diff --git a/src/cmd/initialize.go b/src/cmd/initialize.go
index cfb3b7c875..dad08826e2 100644
--- a/src/cmd/initialize.go
+++ b/src/cmd/initialize.go
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import (
 	"path"
 	"path/filepath"
 
+	"github.com/AlecAivazis/survey/v2"
+	"github.com/Masterminds/semver/v3"
 	"github.com/defenseunicorns/zarf/src/config"
 	"github.com/defenseunicorns/zarf/src/internal/message"
 	"github.com/defenseunicorns/zarf/src/internal/packager"
@@ -39,16 +41,58 @@ var initCmd = &cobra.Command{
 		initPackageName := fmt.Sprintf("zarf-init-%s.tar.zst", config.GetArch())
 		config.DeployOptions.PackagePath = initPackageName
 
-		// Use an init-package in the executable directory if none exist in current working directory
+		// Try to use an init-package in the executable directory if none exist in current working directory
 		if utils.InvalidPath(config.DeployOptions.PackagePath) {
 			executablePath, err := utils.GetFinalExecutablePath()
 			if err != nil {
-				message.Fatal(err, "Unable to get the directory where the zarf cli executable lives")
+				message.Error(err, "Unable to get the directory where the zarf cli is located.")
 			}
 
 			executableDir := path.Dir(executablePath)
 			config.DeployOptions.PackagePath = filepath.Join(executableDir, initPackageName)
+
+			// If the init-package doesn't exist in the executable directory, suggest trying to download
+			if utils.InvalidPath(config.DeployOptions.PackagePath) {
+
+				if config.DeployOptions.Confirm {
+					message.Fatalf(nil, "This command requires a zarf-init package, but one was not found on the local system.")
+				}
+
+				// If no CLI version exists (should only occur in dev or CI), try to get the latest release tag from Githhub
+				if _, err := semver.StrictNewVersion(config.CLIVersion); err != nil {
+					config.CLIVersion, err = utils.GetLatestReleaseTag(config.GithubProject)
+					if err != nil {
+						message.Fatal(err, "No CLI version found and unable to get the latest release tag for the zarf cli.")
+					}
+				}
+
+				var confirmDownload bool
+				url := fmt.Sprintf("https://github.com/%s/releases/download/%s/%s", config.GithubProject, config.CLIVersion, initPackageName)
+
+				// Give the user the choice to download the init-package and note that this does require an internet connection
+				message.Question(fmt.Sprintf("It seems the init package could not be found locally, but can be downloaded from %s", url))
+
+				message.Note("Note: This will require an internet connection.")
+
+				// Prompt the user if --confirm not specified
+				if !confirmDownload {
+					prompt := &survey.Confirm{
+						Message: "Do you want to download this init package?",
+					}
+					_ = survey.AskOne(prompt, &confirmDownload)
+				}
+
+				// If the user wants to download the init-package, download it
+				if confirmDownload {
+					utils.DownloadToFile(url, config.DeployOptions.PackagePath, "")
+				} else {
+					// Otherwise, exit and tell the user to manually download the init-package
+					message.Warn("You must download the init package manually and place it in the current working directory")
+					os.Exit(0)
+				}
+			}
 		}
+
 		// Run everything
 		packager.Deploy()
 	},
diff --git a/src/config/config.go b/src/config/config.go
index c295b8042e..9010029ff7 100644
--- a/src/config/config.go
+++ b/src/config/config.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
+	GithubProject = "defenseunicorns/zarf"
 	IPV4Localhost = "127.0.0.1"
 
 	PackagePrefix = "zarf-package"
diff --git a/src/internal/utils/github.go b/src/internal/utils/github.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..04877f52e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/internal/utils/github.go
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+package utils
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"net/http"
+
+	"github.com/defenseunicorns/zarf/src/internal/message"
+)
+
+// GetLatestReleaseTag returns the latest release tag for the given github project
+func GetLatestReleaseTag(project string) (string, error) {
+	message.Debugf("utils.GetLatestReleaseTag(%s)", project)
+
+	// We only need the tag from the JSON response
+	// See https://github.com/google/go-github/blob/v45.1.0/github/repos_releases.go#L21 for complete reference
+	ghRelease := struct {
+		TagName string `json:"tag_name"`
+	}{}
+
+	// Get the latest release from the GitHub API for the given project
+	resp, err := http.Get(fmt.Sprintf("https://api.github.com/repos/%s/releases/latest", project))
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+
+	// Decode the JSON response into the ghRelease struct
+	if err := json.NewDecoder(resp.Body).Decode(&ghRelease); err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	return ghRelease.TagName, nil
+}