diff --git a/src/python3_pip_skeleton/__main__.py b/src/python3_pip_skeleton/__main__.py
index bc6be1a8..5a402675 100644
--- a/src/python3_pip_skeleton/__main__.py
+++ b/src/python3_pip_skeleton/__main__.py
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ def merge_skeleton(
     org: str,
     full_name: str,
     email: str,
+    from_branch: str,
     package,
 ):
     path = path.resolve()
@@ -63,6 +64,7 @@ def replace_text(text: str) -> str:
         text = text.replace("python3_pip_skeleton", package)
         text = text.replace("Firstname Lastname", full_name)
         text = text.replace("email@address.com", email)
+        text = text.replace("main", from_branch)
         return text
 
     branches = list_branches(path)
@@ -82,7 +84,7 @@ def replace_text(text: str) -> str:
         # will do the wrong thing
         shutil.rmtree(git_tmp / "src", ignore_errors=True)
         # Merge in the skeleton commits
-        git_tmp("pull", "--rebase=false", SKELETON, "main")
+        git_tmp("pull", "--rebase=false", SKELETON, from_branch)
         # Move things around
         if package != "python3_pip_skeleton":
             git_tmp("mv", "src/python3_pip_skeleton", f"src/{package}")
@@ -156,6 +158,7 @@ def new(args):
         org=args.org,
         full_name=args.full_name or git("config", "--get", "user.name").strip(),
         email=args.email or git("config", "--get", "user.email").strip(),
+        from_branch=args.from_branch or "main",
         package=package,
     )
 
@@ -188,6 +191,7 @@ def existing(args):
         org=args.org,
         full_name=conf["metadata"]["author"],
         email=conf["metadata"]["author_email"],
+        from_branch=args.from_branch or "main",
         package=package,
     )
 
@@ -225,6 +229,11 @@ def main(args=None):
     sub.add_argument(
         "--email", default=None, help="Email address, defaults to git config user.email"
     )
+    sub.add_argument(
+        "--from-branch",
+        default=None,
+        help="Merge from skeleton branch, defaults to main",
+    )
     # Add a command for adopting in existing repo
     sub = subparsers.add_parser("existing", help="Adopt skeleton in existing repo")
     sub.set_defaults(func=existing)
@@ -234,6 +243,11 @@ def main(args=None):
     sub.add_argument(
         "--package", default=None, help="Package name, defaults to directory name"
     )
+    sub.add_argument(
+        "--from-branch",
+        default=None,
+        help="Merge from skeleton branch, defaults to main",
+    )
     # Add a command for cleaning an existing repo of skeleton code
     sub = subparsers.add_parser(
         "clean", help="Clean up branch from failed skeleton merge"
diff --git a/tests/test_adopt.py b/tests/test_adopt.py
index aaece404..f785fe75 100644
--- a/tests/test_adopt.py
+++ b/tests/test_adopt.py
@@ -89,6 +89,45 @@ def test_new_module_existing_dir(tmp_path: Path):
     assert "to not exist, or be an empty dir" in str(excinfo.value)
 
 
+def test_new_module_merge_from_valid_branch(tmp_path: Path):
+    module = tmp_path / "my-module"
+    check_output(
+        sys.executable,
+        "-m",
+        "python3_pip_skeleton",
+        "new",
+        "--org=myorg",
+        "--package=my_module",
+        "--full-name=Firstname Lastname",
+        "--email=me@myaddress.com",
+        "--from-branch=main",
+        str(module),
+    )
+    # Test basic functionality
+    assert (module / "src" / "my_module").is_dir()
+    check_output("python", "-m", "venv", "venv", cwd=module)
+    check_output("venv/bin/pip", "install", ".[dev]", cwd=module)
+
+
+def test_new_module_merge_from_invalid_branch(tmp_path: Path):
+    module = tmp_path / "my-module"
+
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError) as excinfo:
+        check_output(
+            sys.executable,
+            "-m",
+            "python3_pip_skeleton",
+            "new",
+            "--org=myorg",
+            "--package=my_module",
+            "--full-name=Firstname Lastname",
+            "--email=me@myaddress.com",
+            "--from-branch=fail",
+            str(module),
+        )
+    assert "couldn't find remote ref fail" in str(excinfo.value)
+
+
 def test_existing_module(tmp_path: Path):
     module = tmp_path / "scanspec"
     __main__.git(
@@ -169,3 +208,27 @@ def test_existing_module_already_adopted(tmp_path: Path):
             str(module),
         )
     assert "already adopted skeleton" in str(excinfo.value)
+
+
+def test_existing_module_merge_from_invalid_branch(tmp_path: Path):
+    module = tmp_path / "scanspec"
+    __main__.git(
+        "clone",
+        "--depth",
+        "1",
+        "--branch",
+        "0.5.3",
+        "https://github.com/dls-controls/scanspec",
+        str(module),
+    )
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError) as excinfo:
+        check_output(
+            sys.executable,
+            "-m",
+            "python3_pip_skeleton",
+            "existing",
+            "--org=epics-containers",
+            "--from-branch=fail",
+            str(module),
+        )
+    assert "couldn't find remote ref fail" in str(excinfo.value)