diff --git a/runpod/api/ctl_commands.py b/runpod/api/ctl_commands.py
index 73355cb0..adfe7ff8 100644
--- a/runpod/api/ctl_commands.py
+++ b/runpod/api/ctl_commands.py
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ def get_pod(pod_id: str):
 
 def create_pod(
     name: str,
-    image_name: str,
+    image_name: Optional[str] = "",
     gpu_type_id: Optional[str] = None,
     cloud_type: str = "ALL",
     support_public_ip: bool = True,
@@ -141,6 +141,10 @@ def create_pod(
     >>> pod_id = runpod.create_pod("test", "runpod/stack", instance_id="cpu3c-2-4")
     """
     # Input Validation
+
+    if not image_name and not template_id:
+        raise ValueError("Either image_name or template_id must be provided")
+
     if gpu_type_id is not None:
         get_gpu(gpu_type_id)  # Check if GPU exists, will raise ValueError if not.
     if cloud_type not in ["ALL", "COMMUNITY", "SECURE"]:
diff --git a/tests/test_api/test_ctl_commands.py b/tests/test_api/test_ctl_commands.py
index a24da44f..2b2e4301 100644
--- a/tests/test_api/test_ctl_commands.py
+++ b/tests/test_api/test_ctl_commands.py
@@ -136,6 +136,18 @@ def test_create_pod(self):
                 "cloud_type must be one of ALL, COMMUNITY or SECURE",
             )
 
+            with self.assertRaises(ValueError) as context:
+                pod = ctl_commands.create_pod(
+                    name="POD_NAME",
+                    gpu_type_id="NVIDIA A100 80GB PCIe",
+                    network_volume_id="NETWORK_VOLUME_ID",
+                )
+
+            self.assertEqual(
+                str(context.exception),
+                "Either image_name or template_id must be provided",
+            )
+
     def test_stop_pod(self):
         """
         Test stop_pod