diff --git a/__tests__/commands/__snapshots__/init.js.snap b/__tests__/commands/__snapshots__/init.js.snap
index 0a0ae8c986..0961fd6ab6 100644
--- a/__tests__/commands/__snapshots__/init.js.snap
+++ b/__tests__/commands/__snapshots__/init.js.snap
@@ -5,11 +5,21 @@ Object {
   "license": "MIT",
   "main": "index.js",
   "name": "hi-github",
+  "private": false,
   "repository": "https://github.com/user/repo",
   "version": "1.0.0",
 }
 `;
 
+exports[`init-private-empty 1`] = `
+Object {
+  "license": "MIT",
+  "main": "index.js",
+  "name": "private-empty",
+  "version": "1.0.0",
+}
+`;
+
 exports[`init-yes 1`] = `
 Object {
   "license": "MIT",
@@ -18,3 +28,13 @@ Object {
   "version": "1.0.0",
 }
 `;
+
+exports[`init-yes-private 1`] = `
+Object {
+  "license": "MIT",
+  "main": "index.js",
+  "name": "init-yes-private",
+  "private": true,
+  "version": "1.0.0",
+}
+`;
diff --git a/__tests__/commands/init.js b/__tests__/commands/init.js
index e8f90f314f..32defa527b 100644
--- a/__tests__/commands/init.js
+++ b/__tests__/commands/init.js
@@ -30,11 +30,36 @@ test.concurrent('init --yes should create package.json with defaults', (): Promi
       // Name is derived from directory name which is dynamic so check
       // that separately and then remove from snapshot
       expect(manifest.name).toEqual(path.basename(cwd));
+      expect(manifest.private).toEqual(undefined);
       expect({...manifest, name: 'init-yes'}).toMatchSnapshot('init-yes');
     },
   );
 });
 
+test.concurrent('init --yes --private should create package.json with defaults and private true', (): Promise<void> => {
+  return buildRun(
+    ConsoleReporter,
+    fixturesLoc,
+    (args, flags, config, reporter, lockfile): Promise<void> => {
+      return runInit(config, reporter, flags, args);
+    },
+    [],
+    {yes: true, private: true},
+    'init-yes-private',
+    async (config): Promise<void> => {
+      const {cwd} = config;
+      const manifestFile = await fs.readFile(path.join(cwd, 'package.json'));
+      const manifest = JSON.parse(manifestFile);
+
+      // Name is derived from directory name which is dynamic so check
+      // that separately and then remove from snapshot
+      expect(manifest.name).toEqual(path.basename(cwd));
+      expect(manifest.private).toEqual(true);
+      expect({...manifest, name: 'init-yes-private'}).toMatchSnapshot('init-yes-private');
+    },
+  );
+});
+
 test.concurrent('init using Github shorthand should resolve to full repository URL', (): Promise<void> => {
   const questionMap = Object.freeze({
     name: 'hi-github',
@@ -44,6 +69,7 @@ test.concurrent('init using Github shorthand should resolve to full repository U
     'repository url': 'user/repo',
     author: '',
     license: '',
+    private: 'false',
   });
   class TestReporter extends ConsoleReporter {
     question(question: string, options?: QuestionOptions = {}): Promise<string> {
@@ -75,6 +101,46 @@ test.concurrent('init using Github shorthand should resolve to full repository U
   );
 });
 
+test.concurrent('init and give private empty', (): Promise<void> => {
+  const questionMap = Object.freeze({
+    name: 'private-empty',
+    version: '',
+    description: '',
+    'entry point': '',
+    'repository url': '',
+    author: '',
+    license: '',
+    private: '',
+  });
+  class TestReporter extends ConsoleReporter {
+    question(question: string, options?: QuestionOptions = {}): Promise<string> {
+      return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+        const parsedQuestion = question.replace(/ \((.*?)\)/g, '');
+        if (parsedQuestion in questionMap) {
+          resolve(questionMap[parsedQuestion]);
+        } else {
+          reject(new Error(`Question not found in question-answer map ${parsedQuestion}`));
+        }
+      });
+    }
+  }
+
+  return buildRun(
+    TestReporter,
+    fixturesLoc,
+    (args, flags, config, reporter, lockfile): Promise<void> => {
+      return runInit(config, reporter, flags, args);
+    },
+    [],
+    {},
+    'init-github',
+    async (config): Promise<void> => {
+      const manifestFile = await fs.readFile(path.join(config.cwd, 'package.json'));
+      expect(JSON.parse(manifestFile)).toMatchSnapshot('init-private-empty');
+    },
+  );
+});
+
 test.concurrent('getGitConfigInfo should not return the git config val', async (): Promise<void> => {
   expect('hi seb').toEqual(await getGitConfigInfo('some-info', () => Promise.resolve('hi seb')));
 });
diff --git a/__tests__/fixtures/init/init-yes-private/.npmrc b/__tests__/fixtures/init/init-yes-private/.npmrc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9465b97ac3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/__tests__/fixtures/init/init-yes-private/.npmrc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+yarn-offline-mirror=./mirror-for-offline
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index e35269c2c4..3ff5137ec0 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@
     "tar-stream": "^1.5.2",
     "uuid": "^3.0.1",
     "v8-compile-cache": "^1.1.0",
-    "validate-npm-package-license": "^3.0.1"
+    "validate-npm-package-license": "^3.0.1",
+    "yn": "^2.0.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "babel-core": "^6.24.1",
diff --git a/src/cli/commands/init.js b/src/cli/commands/init.js
index 82d68e0dd9..a34055fc0b 100644
--- a/src/cli/commands/init.js
+++ b/src/cli/commands/init.js
@@ -11,9 +11,11 @@ import * as validate from '../../util/normalize-manifest/validate.js';
 
 const objectPath = require('object-path');
 const path = require('path');
+const yn = require('yn');
 
 export function setFlags(commander: Object) {
   commander.option('-y, --yes', 'use default options');
+  commander.option('-p, --private', 'use default options and private true');
 }
 
 export function hasWrapper(commander: Object, args: Array<string>): boolean {
@@ -89,12 +91,18 @@ export async function run(config: Config, reporter: Reporter, flags: Object, arg
       question: 'license',
       default: String(config.getOption('init-license')),
     },
+    {
+      key: 'private',
+      question: 'private',
+      default: '',
+      inputFormatter: yn,
+    },
   ];
 
   // get answers
   const pkg = {};
   for (const entry of keys) {
-    const {yes} = flags;
+    const {yes, private: privateFlag} = flags;
     const {key: manifestKey} = entry;
     let {question, default: def} = entry;
 
@@ -114,8 +122,12 @@ export async function run(config: Config, reporter: Reporter, flags: Object, arg
       def = val;
     }
 
+    if (manifestKey === 'private' && privateFlag) {
+      def = true;
+    }
+
     if (def) {
-      question += ` (${def})`;
+      question += ` (${def.toString()})`;
     }
 
     let answer;
@@ -141,6 +153,9 @@ export async function run(config: Config, reporter: Reporter, flags: Object, arg
     }
 
     if (answer) {
+      if (entry.inputFormatter) {
+        answer = entry.inputFormatter(answer);
+      }
       objectPath.set(pkg, manifestKey, answer);
     }
   }
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index b91b697153..96d8bfff16 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -4958,3 +4958,7 @@ yargs@~3.10.0:
     cliui "^2.1.0"
     decamelize "^1.0.0"
     window-size "0.1.0"
+
+yn@^2.0.0:
+  version "2.0.0"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/yn/-/yn-2.0.0.tgz#e5adabc8acf408f6385fc76495684c88e6af689a"