diff --git a/lower-constraints.txt b/lower-constraints.txt
index fac497a3c..0a453dae2 100644
--- a/lower-constraints.txt
+++ b/lower-constraints.txt
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ msgpack-python==0.4.0
 munch==2.1.0
 netaddr==0.7.18
 netifaces==0.10.4
-openstacksdk==0.44.0
+openstacksdk==0.48.0
 os-service-types==1.7.0
 os-testr==1.0.0
 osc-lib==2.0.0
diff --git a/openstackclient/image/v2/image.py b/openstackclient/image/v2/image.py
index 53ce560dc..b068ddafd 100644
--- a/openstackclient/image/v2/image.py
+++ b/openstackclient/image/v2/image.py
@@ -324,6 +324,14 @@ class CreateImage(command.ShowOne):
             metavar="<project>",
             help=_("Set an alternate project on this image (name or ID)"),
         )
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--import",
+            dest="use_import",
+            action="store_true",
+            help=_(
+                "Force the use of glance image import instead of"
+                " direct upload")
+        )
         common.add_project_domain_option_to_parser(parser)
         for deadopt in self.deadopts:
             parser.add_argument(
@@ -388,6 +396,9 @@ class CreateImage(command.ShowOne):
                 parsed_args.project_domain,
             ).id
 
+        if parsed_args.use_import:
+            kwargs['use_import'] = True
+
         # open the file first to ensure any failures are handled before the
         # image is created. Get the file name (if it is file, and not stdin)
         # for easier further handling.
diff --git a/openstackclient/tests/unit/image/v2/test_image.py b/openstackclient/tests/unit/image/v2/test_image.py
index a021cfc7f..310f6b763 100644
--- a/openstackclient/tests/unit/image/v2/test_image.py
+++ b/openstackclient/tests/unit/image/v2/test_image.py
@@ -271,6 +271,28 @@ class TestImageCreate(TestImage):
             exceptions.CommandError,
             self.cmd.take_action, parsed_args)
 
+    @mock.patch('sys.stdin', side_effect=[None])
+    def test_image_create_import(self, raw_input):
+
+        arglist = [
+            '--import',
+            self.new_image.name,
+        ]
+        verifylist = [
+            ('name', self.new_image.name),
+        ]
+        parsed_args = self.check_parser(self.cmd, arglist, verifylist)
+
+        columns, data = self.cmd.take_action(parsed_args)
+
+        # ImageManager.create(name=, **)
+        self.client.create_image.assert_called_with(
+            name=self.new_image.name,
+            container_format=image.DEFAULT_CONTAINER_FORMAT,
+            disk_format=image.DEFAULT_DISK_FORMAT,
+            use_import=True
+        )
+
 
 class TestAddProjectToImage(TestImage):
 
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/add-image-import-flag-899869dc5a92aea7.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/add-image-import-flag-899869dc5a92aea7.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fbd29bcd8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/add-image-import-flag-899869dc5a92aea7.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+features:
+  - |
+    Added ``--import`` flag to ``openstack image create`` to allow
+    the user to force use of the image import codepath.
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index b1421a831..2b7976e59 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ pbr!=2.1.0,>=2.0.0 # Apache-2.0
 six>=1.10.0 # MIT
 
 cliff!=2.9.0,>=2.8.0 # Apache-2.0
-openstacksdk>=0.44.0 # Apache-2.0
+openstacksdk>=0.48.0 # Apache-2.0
 osc-lib>=2.0.0 # Apache-2.0
 oslo.i18n>=3.15.3 # Apache-2.0
 oslo.utils>=3.33.0 # Apache-2.0