diff --git a/cmd/cloud_init/group/render.go b/cmd/cloud_init/group/render.go
index 83175351..af7e2ba9 100644
--- a/cmd/cloud_init/group/render.go
+++ b/cmd/cloud_init/group/render.go
@@ -90,6 +90,25 @@ See ochami-cloud-init(1) for more details.`,
 				os.Exit(1)
 			}
 			dsWrapper["ds"] = map[string]interface{}{"meta_data": ciData}
+
+			// Read any extra variables specified (This is mostly copy-pasted from cli.HandlePayload)
+			// The primary difference is the flag name
+			extraVarsMap := make(map[string]interface{})
+			if cmd.Flag("extra-vars").Changed {
+				extraVars := cmd.Flag("extra-vars").Value.String()
+				if err := client.ReadPayload(extraVars, cli.FormatInput, &extraVarsMap); err != nil {
+					log.Logger.Error().Err(err).Msg("unable to read extra variable data or file")
+					cli.LogHelpError(cmd)
+					os.Exit(1)
+				}
+			}
+
+			// Apply extra variables to the context
+			for k, v := range extraVarsMap {
+				dsWrapper[k] = v
+			}
+
+			// Construct the context for the template
 			refData := exec.NewContext(dsWrapper)
 
 			// Render
@@ -111,5 +130,11 @@ See ochami-cloud-init(1) for more details.`,
 		},
 	}
 
+	// Create flags
+	groupRenderCmd.Flags().VarP(&cli.FormatInput, "format-input", "f", "format of input payload data (json,json-pretty,yaml)")
+	groupRenderCmd.Flags().StringP("extra-vars", "e", "", "extra variables to be passed to the template renderer or (if starting with @) file containing extra variables (can be - to read from stdin)")
+
+	groupRenderCmd.RegisterFlagCompletionFunc("format-input", cli.CompletionFormatData)
+
 	return groupRenderCmd
 }
diff --git a/man/ochami-cloud-init.1.sc b/man/ochami-cloud-init.1.sc
index 2fcec2e4..2aebc7c5 100644
--- a/man/ochami-cloud-init.1.sc
+++ b/man/ochami-cloud-init.1.sc
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ ochami cloud-init group delete [OPTIONS] ([-d (_data_ | @_path_)] [-f _format_])
 ochami cloud-init group get [OPTIONS] raw [_id_...]++
 ochami cloud-init group get [OPTIONS] config [_id_...]++
 ochami cloud-init group get [OPTIONS] meta-data [_id_...]++
-ochami cloud-init group render _group_ _id_++
+ochami cloud-init group render ([-e (_extra-variables_ | @_path_)] [-f _format_]) _group_ _id_++
 ochami cloud-init group set [OPTIONS]++
 ochami cloud-init node get group [OPTIONS] _group_ _id_...++
 ochami cloud-init node get meta-data [OPTIONS] _id_...++
@@ -427,6 +427,21 @@ Subcommands for this command are as follows:
 	- */cloud-init/admin/impersonation/{id}/{group}.yaml*
 	- */cloud-init/admin/impersonation/{id}/meta-data*
 
+	This command accepts the following options:
+
+	*-e, --extra-vars* (_extra-vars_ | @_path_ | @-)
+		Specify _extra-vars_ to be passed to the template, the _path_ to a
+		file to read extra variables from, or to read the extra variables from
+		standard input (@-). The format of the extra variables read in any of
+		these forms is JSON by default unless *-f* is specified to change it.
+
+	*-f, --format-input* _format_
+		Format of the extra variables being used by *-e*. Supported formats are:
+
+		- _json_ (default)
+		- _json-pretty_
+		- _yaml_
+
 *set* [-f _format_] < _file_++
 *set* [-f _format_] -d @_file_++
 *set* [-f _format_] -d @- < _file_++