diff --git a/scripts/dev_cli.sh b/scripts/dev_cli.sh
index 86d461075..618c39178 100755
--- a/scripts/dev_cli.sh
+++ b/scripts/dev_cli.sh
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ CLI_NAME="Cloud Hypervisor"
 
 CTR_IMAGE_TAG="ghcr.io/cloud-hypervisor/cloud-hypervisor"
 CTR_IMAGE_VERSION="20230620-0"
-CTR_IMAGE="${CTR_IMAGE_TAG}:${CTR_IMAGE_VERSION}"
+: "${CTR_IMAGE:=${CTR_IMAGE_TAG}:${CTR_IMAGE_VERSION}}"
 
 DOCKER_RUNTIME="docker"