diff --git a/radicle-cli/src/commands/patch.rs b/radicle-cli/src/commands/patch.rs
index b7bcc39a..c83e4b0c 100644
--- a/radicle-cli/src/commands/patch.rs
+++ b/radicle-cli/src/commands/patch.rs
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ Usage
     rad patch [<option>...]
     rad patch list [--all|--merged|--open|--archived] [<option>...]
     rad patch show <patch-id> [<option>...]
-    rad patch open [<option>...]
+    rad patch open [--draft] [<option>...]
     rad patch archive <patch-id> [<option>...]
     rad patch update <patch-id> [<option>...]
     rad patch checkout <patch-id> [<option>...]
@@ -50,8 +50,9 @@ Show options
 
     -p, --patch                Show the actual patch diff
 
-Create/Update options
+Open/Update options
 
+        --draft                Open patch in draft mode
         --[no-]announce        Announce patch to network (default: false)
         --[no-]push            Push patch head to storage (default: true)
     -m, --message [<string>]   Provide a comment message to the patch or revision (default: prompt)
@@ -86,6 +87,7 @@ pub enum OperationName {
 pub enum Operation {
     Open {
         message: Message,
+        draft: bool,
     },
     Show {
         patch_id: Rev,
@@ -132,6 +134,7 @@ impl Args for Options {
         let mut push = true;
         let mut filter = Some(patch::State::Open);
         let mut diff = false;
+        let mut draft = false;
 
         while let Some(arg) = parser.next()? {
             match arg {
@@ -165,6 +168,11 @@ impl Args for Options {
                     push = false;
                 }
 
+                // Open options.
+                Long("draft") if op == Some(OperationName::Open) => {
+                    draft = true;
+                }
+
                 // Show options.
                 Long("patch") | Short('p') if op == Some(OperationName::Show) => {
                     diff = true;
@@ -221,7 +229,7 @@ impl Args for Options {
         }
 
         let op = match op.unwrap_or_default() {
-            OperationName::Open => Operation::Open { message },
+            OperationName::Open => Operation::Open { message, draft },
             OperationName::List => Operation::List { filter },
             OperationName::Show => Operation::Show {
                 patch_id: patch_id.ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("a patch must be provided"))?,
@@ -266,8 +274,15 @@ pub fn run(options: Options, ctx: impl term::Context) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     }
 
     match options.op {
-        Operation::Open { ref message } => {
-            create::run(&repository, &profile, &workdir, message.clone(), options)?;
+        Operation::Open { ref message, draft } => {
+            create::run(
+                &repository,
+                &profile,
+                &workdir,
+                message.clone(),
+                draft,
+                options,
+            )?;
         }
         Operation::List { filter } => {
             list::run(&repository, &profile, filter)?;
diff --git a/radicle-cli/src/commands/patch/create.rs b/radicle-cli/src/commands/patch/create.rs
index c38587fe..8cfe0b3f 100644
--- a/radicle-cli/src/commands/patch/create.rs
+++ b/radicle-cli/src/commands/patch/create.rs
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ pub fn run(
     profile: &Profile,
     workdir: &git::raw::Repository,
     message: term::patch::Message,
+    draft: bool,
     options: Options,
 ) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     let mut patches = patch::Patches::open(storage)?;
@@ -116,15 +117,27 @@ pub fn run(
     let head_oid = branch_oid(&head_branch)?;
     let base_oid = workdir.merge_base(*target_oid, *head_oid)?;
     let signer = term::signer(profile)?;
-    let patch = patches.create(
-        title,
-        &description,
-        patch::MergeTarget::default(),
-        base_oid,
-        head_oid,
-        &[],
-        &signer,
-    )?;
+    let patch = if draft {
+        patches.draft(
+            title,
+            &description,
+            patch::MergeTarget::default(),
+            base_oid,
+            head_oid,
+            &[],
+            &signer,
+        )
+    } else {
+        patches.create(
+            title,
+            &description,
+            patch::MergeTarget::default(),
+            base_oid,
+            head_oid,
+            &[],
+            &signer,
+        )
+    }?;
 
     term::success!("Patch {} created", term::format::highlight(patch.id));
     term::blank();
diff --git a/radicle/src/cob/patch.rs b/radicle/src/cob/patch.rs
index 7d27c2e6..8f06b2c1 100644
--- a/radicle/src/cob/patch.rs
+++ b/radicle/src/cob/patch.rs
@@ -1029,7 +1029,7 @@ impl<'a> Patches<'a> {
         Ok(Self { raw })
     }
 
-    /// Create a patch.
+    /// Open a new patch.
     pub fn create<'g, G: Signer>(
         &'g mut self,
         title: impl ToString,
@@ -1040,18 +1040,39 @@ impl<'a> Patches<'a> {
         tags: &[Tag],
         signer: &G,
     ) -> Result<PatchMut<'a, 'g>, Error> {
-        let (id, patch, clock) =
-            Transaction::initial("Create patch", &mut self.raw, signer, |tx| {
-                tx.revision(String::default(), base, oid)?;
-                tx.edit(title, description, target)?;
-                tx.tag(tags.to_owned(), [])?;
+        self._create(
+            title,
+            description,
+            target,
+            base,
+            oid,
+            tags,
+            State::default(),
+            signer,
+        )
+    }
 
-                Ok(())
-            })?;
-        // Just a sanity check that our clock is advancing as expected.
-        debug_assert_eq!(clock.get(), 1);
-
-        Ok(PatchMut::new(id, patch, clock, self))
+    /// Draft a patch. This patch will be created in a [`State::Draft`] state.
+    pub fn draft<'g, G: Signer>(
+        &'g mut self,
+        title: impl ToString,
+        description: impl ToString,
+        target: MergeTarget,
+        base: impl Into<git::Oid>,
+        oid: impl Into<git::Oid>,
+        tags: &[Tag],
+        signer: &G,
+    ) -> Result<PatchMut<'a, 'g>, Error> {
+        self._create(
+            title,
+            description,
+            target,
+            base,
+            oid,
+            tags,
+            State::Draft,
+            signer,
+        )
     }
 
     /// Patches count by state.
@@ -1132,6 +1153,35 @@ impl<'a> Patches<'a> {
             .proposed()?
             .filter(move |(_, p, _)| p.author().id() == who))
     }
+
+    /// Create a patch. This is an internal function used by `create` and `draft`.
+    fn _create<'g, G: Signer>(
+        &'g mut self,
+        title: impl ToString,
+        description: impl ToString,
+        target: MergeTarget,
+        base: impl Into<git::Oid>,
+        oid: impl Into<git::Oid>,
+        tags: &[Tag],
+        state: State,
+        signer: &G,
+    ) -> Result<PatchMut<'a, 'g>, Error> {
+        let (id, patch, clock) =
+            Transaction::initial("Create patch", &mut self.raw, signer, |tx| {
+                tx.revision(String::default(), base, oid)?;
+                tx.edit(title, description, target)?;
+                tx.tag(tags.to_owned(), [])?;
+
+                if state != State::default() {
+                    tx.lifecycle(state)?;
+                }
+                Ok(())
+            })?;
+        // Just a sanity check that our clock is advancing as expected.
+        debug_assert_eq!(clock.get(), 1);
+
+        Ok(PatchMut::new(id, patch, clock, self))
+    }
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]