diff --git a/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go b/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go
index bed4aa2d2f7c..55c22f7322f3 100644
--- a/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go
+++ b/cmd/geth/chaincmd.go
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ var (
 		Name:      "init",
 		Usage:     "Bootstrap and initialize a new genesis block",
 		ArgsUsage: "<genesisPath>",
-		Flags:     flags.Merge([]cli.Flag{utils.CachePreimagesFlag}, utils.DatabasePathFlags),
+		Flags:     flags.Merge([]cli.Flag{utils.CachePreimagesFlag, utils.OverridePrague}, utils.DatabasePathFlags),
 		Description: `
 The init command initializes a new genesis block and definition for the network.
 This is a destructive action and changes the network in which you will be
@@ -201,6 +201,12 @@ func initGenesis(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 	stack, _ := makeConfigNode(ctx)
 	defer stack.Close()
 
+	var overrides core.ChainOverrides
+	if ctx.IsSet(utils.OverridePrague.Name) {
+		v := ctx.Uint64(utils.OverridePrague.Name)
+		overrides.OverridePrague = &v
+	}
+
 	for _, name := range []string{"chaindata", "lightchaindata"} {
 		chaindb, err := stack.OpenDatabaseWithFreezer(name, 0, 0, ctx.String(utils.AncientFlag.Name), "", false)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -210,7 +216,7 @@ func initGenesis(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 			Preimages: ctx.Bool(utils.CachePreimagesFlag.Name),
 			Verkle:    true,
 		})
-		_, hash, err := core.SetupGenesisBlock(chaindb, triedb, genesis)
+		_, hash, err := core.SetupGenesisBlockWithOverride(chaindb, triedb, genesis, &overrides)
 		if err != nil {
 			utils.Fatalf("Failed to write genesis block: %v", err)
 		}
diff --git a/core/genesis.go b/core/genesis.go
index 6be1faa0cfd3..74294afb7272 100644
--- a/core/genesis.go
+++ b/core/genesis.go
@@ -332,11 +332,11 @@ func SetupGenesisBlockWithOverride(db ethdb.Database, triedb *trie.Database, gen
 		} else {
 			log.Info("Writing custom genesis block")
 		}
+		applyOverrides(genesis.Config)
 		block, err := genesis.Commit(db, triedb)
 		if err != nil {
 			return genesis.Config, common.Hash{}, err
 		}
-		applyOverrides(genesis.Config)
 		return genesis.Config, block.Hash(), nil
 	}
 	// We have the genesis block in database(perhaps in ancient database)
@@ -360,6 +360,7 @@ func SetupGenesisBlockWithOverride(db ethdb.Database, triedb *trie.Database, gen
 	// }
 	// Check whether the genesis block is already written.
 	if genesis != nil {
+		applyOverrides(genesis.Config)
 		hash := genesis.ToBlock().Hash()
 		if hash != stored {
 			return genesis.Config, hash, &GenesisMismatchError{stored, hash}