diff --git a/modules/cli/src/main/scala/scala/cli/ScalaCli.scala b/modules/cli/src/main/scala/scala/cli/ScalaCli.scala
index 769646e086..96e58eedad 100644
--- a/modules/cli/src/main/scala/scala/cli/ScalaCli.scala
+++ b/modules/cli/src/main/scala/scala/cli/ScalaCli.scala
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package scala.cli
 
 import bloop.rifle.FailedToStartServerException
+import coursier.core.Version
 import sun.misc.{Signal, SignalHandler}
 
 import java.io.{ByteArrayOutputStream, File, PrintStream}
@@ -236,9 +237,13 @@ object ScalaCli {
         maybeLauncherOptions = Some(launcherOpts)
         launcherOpts.cliVersion.map(_.trim).filter(_.nonEmpty) match {
           case Some(ver) =>
-            val powerArgs       = launcherOpts.powerOptions.toCliArgs
-            val scalaRunnerArgs = launcherOpts.scalaRunner.toCliArgs
-            val newArgs         = powerArgs ++ scalaRunnerArgs ++ args0
+            val powerArgs              = launcherOpts.powerOptions.toCliArgs
+            val initialScalaRunnerArgs = launcherOpts.scalaRunner
+            val finalScalaRunnerArgs =
+              // if the version was specified, it doesn't make sense to check for CLI updates
+              (if Version(ver) < Version("1.4.0") then initialScalaRunnerArgs
+               else initialScalaRunnerArgs.copy(skipCliUpdates = Some(true))).toCliArgs
+            val newArgs = powerArgs ++ finalScalaRunnerArgs ++ args0
             LauncherCli.runAndExit(ver, launcherOpts, newArgs)
           case _ if
                 javaMajorVersion < 17
diff --git a/modules/cli/src/main/scala/scala/cli/commands/version/Version.scala b/modules/cli/src/main/scala/scala/cli/commands/version/Version.scala
index 9315005cbd..8ae33a5399 100644
--- a/modules/cli/src/main/scala/scala/cli/commands/version/Version.scala
+++ b/modules/cli/src/main/scala/scala/cli/commands/version/Version.scala
@@ -37,7 +37,8 @@ object Version extends ScalaCommand[VersionOptions] {
     else if options.scalaVersion then println(defaultScalaVersion)
     else {
       println(versionInfo)
-      if !options.offline then
+      val skipCliUpdates = ScalaCli.launcherOptions.scalaRunner.skipCliUpdates.getOrElse(false)
+      if !options.offline && !skipCliUpdates then
         maybeNewerScalaCliVersion.foreach { v =>
           logger.message(
             s"""Your $fullRunnerName version is outdated. The newest version is $v
diff --git a/modules/cli/src/main/scala/scala/cli/launcher/ScalaRunnerLauncherOptions.scala b/modules/cli/src/main/scala/scala/cli/launcher/ScalaRunnerLauncherOptions.scala
index 1b67a94b62..091837b2d7 100644
--- a/modules/cli/src/main/scala/scala/cli/launcher/ScalaRunnerLauncherOptions.scala
+++ b/modules/cli/src/main/scala/scala/cli/launcher/ScalaRunnerLauncherOptions.scala
@@ -32,7 +32,14 @@ case class ScalaRunnerLauncherOptions(
   )
   @Hidden
   @Tag(tags.implementation)
-  progName: Option[String] = None
+  progName: Option[String] = None,
+  @Group(HelpGroup.Launcher.toString)
+  @HelpMessage(
+    "This allows to skip checking for newest Scala CLI versions. --offline covers this scenario as well."
+  )
+  @Hidden
+  @Tag(tags.implementation)
+  skipCliUpdates: Option[Boolean] = None
 ) {
   def toCliArgs: List[String] =
     cliUserScalaVersion.toList.flatMap(v => List("--cli-default-scala-version", v)) ++