diff --git a/fleetctl/fleetctl.go b/fleetctl/fleetctl.go
index 71785606d..f7eceb660 100644
--- a/fleetctl/fleetctl.go
+++ b/fleetctl/fleetctl.go
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ var (
 		BlockAttempts int
 		Fields        string
 		SSHPort       int
+		Replace       bool
 	}{}
 
 	// used to cache MachineStates
@@ -595,7 +596,7 @@ func createUnit(name string, uf *unit.UnitFile) (*schema.Unit, error) {
 // Any error encountered during these steps is returned immediately (i.e.
 // subsequent Jobs are not acted on). An error is also returned if none of the
 // above conditions match a given Job.
-func lazyCreateUnits(args []string) error {
+func lazyCreateUnits(args []string, replace bool) error {
 	errchan := make(chan error)
 	var wg sync.WaitGroup
 	for _, arg := range args {
@@ -609,7 +610,7 @@ func lazyCreateUnits(args []string) error {
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("error retrieving Unit(%s) from Registry: %v", name, err)
 		}
-		if u != nil {
+		if !replace && u != nil {
 			log.Debugf("Found Unit(%s) in Registry, no need to recreate it", name)
 			warnOnDifferentLocalUnit(arg, u)
 			continue
@@ -647,7 +648,7 @@ func lazyCreateUnits(args []string) error {
 				if err != nil {
 					return fmt.Errorf("failed getting template Unit(%s) from file: %v", uni.Template, err)
 				}
-			} else {
+			} else if !replace {
 				warnOnDifferentLocalUnit(arg, tmpl)
 				uf = schema.MapSchemaUnitOptionsToUnitFile(tmpl.Options)
 			}
diff --git a/fleetctl/load.go b/fleetctl/load.go
index 497f86058..9d4330259 100644
--- a/fleetctl/load.go
+++ b/fleetctl/load.go
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ var (
 	cmdLoadUnits = &Command{
 		Name:    "load",
 		Summary: "Schedule one or more units in the cluster, first submitting them if necessary.",
-		Usage:   "[--no-block|--block-attempts=N] UNIT...",
+		Usage:   "[--no-block|--block-attempts=N|--replace] UNIT...",
 		Description: `Load one or many units in the cluster into systemd, but do not start.
 
 Select units to load by glob matching for units in the current working directory 
@@ -43,10 +43,11 @@ func init() {
 	cmdLoadUnits.Flags.BoolVar(&sharedFlags.Sign, "sign", false, "DEPRECATED - this option cannot be used")
 	cmdLoadUnits.Flags.IntVar(&sharedFlags.BlockAttempts, "block-attempts", 0, "Wait until the jobs are loaded, performing up to N attempts before giving up. A value of 0 indicates no limit. Does not apply to global units.")
 	cmdLoadUnits.Flags.BoolVar(&sharedFlags.NoBlock, "no-block", false, "Do not wait until the jobs have been loaded before exiting. Always the case for global units.")
+	cmdLoadUnits.Flags.BoolVar(&sharedFlags.Replace, "replace", false, "replace (I need help with the text)")
 }
 
 func runLoadUnits(args []string) (exit int) {
-	if err := lazyCreateUnits(args); err != nil {
+	if err := lazyCreateUnits(args, sharedFlags.Replace); err != nil {
 		stderr("Error creating units: %v", err)
 		return 1
 	}
diff --git a/fleetctl/start.go b/fleetctl/start.go
index 77ea0d343..c7ba44ccd 100644
--- a/fleetctl/start.go
+++ b/fleetctl/start.go
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ var (
 	cmdStartUnit = &Command{
 		Name:    "start",
 		Summary: "Instruct systemd to start one or more units in the cluster, first submitting and loading if necessary.",
-		Usage:   "[--no-block|--block-attempts=N] UNIT...",
+		Usage:   "[--no-block|--block-attempts=N|--replace] UNIT...",
 		Description: `Start one or many units on the cluster. Select units to start by glob matching
 for units in the current working directory or matching names of previously
 submitted units.
@@ -51,10 +51,11 @@ func init() {
 	cmdStartUnit.Flags.BoolVar(&sharedFlags.Sign, "sign", false, "DEPRECATED - this option cannot be used")
 	cmdStartUnit.Flags.IntVar(&sharedFlags.BlockAttempts, "block-attempts", 0, "Wait until the units are launched, performing up to N attempts before giving up. A value of 0 indicates no limit. Does not apply to global units.")
 	cmdStartUnit.Flags.BoolVar(&sharedFlags.NoBlock, "no-block", false, "Do not wait until the units have launched before exiting. Always the case for global units.")
+	cmdStartUnit.Flags.BoolVar(&sharedFlags.Replace, "replace", false, "replace (I need help with the text)")
 }
 
 func runStartUnit(args []string) (exit int) {
-	if err := lazyCreateUnits(args); err != nil {
+	if err := lazyCreateUnits(args, sharedFlags.Replace); err != nil {
 		stderr("Error creating units: %v", err)
 		return 1
 	}
diff --git a/fleetctl/submit.go b/fleetctl/submit.go
index cbfe03f93..904c8b4a1 100644
--- a/fleetctl/submit.go
+++ b/fleetctl/submit.go
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ package main
 var cmdSubmitUnit = &Command{
 	Name:    "submit",
 	Summary: "Upload one or more units to the cluster without starting them",
-	Usage:   "UNIT...",
+	Usage:   "[--replace] UNIT...",
 	Description: `Upload one or more units to the cluster without starting them. Useful
 for validating units before they are started.
 
@@ -33,10 +33,11 @@ Submit a directory of units with glob matching:
 
 func init() {
 	cmdSubmitUnit.Flags.BoolVar(&sharedFlags.Sign, "sign", false, "DEPRECATED - this option cannot be used")
+	cmdSubmitUnit.Flags.BoolVar(&sharedFlags.Replace, "replace", false, "replace (I need help with the text)")
 }
 
 func runSubmitUnits(args []string) (exit int) {
-	if err := lazyCreateUnits(args); err != nil {
+	if err := lazyCreateUnits(args, sharedFlags.Replace); err != nil {
 		stderr("Error creating units: %v", err)
 		exit = 1
 	}