diff --git a/cli/src/commands/sync/sync.ts b/cli/src/commands/sync/sync.ts
index 753f871296..d7fbda5c2c 100644
--- a/cli/src/commands/sync/sync.ts
+++ b/cli/src/commands/sync/sync.ts
@@ -109,8 +109,9 @@ async function resolveEffectiveSyncOptions(
   workspace: Workspace,
   localConfig: SyncOptions,
   promotion?: string,
+  branchOverride?: string,
 ): Promise<SyncOptions> {
-  return await getEffectiveSettings(localConfig, promotion);
+  return await getEffectiveSettings(localConfig, promotion, false, false, branchOverride);
 }
 
 type DynFSElement = {
@@ -1858,7 +1859,7 @@ async function buildTracker(changes: Change[]) {
 
 export async function pull(
   opts: GlobalOptions &
-    SyncOptions & { repository?: string; promotion?: string },
+    SyncOptions & { repository?: string; promotion?: string; branch?: string },
 ) {
   const originalCliOpts = { ...opts };
   opts = await mergeConfigWithConfigFile(opts);
@@ -1886,10 +1887,11 @@ export async function pull(
     workspace,
     opts,
     opts.promotion,
+    opts.branch,
   );
 
   // Extract specific items configuration before merging overwrites gitBranches
-  const specificItems = getSpecificItemsForCurrentBranch(opts);
+  const specificItems = getSpecificItemsForCurrentBranch(opts, opts.branch);
 
   // Merge CLI flags with resolved settings (CLI flags take precedence only for explicit overrides)
   opts = mergeCliWithEffectiveOptions(originalCliOpts, effectiveOpts);
@@ -2334,7 +2336,7 @@ function removeSuffix(str: string, suffix: string) {
 }
 
 export async function push(
-  opts: GlobalOptions & SyncOptions & { repository?: string },
+  opts: GlobalOptions & SyncOptions & { repository?: string; branch?: string },
 ) {
   // Save original CLI options before merging with config file
   const originalCliOpts = { ...opts };
@@ -2361,10 +2363,11 @@ export async function push(
     workspace,
     opts,
     opts.promotion,
+    opts.branch,
   );
 
   // Extract specific items configuration BEFORE merging overwrites gitBranches
-  const specificItems = getSpecificItemsForCurrentBranch(opts);
+  const specificItems = getSpecificItemsForCurrentBranch(opts, opts.branch);
 
   // Merge CLI flags with resolved settings (CLI flags take precedence only for explicit overrides)
   opts = mergeCliWithEffectiveOptions(originalCliOpts, effectiveOpts);
@@ -3118,6 +3121,10 @@ const command = new Command()
     "--promotion <branch:string>",
     "Use promotionOverrides from the specified branch instead of regular overrides",
   )
+  .option(
+    "--branch <branch:string>",
+    "Override the current git branch (works even outside a git repository)",
+  )
   // deno-lint-ignore no-explicit-any
   .action(pull as any)
   .command("push")
@@ -3171,6 +3178,10 @@ const command = new Command()
     "--repository <repo:string>",
     "Specify repository path (e.g., u/user/repo) when multiple repositories exist",
   )
+  .option(
+    "--branch <branch:string>",
+    "Override the current git branch (works even outside a git repository)",
+  )
   // deno-lint-ignore no-explicit-any
   .action(push as any);
 
diff --git a/cli/src/core/conf.ts b/cli/src/core/conf.ts
index d2edc8569c..f5b95f90ce 100644
--- a/cli/src/core/conf.ts
+++ b/cli/src/core/conf.ts
@@ -487,18 +487,26 @@ export async function getEffectiveSettings(
   config: SyncOptions,
   promotion?: string,
   skipBranchValidation?: boolean,
-  suppressLogs?: boolean
+  suppressLogs?: boolean,
+  branchOverride?: string
 ): Promise<SyncOptions> {
   // Start with top-level settings from config
   const { gitBranches, ...topLevelSettings } = config;
   const effective = { ...topLevelSettings };
 
-  if (isGitRepository()) {
+  // Determine the branch to use: branchOverride takes precedence, then git detection
+  let currentBranch: string | null = null;
+  let originalBranchIfForked: string | null = null;
+
+  if (branchOverride) {
+    currentBranch = branchOverride;
+    if (!suppressLogs) {
+      log.info(`Using branch override: ${branchOverride}`);
+    }
+  } else if (isGitRepository()) {
     const branch = getCurrentGitBranch();
+    originalBranchIfForked = getOriginalBranchForWorkspaceForks(branch);
 
-    const originalBranchIfForked = getOriginalBranchForWorkspaceForks(branch);
-
-    let currentBranch: string | null;
     if (originalBranchIfForked) {
       log.info(
         `Using overrides from original branch \`${originalBranchIfForked}\``
@@ -507,53 +515,53 @@ export async function getEffectiveSettings(
     } else {
       currentBranch = branch;
     }
+  } else {
+    log.debug("Not in a Git repository and no branch override provided, using top-level settings");
+  }
 
-    // If promotion is specified, use that branch's promotionOverrides or overrides
-    if (promotion && gitBranches && gitBranches[promotion]) {
-      const targetBranch = gitBranches[promotion];
+  // If promotion is specified, use that branch's promotionOverrides or overrides
+  if (promotion && gitBranches && gitBranches[promotion]) {
+    const targetBranch = gitBranches[promotion];
 
-      // First try promotionOverrides, then fall back to overrides
-      if (targetBranch.promotionOverrides) {
-        Object.assign(effective, targetBranch.promotionOverrides);
-        if (!suppressLogs) {
-          log.info(`Applied promotion settings from branch: ${promotion}`);
-        }
-      } else if (targetBranch.overrides) {
-        Object.assign(effective, targetBranch.overrides);
-        if (!suppressLogs) {
-          log.info(
-            `Applied settings from branch: ${promotion} (no promotionOverrides found)`
-          );
-        }
-      } else {
-        log.debug(
-          `No promotion or regular overrides found for branch '${promotion}', using top-level settings`
-        );
-      }
-    }
-    // Otherwise use current branch overrides (existing behavior)
-    else if (
-      currentBranch &&
-      gitBranches &&
-      gitBranches[currentBranch] &&
-      gitBranches[currentBranch].overrides
-    ) {
-      Object.assign(effective, gitBranches[currentBranch].overrides);
+    // First try promotionOverrides, then fall back to overrides
+    if (targetBranch.promotionOverrides) {
+      Object.assign(effective, targetBranch.promotionOverrides);
+      if (!suppressLogs) {
+        log.info(`Applied promotion settings from branch: ${promotion}`);
+      }
+    } else if (targetBranch.overrides) {
+      Object.assign(effective, targetBranch.overrides);
       if (!suppressLogs) {
-        const extraLog = originalBranchIfForked
-          ? ` (because it is the origin of the workspace fork branch \`${branch}\`)`
-          : "";
         log.info(
-          `Applied settings for Git branch: ${currentBranch}${extraLog}`
+          `Applied settings from branch: ${promotion} (no promotionOverrides found)`
         );
       }
-    } else if (currentBranch) {
+    } else {
       log.debug(
-        `No branch-specific overrides found for '${currentBranch}', using top-level settings`
+        `No promotion or regular overrides found for branch '${promotion}', using top-level settings`
       );
     }
-  } else {
-    log.debug("Not in a Git repository, using top-level settings");
+  }
+  // Otherwise use current branch overrides (existing behavior)
+  else if (
+    currentBranch &&
+    gitBranches &&
+    gitBranches[currentBranch] &&
+    gitBranches[currentBranch].overrides
+  ) {
+    Object.assign(effective, gitBranches[currentBranch].overrides);
+    if (!suppressLogs) {
+      const extraLog = originalBranchIfForked
+        ? ` (because it is the origin of the workspace fork branch \`${currentBranch}\`)`
+        : "";
+      log.info(
+        `Applied settings for Git branch: ${currentBranch}${extraLog}`
+      );
+    }
+  } else if (currentBranch) {
+    log.debug(
+      `No branch-specific overrides found for '${currentBranch}', using top-level settings`
+    );
   }
 
   return effective;
diff --git a/cli/src/core/specific_items.ts b/cli/src/core/specific_items.ts
index 2e9b5052f0..2f6c0f38f9 100644
--- a/cli/src/core/specific_items.ts
+++ b/cli/src/core/specific_items.ts
@@ -60,12 +60,19 @@ function buildYamlTypePattern(): string {
  * Get the specific items configuration for the current git branch
  * Merges commonSpecificItems with branch-specific specificItems
  */
-export function getSpecificItemsForCurrentBranch(config: SyncOptions): SpecificItemsConfig | undefined {
-  if (!isGitRepository() || !config.gitBranches) {
+export function getSpecificItemsForCurrentBranch(config: SyncOptions, branchOverride?: string): SpecificItemsConfig | undefined {
+  if (!config.gitBranches) {
     return undefined;
   }
 
-  const currentBranch = getCurrentGitBranch();
+  // Use branch override if provided, otherwise detect from git
+  let currentBranch: string | null = null;
+  if (branchOverride) {
+    currentBranch = branchOverride;
+  } else if (isGitRepository()) {
+    currentBranch = getCurrentGitBranch();
+  }
+
   if (!currentBranch) {
     return undefined;
   }