diff --git a/api-daemon/pvcapid/flaskapi.py b/api-daemon/pvcapid/flaskapi.py
index ff1f7843..81b08bb5 100755
--- a/api-daemon/pvcapid/flaskapi.py
+++ b/api-daemon/pvcapid/flaskapi.py
@@ -260,17 +260,27 @@ api.add_resource(API_Logout, '/logout')
 # /initialize
 class API_Initialize(Resource):
     @RequestParser([
-        {'name': 'yes-i-really-mean-it', 'required': True, 'helptext': "Initialization is destructive; please confirm with the argument 'yes-i-really-mean-it'."}
+        {'name': 'overwrite', 'required': False},
+        {'name': 'yes-i-really-mean-it', 'required': True, 'helptext': "Initialization is destructive; please confirm with the argument 'yes-i-really-mean-it'."},
     ])
     @Authenticator
     def post(self, reqargs):
         """
         Initialize a new PVC cluster
-        Note: Normally used only once during cluster bootstrap; checks for the existence of the "/primary_node" key before proceeding and returns 400 if found
+
+        If the 'overwrite' option is not True, the cluster will return 400 if the `/primary_node` key is found. If 'overwrite' is True, the existing cluster
+        data will be erased and new, empty data written in its place.
+
+        All node daemons should be stopped before running this command, and the API daemon started manually to avoid undefined behavior.
         ---
         tags:
           - root
         parameters:
+          - in: query
+            name: overwrite
+            type: bool
+            required: false
+            description: A flag to enable or disable (default) overwriting existing data
           - in: query
             name: yes-i-really-mean-it
             type: string
@@ -289,7 +299,10 @@ class API_Initialize(Resource):
           400:
             description: Bad request
         """
-        if api_helper.initialize_cluster():
+        if reqargs.get('overwrite', False):
+            overwrite_flag = True
+
+        if api_helper.initialize_cluster(overwrite=overwrite_flag):
             return {"message": "Successfully initialized a new PVC cluster"}, 200
         else:
             return {"message": "PVC cluster already initialized"}, 400
diff --git a/api-daemon/pvcapid/helper.py b/api-daemon/pvcapid/helper.py
index 9d4614da..3f3f5b0a 100755
--- a/api-daemon/pvcapid/helper.py
+++ b/api-daemon/pvcapid/helper.py
@@ -41,16 +41,41 @@ import daemon_lib.ceph as pvc_ceph
 # Cluster base functions
 #
 @ZKConnection(config)
-def initialize_cluster(zkhandler):
+def initialize_cluster(zkhandler, overwrite=False):
     """
     Initialize a new cluster
     """
     # Abort if we've initialized the cluster before
-    if zkhandler.exists('/primary_node'):
+    if zkhandler.exists('/primary_node') and not overwrite:
         return False
 
+    if overwrite:
+        # Delete the existing keys; ignore any errors
+        status = zkhandler.delete([
+            '/primary_node',
+            '/upstream_ip',
+            '/maintenance',
+            '/nodes',
+            '/domains',
+            '/networks',
+            '/ceph',
+            '/ceph/osds',
+            '/ceph/pools',
+            '/ceph/volumes',
+            '/ceph/snapshots',
+            '/cmd',
+            '/cmd/domains',
+            '/cmd/ceph',
+            '/locks',
+            '/locks/flush_lock',
+            '/locks/primary_node'
+        ], recursive=True)
+
+        if not status:
+            return False
+
     # Create the root keys
-    zkhandler.write([
+    status = zkhandler.write([
         ('/primary_node', 'none'),
         ('/upstream_ip', 'none'),
         ('/maintenance', 'False'),
@@ -70,7 +95,7 @@ def initialize_cluster(zkhandler):
         ('/locks/primary_node', ''),
     ])
 
-    return True
+    return status
 
 
 @ZKConnection(config)
diff --git a/client-cli/cli_lib/cluster.py b/client-cli/cli_lib/cluster.py
index 564ca172..3dff78be 100644
--- a/client-cli/cli_lib/cluster.py
+++ b/client-cli/cli_lib/cluster.py
@@ -25,16 +25,17 @@ import cli_lib.ansiprint as ansiprint
 from cli_lib.common import call_api
 
 
-def initialize(config):
+def initialize(config, overwrite=False):
     """
     Initialize the PVC cluster
 
     API endpoint: GET /api/v1/initialize
-    API arguments: yes-i-really-mean-it
+    API arguments: overwrite, yes-i-really-mean-it
     API schema: {json_data_object}
     """
     params = {
-        'yes-i-really-mean-it': 'yes'
+        'yes-i-really-mean-it': 'yes',
+        'overwrite': overwrite
     }
     response = call_api(config, 'post', '/initialize', params=params)
 
diff --git a/client-cli/pvc.py b/client-cli/pvc.py
index 27a803e4..fc79b27d 100755
--- a/client-cli/pvc.py
+++ b/client-cli/pvc.py
@@ -4304,15 +4304,26 @@ def task_restore(filename, confirm_flag):
 # pvc task init
 ###############################################################################
 @click.command(name='init', short_help='Initialize a new cluster.')
+@click.option(
+    '-o', '--overwite', 'overwrite_flag',
+    is_flag=True, default=False,
+    help='Remove and overwrite any existing data'
+)
 @click.option(
     '-y', '--yes', 'confirm_flag',
     is_flag=True, default=False,
     help='Confirm the initialization'
 )
 @cluster_req
-def task_init(confirm_flag):
+def task_init(confirm_flag, overwrite_flag):
     """
     Perform initialization of a new PVC cluster.
+
+    If the '-o'/'--overwrite' option is specified, all existing data in the cluster will be deleted
+    before new, empty data is written.
+
+    It is not advisable to do this against a running cluster - all node daemons should be stopped
+    first and the API daemon started manually before running this command.
     """
 
     if not confirm_flag and not config['unsafe']:
@@ -4324,7 +4335,7 @@ def task_init(confirm_flag):
     # Easter-egg
     click.echo("Some music while we're Layin' Pipe? https://youtu.be/sw8S_Kv89IU")
 
-    retcode, retmsg = pvc_cluster.initialize(config)
+    retcode, retmsg = pvc_cluster.initialize(config, overwrite_flag)
     cleanup(retcode, retmsg)