diff --git a/internal/cmd/scan/scan.go b/internal/cmd/scan/scan.go
index 6127c1ac..17ca36f1 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/scan/scan.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/scan/scan.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ var callgraphGenerateTimeout int
 var callgraphUploadTimeout int
 var commitAuthor string
 var commitName string
+var generateCommitName bool
 var debug bool
 var exclusions = file.Exclusions()
 var inclusions = file.Exclusions()
@@ -68,6 +69,7 @@ const (
 	TagCommitAsReleaseFlag          = "tag-commit-as-release"
 	TagCommitAsReleaseEnv           = "TAG_COMMIT_AS_RELEASE"
 	ExperimentalFlag                = "experimental"
+	GenerateCommitNameFlag          = "generate-commit-name"
 )
 
 var scanCmdError error
@@ -88,6 +90,7 @@ If the given path contains a git repository all flags but "integration" will be
 
 	cmd.Flags().StringVarP(&repositoryName, RepositoryFlag, "r", "", "repository name")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVarP(&commitName, CommitFlag, "c", "", "commit hash")
+	cmd.Flags().BoolVar(&generateCommitName, GenerateCommitNameFlag, false, "auto-generate a commit name if no commit hash is found (in -c or env)")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVarP(&branchName, BranchFlag, "b", "", "branch name")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVarP(&commitAuthor, CommitAuthorFlag, "a", "", "commit author")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVarP(&repositoryUrl, RepositoryUrlFlag, "u", "", "repository URL")
@@ -239,6 +242,7 @@ func RunE(s *scan.IScanner) func(_ *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 			VersionHint:                 viper.GetBool(VersionHintFlag),
 			RepositoryName:              viper.GetString(RepositoryFlag),
 			CommitName:                  viper.GetString(CommitFlag),
+			GenerateCommitName:          viper.GetBool(GenerateCommitNameFlag),
 			BranchName:                  viper.GetString(BranchFlag),
 			CommitAuthor:                viper.GetString(CommitAuthorFlag),
 			RepositoryUrl:               viper.GetString(RepositoryUrlFlag),
diff --git a/internal/scan/scanner.go b/internal/scan/scanner.go
index 5567ac19..d414946e 100644
--- a/internal/scan/scanner.go
+++ b/internal/scan/scanner.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/debricked/cli/internal/callgraph"
 	"github.com/debricked/cli/internal/callgraph/config"
@@ -60,6 +61,7 @@ type DebrickedOptions struct {
 	VersionHint                 bool
 	RepositoryName              string
 	CommitName                  string
+	GenerateCommitName          bool
 	BranchName                  string
 	CommitAuthor                string
 	RepositoryUrl               string
@@ -105,6 +107,7 @@ func (dScanner *DebrickedScanner) Scan(o IOptions) error {
 
 	debug.Log("Mapping environment variables...", dOptions.Debug)
 	MapEnvToOptions(&dOptions, e)
+	UpdatedEmptyCommitName(&dOptions)
 
 	if err := SetWorkingDirectory(&dOptions); err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -332,6 +335,17 @@ func SetWorkingDirectory(d *DebrickedOptions) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func UpdatedEmptyCommitName(o *DebrickedOptions) {
+	if o.GenerateCommitName && o.CommitName == "" {
+		debug.Log("No commit name set, generating commit name", o.Debug)
+		o.CommitName = GenerateCommitNameTimestamp()
+	}
+}
+
+func GenerateCommitNameTimestamp() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("generated-%d", time.Now().Unix())
+}
+
 func MapEnvToOptions(o *DebrickedOptions, env env.Env) {
 	if len(o.RepositoryName) == 0 {
 		o.RepositoryName = env.Repository
diff --git a/internal/scan/scanner_test.go b/internal/scan/scanner_test.go
index cb63963c..c97d29ea 100644
--- a/internal/scan/scanner_test.go
+++ b/internal/scan/scanner_test.go
@@ -519,6 +519,40 @@ var cases = []struct {
 	},
 }
 
+func TestUpdateEmptyCommitName(t *testing.T) {
+	opts := DebrickedOptions{
+		CommitName:         "",
+		GenerateCommitName: true,
+	}
+
+	UpdatedEmptyCommitName(&opts)
+	assert.Contains(t, opts.CommitName, "generated-")
+}
+
+func TestUpdateEmptyCommitNameNotEmpty(t *testing.T) {
+	opts := DebrickedOptions{
+		CommitName:         "test",
+		GenerateCommitName: true,
+	}
+
+	UpdatedEmptyCommitName(&opts)
+	assert.Equal(t, opts.CommitName, "test")
+}
+
+func TestUpdateEmptyCommitNameNoGenerateCommitNameSet(t *testing.T) {
+	opts := DebrickedOptions{
+		CommitName: "",
+	}
+
+	UpdatedEmptyCommitName(&opts)
+	assert.Empty(t, opts.CommitName)
+}
+
+func TestGenerateCommitName(t *testing.T) {
+	res := GenerateCommitNameTimestamp()
+	assert.Contains(t, res, "generated-")
+}
+
 func TestMapEnvToOptions(t *testing.T) {
 
 	for _, co := range cases {
@@ -718,6 +752,39 @@ func TestScanWithFingerprintNoEnterprise(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Contains(t, cwd, path)
 }
 
+func TestScanWithGeneratedCommitName(t *testing.T) {
+	clientMock := testdata.NewDebClientMock()
+	addMockedFormatsResponse(clientMock, "package\\.json")
+	addMockedFileUploadResponse(clientMock)
+	addMockedFinishResponse(clientMock, http.StatusNoContent)
+	addMockedStatusResponse(clientMock, http.StatusOK, 100)
+
+	scanner := makeScanner(clientMock, nil, nil)
+
+	cwd, _ := os.Getwd()
+	defer resetWd(t, cwd)
+
+	path := testdataNpm
+	repositoryName := path
+	opts := DebrickedOptions{
+		Path:               path,
+		Resolve:            false,
+		Fingerprint:        false,
+		CallGraph:          false,
+		Exclusions:         nil,
+		Inclusions:         nil,
+		RepositoryName:     repositoryName,
+		GenerateCommitName: true,
+		BranchName:         "",
+		RepositoryUrl:      "",
+		IntegrationName:    "",
+	}
+	err := scanner.Scan(opts)
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+	cwd, _ = os.Getwd()
+	assert.Contains(t, cwd, path)
+}
+
 func TestScanWithCallgraph(t *testing.T) {
 	if runtime.GOOS == windowsOS {
 		t.Skipf("TestScan is skipped due to Windows env")