNil())
 		Expect(flag.Shorthand).To(Equal("t"))
 	})
+
+	It("should register --windows flag with default value false", func() {
+		cmd := Cmd()
+		cmd.SetOut(GinkgoWriter)
+		cmd.SetErr(GinkgoWriter)
+		flag := cmd.Flags().Lookup("windows")
+		Expect(flag).NotTo(BeNil())
+		Expect(flag.DefValue).To(Equal("false"))
+	})
 })
 
 var _ = Describe("Create computeinstance flag validation", func() {
diff --git a/internal/rendering/tables/osac.private.v1.ComputeInstance.yaml b/internal/rendering/tables/osac.private.v1.ComputeInstance.yaml
index 107462e45..14b37ec53 100644
--- a/internal/rendering/tables/osac.private.v1.ComputeInstance.yaml
+++ b/internal/rendering/tables/osac.private.v1.ComputeInstance.yaml
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@ columns:
   type: osac.private.v1.ComputeInstanceTemplate
   lookup: true
 
+- header: OS
+  value: "has(this.spec.is_windows) && this.spec.is_windows ? 'windows' : 'linux'"
+
 - header: STATE
   value: this.status.state
   type: osac.private.v1.ComputeInstanceState
diff --git a/internal/rendering/tables/osac.public.v1.ComputeInstance.yaml b/internal/rendering/tables/osac.public.v1.ComputeInstance.yaml
index 8bbfc67ab..2344509b6 100644
--- a/internal/rendering/tables/osac.public.v1.ComputeInstance.yaml
+++ b/internal/rendering/tables/osac.public.v1.ComputeInstance.yaml
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ columns:
   type: osac.public.v1.ComputeInstanceTemplate
   lookup: true
 
+- header: OS
+  value: "has(this.spec.is_windows) && this.spec.is_windows ? 'windows' : 'linux'"
+
 - header: STATE
   value: this.status.state
   type: osac.public.v1.ComputeInstanceState