diff --git a/packages/webpack-cli/bin/cli.js b/packages/webpack-cli/bin/cli.js
index db74156aa8b..9a9f5f02a59 100755
--- a/packages/webpack-cli/bin/cli.js
+++ b/packages/webpack-cli/bin/cli.js
@@ -12,9 +12,11 @@ const importLocal = require('import-local');
 const runCLI = require('../lib/bootstrap');
 const utils = require('../lib/utils');
 
-// Prefer the local installation of `webpack-cli`
-if (importLocal(__filename)) {
-    return;
+if (!process.env.WEBPACK_CLI_SKIP_IMPORT_LOCAL) {
+    // Prefer the local installation of `webpack-cli`
+    if (importLocal(__filename)) {
+        return;
+    }
 }
 
 process.title = 'webpack';
diff --git a/test/build/import-local/import-local.test.js b/test/build/import-local/import-local.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..afbb3d90a9e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/build/import-local/import-local.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+'use strict';
+
+const { run } = require('../../utils/test-utils');
+
+const importLocalMock = jest.fn();
+jest.setMock('import-local', importLocalMock);
+
+describe('import local', () => {
+    beforeEach(() => {
+        importLocalMock.mockClear();
+    });
+    it('should skip import local when supplied', () => {
+        const { exitCode, stderr, stdout } = run(__dirname, [], {
+            env: { WEBPACK_CLI_SKIP_IMPORT_LOCAL: true },
+        });
+        expect(importLocalMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0);
+        expect(exitCode).toBe(0);
+        expect(stderr).toBeFalsy();
+        expect(stdout).toBeTruthy();
+    });
+});
diff --git a/test/build/import-local/src/index.js b/test/build/import-local/src/index.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e69de29bb2d