diff --git a/docs/man_pages/project/creation/create.md b/docs/man_pages/project/creation/create.md
index e3910f5cef..abe7fce865 100644
--- a/docs/man_pages/project/creation/create.md
+++ b/docs/man_pages/project/creation/create.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ create
 Usage | Synopsis
 ---|---
 Create from default JavaScript template | `$ tns create <App Name> [--path <Directory>] [--appid <App ID>]`
-Create from default TypeScript template | `$ tns create <App Name> --template typescript [--path <Directory>] [--appid <App ID>]` OR `$ tns create <App Name> --template tsc [--path <Directory>] [--appid <App ID>]`
+Create from default TypeScript template | `$ tns create <App Name> --template typescript [--path <Directory>] [--appid <App ID>]` OR `$ tns create <App Name> --tsc [--path <Directory>] [--appid <App ID>]` OR `$ tns create <App Name> --template tsc [--path <Directory>] [--appid <App ID>]`
 Create from default Angular template | `$ tns create <App Name> --template angular [--path <Directory>] [--appid <App ID>]` OR `$ tns create <App Name> --template ng [--path <Directory>] [--appid <App ID>]` OR `$ tns create <App Name> --ng [--path <Directory>] [--appid <App ID>]`
 Copy from existing project | `$ tns create <App Name> [--path <Directory>] [--appid <App ID>] --copy-from <Directory>`
 Create from custom template | `$ tns create <App Name> [--path <Directory>] [--appid <App ID>] --template <Template>`
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ Creates a new project for native development with NativeScript.
 * `--copy-from` - Specifies a directory which contains an existing NativeScript project. If `--copy-from` and `--template` are not set, the NativeScript CLI creates the project from the default JavaScript hello-world template.
 * `--template` - Specifies a valid npm package which you want to use to create your project. If `--copy-from` and `--template` are not set, the NativeScript CLI creates the project from the default JavaScript hello-world template.<% if(isHtml) { %> If one or more application assets are missing from the `App_Resources` directory in the package, the CLI adds them using the assets available in the default hello-world template.<% } %>
 * `--ng` - Sets the template for your project to the Angular template.
+* `--tsc` - Sets the template for your project to the TypeScript template.
 
 ### Attributes
 * `<App Name>` is the name of project. The specified name must meet the requirements of all platforms that you want to target. <% if(isConsole) { %>For more information about the `<App Name>` requirements, run `$ tns help create`<% } %><% if(isHtml) { %>For projects that target Android, you can use uppercase or lowercase letters, numbers, and underscores. The name must start with a letter.
diff --git a/lib/commands/create-project.ts b/lib/commands/create-project.ts
index ce45c32f1b..935a1eae4f 100644
--- a/lib/commands/create-project.ts
+++ b/lib/commands/create-project.ts
@@ -10,11 +10,18 @@ export class CreateProjectCommand implements ICommand {
 
 	execute(args: string[]): IFuture<void> {
 		return (() => {
-			if (this.$options.ng && this.$options.template) {
-				this.$errors.fail("You cannot use --ng and --template simultaneously.");
+			if ((this.$options.tsc || this.$options.ng) && this.$options.template) {
+				this.$errors.fail("You cannot use --ng or --tsc options together with --template.");
 			}
 
-			let selectedTemplate = this.$options.ng ? constants.ANGULAR_NAME : this.$options.template;
+			let selectedTemplate: string;
+			if (this.$options.tsc) {
+				selectedTemplate = constants.TYPESCRIPT_NAME;
+			} else if (this.$options.ng) {
+				selectedTemplate = constants.ANGULAR_NAME;
+			} else {
+				selectedTemplate = this.$options.template;
+			}
 
 			this.$projectService.createProject(args[0], selectedTemplate).wait();
 		}).future<void>()();
diff --git a/lib/constants.ts b/lib/constants.ts
index a904b55335..433eadab5e 100644
--- a/lib/constants.ts
+++ b/lib/constants.ts
@@ -44,3 +44,4 @@ class ItunesConnectApplicationTypesClass implements IiTunesConnectApplicationTyp
 export let ItunesConnectApplicationTypes = new ItunesConnectApplicationTypesClass();
 
 export let ANGULAR_NAME = "angular";
+export let TYPESCRIPT_NAME = "TypeScript";
diff --git a/lib/declarations.ts b/lib/declarations.ts
index a145a861e7..0c88f95797 100644
--- a/lib/declarations.ts
+++ b/lib/declarations.ts
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ interface IOptions extends ICommonOptions {
 	keyStorePath: string;
 	linkTo: string;
 	ng: boolean;
+	tsc: boolean;
 	bundle: boolean;
 	platformTemplate: string;
 	port: Number;
diff --git a/lib/options.ts b/lib/options.ts
index bc11455fec..7b8b5ec846 100644
--- a/lib/options.ts
+++ b/lib/options.ts
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ export class Options extends commonOptionsLibPath.OptionsBase {
 			baseConfig: { type: OptionType.String },
 			platformTemplate: { type: OptionType.String },
 			ng: {type: OptionType.Boolean },
+			tsc: {type: OptionType.Boolean },
 			bundle: {type: OptionType.Boolean },
 			all: {type: OptionType.Boolean },
 			teamId: { type: OptionType.String }
diff --git a/test/project-commands.ts b/test/project-commands.ts
index 48c50726ad..1e9ef51d99 100644
--- a/test/project-commands.ts
+++ b/test/project-commands.ts
@@ -65,6 +65,14 @@ describe("Project commands tests", () => {
 			assert.isTrue(isProjectCreated);
 		});
 
+		it("should not fail when using only --tsc.", () => {
+			options.tsc = true;
+
+			createProjectCommand.execute(dummyArgs).wait();
+
+			assert.isTrue(isProjectCreated);
+		});
+
 		it("should not fail when using only --template.", () => {
 			options.template = "ng";
 
@@ -81,6 +89,14 @@ describe("Project commands tests", () => {
 			assert.deepEqual(selectedTemplateName, constants.ANGULAR_NAME);
 		});
 
+		it("should set the template name correctly when used --tsc.", () => {
+			options.tsc = true;
+
+			createProjectCommand.execute(dummyArgs).wait();
+
+			assert.deepEqual(selectedTemplateName, constants.TYPESCRIPT_NAME);
+		});
+
 		it("should not set the template name when --ng is not used.", () => {
 			options.ng = false;
 
@@ -89,6 +105,14 @@ describe("Project commands tests", () => {
 			assert.isUndefined(selectedTemplateName);
 		});
 
+		it("should not set the template name when --tsc is not used.", () => {
+			options.tsc = false;
+
+			createProjectCommand.execute(dummyArgs).wait();
+
+			assert.isUndefined(selectedTemplateName);
+		});
+
 		it("should fail when --ng and --template are used simultaneously.", () => {
 			options.ng = true;
 			options.template = "ng";
@@ -97,5 +121,14 @@ describe("Project commands tests", () => {
 				createProjectCommand.execute(dummyArgs).wait();
 			});
 		});
+
+		it("should fail when --tsc and --template are used simultaneously.", () => {
+			options.tsc = true;
+			options.template = "tsc";
+
+			assert.throws(() => {
+				createProjectCommand.execute(dummyArgs).wait();
+			});
+		});
 	});
 });