diff --git a/comfy/cli_args.py b/comfy/cli_args.py
index 4bef096fb..0d7df5e13 100644
--- a/comfy/cli_args.py
+++ b/comfy/cli_args.py
@@ -225,6 +225,7 @@ parser.add_argument(
 )
 
 parser.add_argument("--user-directory", type=is_valid_directory, default=None, help="Set the ComfyUI user directory with an absolute path. Overrides --base-directory.")
+parser.add_argument("--models-directory", type=is_valid_directory, default=None, help="Set the ComfyUI models directory. Overrides the models folder in --base-directory.")
 
 parser.add_argument("--enable-compress-response-body", action="store_true", help="Enable compressing response body.")
 
diff --git a/folder_paths.py b/folder_paths.py
index ee048b0f2..937428c18 100644
--- a/folder_paths.py
+++ b/folder_paths.py
@@ -17,7 +17,11 @@ if args.base_directory:
 else:
     base_path = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
 
-models_dir = os.path.join(base_path, "models")
+if args.models_directory:
+    models_dir = os.path.abspath(args.models_directory)
+else:
+    models_dir = os.path.join(base_path, "models")
+
 folder_names_and_paths["checkpoints"] = ([os.path.join(models_dir, "checkpoints")], supported_pt_extensions)
 folder_names_and_paths["configs"] = ([os.path.join(models_dir, "configs")], [".yaml"])
 
diff --git a/main.py b/main.py
index 20ec83c9e..580074b19 100644
--- a/main.py
+++ b/main.py
@@ -131,6 +131,10 @@ def apply_custom_paths():
     if args.base_directory:
         logging.info(f"Setting base directory to: {folder_paths.base_path}")
 
+    # --models-directory
+    if args.models_directory:
+        logging.info(f"Setting models directory to: {folder_paths.models_dir}")
+
     # --output-directory, --input-directory, --user-directory
     if args.output_directory:
         output_dir = os.path.abspath(args.output_directory)
diff --git a/tests-unit/comfy_test/folder_path_test.py b/tests-unit/comfy_test/folder_path_test.py
index 3b398e60b..a0ef17a4c 100644
--- a/tests-unit/comfy_test/folder_path_test.py
+++ b/tests-unit/comfy_test/folder_path_test.py
@@ -163,3 +163,20 @@ def test_base_path_change_clears_old(set_base_dir):
 
     for name in ["controlnet", "diffusion_models", "text_encoders"]:
         assert len(folder_paths.get_folder_paths(name)) == 2
+
+
+def test_models_directory_cli_and_getters(temp_dir):
+    try:
+        with patch.object(sys, 'argv', ["main.py", "--models-directory", temp_dir]):
+            reload(comfy.cli_args)
+            reload(folder_paths)
+
+        assert folder_paths.models_dir == os.path.abspath(temp_dir)
+
+        with pytest.raises(Exception):
+            comfy.cli_args.is_valid_directory(os.path.join(temp_dir, "non_existent_folder_path"))
+    finally:
+        with patch.object(sys, 'argv', ["main.py"]):
+            reload(comfy.cli_args)
+            reload(folder_paths)
+