diff --git a/docs/plans/2026-07-16-001-three-project-parity-architecture-plan.md b/docs/plans/2026-07-16-001-three-project-parity-architecture-plan.md
index 4f144f82..be8eedb8 100644
--- a/docs/plans/2026-07-16-001-three-project-parity-architecture-plan.md
+++ b/docs/plans/2026-07-16-001-three-project-parity-architecture-plan.md
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ Gate itself remains **U7 / #170** until that PR lands — do not bypass it when
 
 | Unit | Status |
 |------|--------|
-| U3 CLI `--profile` + shared session polish | Deferred |
+| U3 CLI `--profile` + shared session polish | In PR (CLI `--managed`/`--no-managed`/`--profile`) |
 | U4 Managed VFS / validation parity | Deferred |
 | U5 Uninstall / purge GUI | Deferred |
 | U6 Patcher provenance (ImmutableCheckpoint) | Deferred |
diff --git a/src/ModSync.Core/CLI/ModBuildConverter.cs b/src/ModSync.Core/CLI/ModBuildConverter.cs
index e2162b03..d898b25e 100644
--- a/src/ModSync.Core/CLI/ModBuildConverter.cs
+++ b/src/ModSync.Core/CLI/ModBuildConverter.cs
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 using ModSync.Core.Services;
 using ModSync.Core.Services.Download;
 using ModSync.Core.Services.Fomod;
+using ModSync.Core.Services.Installation;
+using ModSync.Core.Services.Settings;
 using ModSync.Core.Services.Validation;
 using ModSync.Core.Utility;
 
@@ -652,6 +654,15 @@ public class InstallOptions : BaseOptions
 
             [Option("ignore-errors", Required = false, Default = false, HelpText = "Ignore dependency resolution errors and attempt to load components in the best possible order")]
             public bool IgnoreErrors { get; set; }
+
+            [Option("managed", Required = false, Default = false, HelpText = "Force managed deployment for this install (requires --profile or an active profile in settings)")]
+            public bool Managed { get; set; }
+
+            [Option("no-managed", Required = false, Default = false, HelpText = "Force classic (non-managed) install for this run, ignoring settings.json managedDeploymentEnabled")]
+            public bool NoManaged { get; set; }
+
+            [Option("profile", Required = false, HelpText = "Install profile name for managed deployment (overrides activeProfileName for this run)")]
+            public string Profile { get; set; }
         }
 
         [Verb("set-nexus-api-key", HelpText = "Set and validate your Nexus Mods API key")]
@@ -3267,14 +3278,45 @@ await LogValidationPipelineOutputAsync(
                 await Logger.LogAsync("Starting installation...").ConfigureAwait(false);
                 await Logger.LogAsync(new string('=', 50)).ConfigureAwait(false);
 
+                ModSyncSettings managedSettings = ModSyncSettings.Load();
+                string managedCliError = ManagedInstallCliOverrides.Apply(
+                    managedSettings,
+                    opts.Managed,
+                    opts.NoManaged,
+                    opts.Profile);
+                if (managedCliError != null)
+                {
+                    await Logger.LogErrorAsync(managedCliError).ConfigureAwait(false);
+                    return 1;
+                }
+
+                bool? managedOverride = ManagedInstallCliOverrides.ResolveManagedOverride(opts.Managed, opts.NoManaged);
+                string profileOverride = string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(opts.Profile) ? null : opts.Profile.Trim();
+                if (managedSettings.ManagedDeploymentEnabled)
+                {
+                    await Logger.LogAsync(
+                        $"Managed deployment enabled for profile '{managedSettings.ActiveProfileName}'."
+                    ).ConfigureAwait(false);
+                }
+
                 ModComponent.InstallExitCode exitCode = await InstallationService.InstallAllSelectedComponentsAsync(
                     components,
                     async (currentIndex, total, componentName) =>
                     {
                         await Logger.LogAsync($"[{currentIndex + 1}/{total}] Installing: {componentName}").ConfigureAwait(false);
-                    }
+                    },
+                    cancellationToken: default,
+                    profileOverride: profileOverride,
+                    managedDeploymentOverride: managedOverride
                 ).ConfigureAwait(false);
 
+                if (InstallationService.LastManagedInstallResult != null)
+                {
+                    await Logger.LogAsync(
+                        ManagedInstallSummaryFormatter.FormatWizardSummary(InstallationService.LastManagedInstallResult)
+                    ).ConfigureAwait(false);
+                }
+
                 await Logger.LogAsync(new string('=', 50)).ConfigureAwait(false);
 
                 if (exitCode == ModComponent.InstallExitCode.Success)
diff --git a/src/ModSync.Core/Services/Installation/ManagedInstallCliOverrides.cs b/src/ModSync.Core/Services/Installation/ManagedInstallCliOverrides.cs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a56e7ef7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ModSync.Core/Services/Installation/ManagedInstallCliOverrides.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,88 @@
+// Copyright 2021-2025 ModSync
+// Licensed under the Business Source License 1.1 (BSL 1.1).
+// See LICENSE.txt file in the project root for full license information.
+
+using System;
+
+using JetBrains.Annotations;
+
+using ModSync.Core.Services.Settings;
+
+namespace ModSync.Core.Services.Installation
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Applies CLI <c>--managed</c> / <c>--no-managed</c> / <c>--profile</c> overrides onto
+    /// loaded <see cref="ModSyncSettings"/> without persisting them (process-local for the install).
+    /// </summary>
+    public static class ManagedInstallCliOverrides
+    {
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Merges optional CLI overrides into <paramref name="settings"/> in place.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <returns>Error message when flags conflict; otherwise <c>null</c>.</returns>
+        [CanBeNull]
+        public static string Apply(
+            [NotNull] ModSyncSettings settings,
+            bool enableManaged,
+            bool disableManaged,
+            [CanBeNull] string profileName)
+        {
+            if (settings is null)
+            {
+                throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(settings));
+            }
+
+            if (enableManaged && disableManaged)
+            {
+                return "Cannot combine --managed and --no-managed.";
+            }
+
+            if (enableManaged)
+            {
+                settings.ManagedDeploymentEnabled = true;
+            }
+            else if (disableManaged)
+            {
+                settings.ManagedDeploymentEnabled = false;
+            }
+
+            if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(profileName))
+            {
+                settings.ActiveProfileName = profileName.Trim();
+            }
+
+            if (settings.ManagedDeploymentEnabled && string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(settings.ActiveProfileName))
+            {
+                return ManagedInstallSession.MissingActiveProfileMessage
+                    + " Pass --profile <name> (or activate a profile in Settings).";
+            }
+
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Resolves the managed-enabled override for <see cref="InstallationService"/>:
+        /// <c>true</c>/<c>false</c> when CLI forces a value; <c>null</c> to keep settings.json.
+        /// </summary>
+        [CanBeNull]
+        public static bool? ResolveManagedOverride(bool enableManaged, bool disableManaged)
+        {
+            if (enableManaged && disableManaged)
+            {
+                return null;
+            }
+
+            if (enableManaged)
+            {
+                return true;
+            }
+
+            if (disableManaged)
+            {
+                return false;
+            }
+
+            return null;
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/ModSync.Core/Services/InstallationService.cs b/src/ModSync.Core/Services/InstallationService.cs
index 7e4d6591..2de54ed1 100644
--- a/src/ModSync.Core/Services/InstallationService.cs
+++ b/src/ModSync.Core/Services/InstallationService.cs
@@ -43,12 +43,23 @@ public class InstallationService
         /// </summary>
         private static async Task<ModComponent.InstallExitCode> RunWithManagedInstallSessionAsync(
             [NotNull] Func<Task<ModComponent.InstallExitCode>> installAction,
-            [CanBeNull] string profileOverride = null)
+            [CanBeNull] string profileOverride = null,
+            bool? managedDeploymentOverride = null)
         {
             ManagedInstallSession managedSession = null;
             try
             {
                 ModSyncSettings settings = ModSyncSettings.Load();
+                if (managedDeploymentOverride.HasValue)
+                {
+                    settings.ManagedDeploymentEnabled = managedDeploymentOverride.Value;
+                }
+
+                if (!string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(profileOverride))
+                {
+                    settings.ActiveProfileName = profileOverride.Trim();
+                }
+
                 var profileService = new ProfileService(ModSyncSettings.GetSettingsDirectory());
                 managedSession = ManagedInstallSession.TryCreate(settings, profileService, profileOverride);
                 ManagedInstallSession.Current = managedSession;
@@ -968,7 +979,9 @@ private static string FormatHolopatcherError(Exception ex, string errorType)
         public static async Task<ModComponent.InstallExitCode> InstallSingleComponentAsync(
             [NotNull] ModComponent component,
             [NotNull][ItemNotNull] IReadOnlyList<ModComponent> allComponents,
-            CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
+            CancellationToken cancellationToken = default,
+            [CanBeNull] string profileOverride = null,
+            bool? managedDeploymentOverride = null)
         {
             if (component is null)
             {
@@ -982,7 +995,8 @@ private static string FormatHolopatcherError(Exception ex, string errorType)
 
             return await RunWithManagedInstallSessionAsync(
                 () => InstallSingleComponentCoreAsync(component, allComponents, cancellationToken),
-                profileOverride: null).ConfigureAwait(false);
+                profileOverride,
+                managedDeploymentOverride).ConfigureAwait(false);
         }
 
         private static async Task<ModComponent.InstallExitCode> InstallSingleComponentCoreAsync(
@@ -1033,7 +1047,8 @@ await Logger.LogErrorAsync(
             [NotNull][ItemNotNull] List<ModComponent> allComponents,
             [CanBeNull] Action<int, int, string> progressCallback = null,
             CancellationToken cancellationToken = default,
-            [CanBeNull] string profileOverride = null)
+            [CanBeNull] string profileOverride = null,
+            bool? managedDeploymentOverride = null)
         {
             if (allComponents is null)
             {
@@ -1042,7 +1057,8 @@ await Logger.LogErrorAsync(
 
             return await RunWithManagedInstallSessionAsync(
                 () => InstallAllSelectedComponentsCoreAsync(allComponents, progressCallback, cancellationToken),
-                profileOverride).ConfigureAwait(false);
+                profileOverride,
+                managedDeploymentOverride).ConfigureAwait(false);
         }
 
         private static async Task<ModComponent.InstallExitCode> InstallAllSelectedComponentsCoreAsync(
@@ -1219,14 +1235,20 @@ await Logger.LogWarningAsync(
             [NotNull][ItemNotNull] IReadOnlyList<ModComponent> allComponents,
             [CanBeNull] Action<int, int, string> progressCallback = null,
             CancellationToken cancellationToken = default,
-            [CanBeNull] string profileOverride = null)
+            [CanBeNull] string profileOverride = null,
+            bool? managedDeploymentOverride = null)
         {
             if (allComponents is null)
             {
                 throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(allComponents));
             }
 
-            return InstallAllSelectedComponentsAsync(allComponents.ToList(), progressCallback, cancellationToken, profileOverride);
+            return InstallAllSelectedComponentsAsync(
+                allComponents.ToList(),
+                progressCallback,
+                cancellationToken,
+                profileOverride,
+                managedDeploymentOverride);
         }
 
     }
diff --git a/src/ModSync.Tests/ManagedInstallCliOverridesTests.cs b/src/ModSync.Tests/ManagedInstallCliOverridesTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fb8bb5ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ModSync.Tests/ManagedInstallCliOverridesTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+// Copyright 2021-2025 ModSync
+// Licensed under the Business Source License 1.1 (BSL 1.1).
+// See LICENSE.txt file in the project root for full license information.
+
+using ModSync.Core.Services.Installation;
+using ModSync.Core.Services.Settings;
+
+using NUnit.Framework;
+
+namespace ModSync.Tests
+{
+    [TestFixture]
+    public sealed class ManagedInstallCliOverridesTests
+    {
+        [Test]
+        public void Apply_EnableManaged_SetsFlagAndRequiresProfile()
+        {
+            var settings = new ModSyncSettings();
+            string error = ManagedInstallCliOverrides.Apply(settings, enableManaged: true, disableManaged: false, profileName: null);
+
+            Assert.That(settings.ManagedDeploymentEnabled, Is.True);
+            Assert.That(error, Does.Contain("no active profile"));
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void Apply_EnableManagedWithProfile_Succeeds()
+        {
+            var settings = new ModSyncSettings { ActiveProfileName = "Old" };
+            string error = ManagedInstallCliOverrides.Apply(
+                settings,
+                enableManaged: true,
+                disableManaged: false,
+                profileName: "CLI Profile");
+
+            Assert.That(error, Is.Null);
+            Assert.That(settings.ManagedDeploymentEnabled, Is.True);
+            Assert.That(settings.ActiveProfileName, Is.EqualTo("CLI Profile"));
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void Apply_DisableManaged_ClearsManagedEvenIfSettingsHadItOn()
+        {
+            var settings = new ModSyncSettings
+            {
+                ManagedDeploymentEnabled = true,
+                ActiveProfileName = "Alpha",
+            };
+
+            string error = ManagedInstallCliOverrides.Apply(
+                settings,
+                enableManaged: false,
+                disableManaged: true,
+                profileName: null);
+
+            Assert.That(error, Is.Null);
+            Assert.That(settings.ManagedDeploymentEnabled, Is.False);
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void Apply_ConflictingFlags_ReturnsError()
+        {
+            var settings = new ModSyncSettings();
+            string error = ManagedInstallCliOverrides.Apply(
+                settings,
+                enableManaged: true,
+                disableManaged: true,
+                profileName: "X");
+
+            Assert.That(error, Does.Contain("--managed").And.Contain("--no-managed"));
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void ResolveManagedOverride_MapsFlags()
+        {
+            Assert.That(ManagedInstallCliOverrides.ResolveManagedOverride(true, false), Is.True);
+            Assert.That(ManagedInstallCliOverrides.ResolveManagedOverride(false, true), Is.False);
+            Assert.That(ManagedInstallCliOverrides.ResolveManagedOverride(false, false), Is.Null);
+            Assert.That(ManagedInstallCliOverrides.ResolveManagedOverride(true, true), Is.Null);
+        }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void Apply_ProfileOnly_UpdatesNameWithoutForcingManaged()
+        {
+            var settings = new ModSyncSettings { ManagedDeploymentEnabled = false };
+            string error = ManagedInstallCliOverrides.Apply(
+                settings,
+                enableManaged: false,
+                disableManaged: false,
+                profileName: "Beta");
+
+            Assert.That(error, Is.Null);
+            Assert.That(settings.ManagedDeploymentEnabled, Is.False);
+            Assert.That(settings.ActiveProfileName, Is.EqualTo("Beta"));
+        }
+    }
+}