diff --git a/libs/cli/langgraph_cli/config.py b/libs/cli/langgraph_cli/config.py
index 4660e3223..737962740 100644
--- a/libs/cli/langgraph_cli/config.py
+++ b/libs/cli/langgraph_cli/config.py
@@ -383,6 +383,14 @@ class Config(TypedDict, total=False):
     Only relevant if Python dependencies are installed via pip. If omitted, default pip settings are used.
     """
 
+    pip_installer: Optional[str]
+    """Optional. Python package installer to use ('auto', 'pip', 'uv').
+    
+    - 'auto' (default): Use uv for supported base images, otherwise pip
+    - 'pip': Force use of pip regardless of base image support
+    - 'uv': Force use of uv (will fail if base image doesn't support it)
+    """
+
     dockerfile_lines: list[str]
     """Optional. Additional Docker instructions that will be appended to your base Dockerfile.
     
@@ -536,6 +544,7 @@ def validate_config(config: Config) -> Config:
         "node_version": node_version,
         "python_version": python_version,
         "pip_config_file": config.get("pip_config_file"),
+        "pip_installer": config.get("pip_installer", "auto"),
         "_INTERNAL_docker_tag": config.get("_INTERNAL_docker_tag"),
         "base_image": config.get("base_image"),
         "image_distro": image_distro,
@@ -600,6 +609,13 @@ def validate_config(config: Config) -> Config:
                 "Must be either 'debian' or 'wolfi'."
             )
 
+    if pip_installer := config.get("pip_installer"):
+        if pip_installer not in ["auto", "pip", "uv"]:
+            raise click.UsageError(
+                f"Invalid pip_installer: '{pip_installer}'. "
+                "Must be 'auto', 'pip', or 'uv'."
+            )
+
     # Validate auth config
     if auth_conf := config.get("auth"):
         if "path" in auth_conf:
@@ -1114,12 +1130,21 @@ def python_config_to_docker(
     base_image: str,
 ) -> tuple[str, dict[str, str]]:
     """Generate a Dockerfile from the configuration."""
-    if _image_supports_uv(base_image):
+    pip_installer = config.get("pip_installer", "auto")
+
+    if pip_installer == "uv":
         install_cmd = "uv pip install --system"
         uv_removal = "RUN uv pip uninstall --system pip setuptools wheel && rm /usr/bin/uv /usr/bin/uvx"
-    else:
+    elif pip_installer == "pip":
         install_cmd = "pip install"
         uv_removal = ""
+    else:
+        if _image_supports_uv(base_image):
+            install_cmd = "uv pip install --system"
+            uv_removal = "RUN uv pip uninstall --system pip setuptools wheel && rm /usr/bin/uv /usr/bin/uvx"
+        else:
+            install_cmd = "pip install"
+            uv_removal = ""
 
     # configure pip
     pip_install = f"PYTHONDONTWRITEBYTECODE=1 {install_cmd} --no-cache-dir -c /api/constraints.txt"
diff --git a/libs/cli/pyproject.toml b/libs/cli/pyproject.toml
index 0756c8bfe..6de4b7773 100644
--- a/libs/cli/pyproject.toml
+++ b/libs/cli/pyproject.toml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ build-backend = "hatchling.build"
 
 [project]
 name = "langgraph-cli"
-version = "0.3.1"
+version = "0.3.2"
 description = "CLI for interacting with LangGraph API"
 authors = []
 requires-python = ">=3.9"
diff --git a/libs/cli/schemas/schema.json b/libs/cli/schemas/schema.json
index b47bf0013..b9a737c45 100644
--- a/libs/cli/schemas/schema.json
+++ b/libs/cli/schemas/schema.json
@@ -134,6 +134,17 @@
               ],
               "description": "Optional. Linux distribution for the base image.\n\nMust be either 'debian' or 'wolfi'. If omitted, defaults to 'debian'.\n"
             },
+            "pip_installer": {
+              "anyOf": [
+                {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                {
+                  "type": "null"
+                }
+              ],
+              "description": "Optional. Python package installer to use ('auto', 'pip', 'uv').\n\n"
+            },
             "store": {
               "anyOf": [
                 {
@@ -287,6 +298,17 @@
               ],
               "description": "Optional. Linux distribution for the base image.\n\nMust be either 'debian' or 'wolfi'. If omitted, defaults to 'debian'.\n"
             },
+            "pip_installer": {
+              "anyOf": [
+                {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                {
+                  "type": "null"
+                }
+              ],
+              "description": "Optional. Python package installer to use ('auto', 'pip', 'uv').\n\n"
+            },
             "store": {
               "anyOf": [
                 {
diff --git a/libs/cli/schemas/schema.v0.json b/libs/cli/schemas/schema.v0.json
index b47bf0013..b9a737c45 100644
--- a/libs/cli/schemas/schema.v0.json
+++ b/libs/cli/schemas/schema.v0.json
@@ -134,6 +134,17 @@
               ],
               "description": "Optional. Linux distribution for the base image.\n\nMust be either 'debian' or 'wolfi'. If omitted, defaults to 'debian'.\n"
             },
+            "pip_installer": {
+              "anyOf": [
+                {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                {
+                  "type": "null"
+                }
+              ],
+              "description": "Optional. Python package installer to use ('auto', 'pip', 'uv').\n\n"
+            },
             "store": {
               "anyOf": [
                 {
@@ -287,6 +298,17 @@
               ],
               "description": "Optional. Linux distribution for the base image.\n\nMust be either 'debian' or 'wolfi'. If omitted, defaults to 'debian'.\n"
             },
+            "pip_installer": {
+              "anyOf": [
+                {
+                  "type": "string"
+                },
+                {
+                  "type": "null"
+                }
+              ],
+              "description": "Optional. Python package installer to use ('auto', 'pip', 'uv').\n\n"
+            },
             "store": {
               "anyOf": [
                 {
diff --git a/libs/cli/tests/unit_tests/test_config.py b/libs/cli/tests/unit_tests/test_config.py
index 112f16443..3971b60e2 100644
--- a/libs/cli/tests/unit_tests/test_config.py
+++ b/libs/cli/tests/unit_tests/test_config.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import copy
 import json
 import os
 import pathlib
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ def test_validate_config():
         "python_version": "3.11",
         "node_version": None,
         "pip_config_file": None,
+        "pip_installer": "auto",
         "image_distro": "debian",
         "dockerfile_lines": [],
         "env": {},
@@ -61,6 +63,7 @@ def test_validate_config():
         "python_version": "3.12",
         "node_version": None,
         "pip_config_file": "pipconfig.txt",
+        "pip_installer": "auto",
         "image_distro": "debian",
         "dockerfile_lines": ["ARG meow"],
         "dependencies": [".", "langchain"],
@@ -216,6 +219,74 @@ def test_validate_config_image_distro():
     assert config["image_distro"] == "debian"
 
 
+def test_validate_config_pip_installer():
+    """Test validation of pip_installer field."""
+    # Valid pip_installer values should work
+    config = validate_config(
+        {
+            "python_version": "3.11",
+            "dependencies": ["."],
+            "graphs": {"agent": "./agent.py:graph"},
+            "pip_installer": "auto",
+        }
+    )
+    assert config["pip_installer"] == "auto"
+
+    config = validate_config(
+        {
+            "python_version": "3.11",
+            "dependencies": ["."],
+            "graphs": {"agent": "./agent.py:graph"},
+            "pip_installer": "pip",
+        }
+    )
+    assert config["pip_installer"] == "pip"
+
+    config = validate_config(
+        {
+            "python_version": "3.11",
+            "dependencies": ["."],
+            "graphs": {"agent": "./agent.py:graph"},
+            "pip_installer": "uv",
+        }
+    )
+    assert config["pip_installer"] == "uv"
+
+    # Missing pip_installer should default to "auto"
+    config = validate_config(
+        {
+            "python_version": "3.11",
+            "dependencies": ["."],
+            "graphs": {"agent": "./agent.py:graph"},
+        }
+    )
+    assert config["pip_installer"] == "auto"
+
+    # Invalid pip_installer values should raise error
+    with pytest.raises(click.UsageError) as exc_info:
+        validate_config(
+            {
+                "python_version": "3.11",
+                "dependencies": ["."],
+                "graphs": {"agent": "./agent.py:graph"},
+                "pip_installer": "conda",
+            }
+        )
+    assert "Invalid pip_installer: 'conda'" in str(exc_info.value)
+    assert "Must be 'auto', 'pip', or 'uv'" in str(exc_info.value)
+
+    with pytest.raises(click.UsageError) as exc_info:
+        validate_config(
+            {
+                "python_version": "3.11",
+                "dependencies": ["."],
+                "graphs": {"agent": "./agent.py:graph"},
+                "pip_installer": "invalid",
+            }
+        )
+    assert "Invalid pip_installer: 'invalid'" in str(exc_info.value)
+
+
 def test_validate_config_file():
     with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir:
         tmpdir_path = pathlib.Path(tmpdir)
@@ -799,6 +870,61 @@ WORKDIR /deps/__outer_unit_tests/unit_tests"""
     assert additional_contexts == {}
 
 
+def test_config_to_docker_pip_installer():
+    """Test that pip_installer setting affects the generated Dockerfile."""
+    graphs = {"agent": "./graphs/agent.py:graph"}
+    base_config = {
+        "python_version": "3.11",
+        "dependencies": ["."],
+        "graphs": graphs,
+    }
+
+    # Test default (auto) behavior with UV-supporting image
+    config_auto = validate_config(
+        {**copy.deepcopy(base_config), "pip_installer": "auto"}
+    )
+    docker_auto, _ = config_to_docker(
+        PATH_TO_CONFIG, config_auto, "langchain/langgraph-api:0.2.47"
+    )
+    assert "uv pip install --system" in docker_auto
+    assert "rm /usr/bin/uv /usr/bin/uvx" in docker_auto
+
+    # Test explicit pip setting
+    config_pip = validate_config({**copy.deepcopy(base_config), "pip_installer": "pip"})
+    docker_pip, _ = config_to_docker(
+        PATH_TO_CONFIG, config_pip, "langchain/langgraph-api:0.2.47"
+    )
+    assert "uv pip install --system" not in docker_pip
+    assert "pip install" in docker_pip
+    assert "rm /usr/bin/uv" not in docker_pip
+
+    # Test explicit uv setting
+    config_uv = validate_config({**copy.deepcopy(base_config), "pip_installer": "uv"})
+    docker_uv, _ = config_to_docker(
+        PATH_TO_CONFIG, config_uv, "langchain/langgraph-api:0.2.47"
+    )
+    assert "uv pip install --system" in docker_uv
+    assert "rm /usr/bin/uv /usr/bin/uvx" in docker_uv
+
+    # Test auto behavior with older image (should use pip)
+    config_auto_old = validate_config(
+        {**copy.deepcopy(base_config), "pip_installer": "auto"}
+    )
+    docker_auto_old, _ = config_to_docker(
+        PATH_TO_CONFIG, config_auto_old, "langchain/langgraph-api:0.2.46"
+    )
+    assert "uv pip install --system" not in docker_auto_old
+    assert "pip install" in docker_auto_old
+    assert "rm /usr/bin/uv" not in docker_auto_old
+
+    # Test that missing pip_installer defaults to auto behavior
+    config_default = validate_config(copy.deepcopy(base_config))
+    docker_default, _ = config_to_docker(
+        PATH_TO_CONFIG, config_default, "langchain/langgraph-api:0.2.47"
+    )
+    assert "uv pip install --system" in docker_default
+
+
 # config_to_compose
 def test_config_to_compose_simple_config():
     graphs = {"agent": "./agent.py:graph"}
diff --git a/libs/cli/uv.lock b/libs/cli/uv.lock
index 114732bbe..f73545105 100644
--- a/libs/cli/uv.lock
+++ b/libs/cli/uv.lock
@@ -501,7 +501,7 @@ wheels = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "langgraph-cli"
-version = "0.3.1"
+version = "0.3.2"
 source = { editable = "." }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "click" },