diff --git a/.changeset/simulator-system-image.md b/.changeset/simulator-system-image.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2ee9a303d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/simulator-system-image.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'eas-cli': minor
+---
+
+Add a `--system-image` flag to `eas simulator:start` to select the Android SDK system image for the emulator.
diff --git a/packages/eas-cli/src/commands/simulator/__tests__/index.test.ts b/packages/eas-cli/src/commands/simulator/__tests__/index.test.ts
index 15b2321121..56abc3de91 100644
--- a/packages/eas-cli/src/commands/simulator/__tests__/index.test.ts
+++ b/packages/eas-cli/src/commands/simulator/__tests__/index.test.ts
@@ -1124,6 +1124,76 @@ describe(Simulator, () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it('forwards --system-image in the Android create options', async () => {
+    const { command } = createCommand([
+      '--platform',
+      'android',
+      '--non-interactive',
+      '--system-image',
+      '  system-images;android-35-ext15;google_apis_playstore;x86_64  ',
+    ]);
+    await command.runAsync();
+
+    expect(mockCreateDeviceRunSessionAsync).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      graphqlClient,
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        android: {
+          systemImagePackage: 'system-images;android-35-ext15;google_apis_playstore;x86_64',
+        },
+      })
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('forwards --device and --system-image together in the Android create options', async () => {
+    const { command } = createCommand([
+      '--platform',
+      'android',
+      '--non-interactive',
+      '--device',
+      'pixel_9',
+      '--system-image',
+      'system-images;android-35-ext15;google_apis_playstore;x86_64',
+    ]);
+    await command.runAsync();
+
+    expect(mockCreateDeviceRunSessionAsync).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      graphqlClient,
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        android: {
+          deviceIdentifier: 'pixel_9',
+          systemImagePackage: 'system-images;android-35-ext15;google_apis_playstore;x86_64',
+        },
+      })
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('omits a blank --system-image', async () => {
+    const { command } = createCommand([
+      '--platform',
+      'android',
+      '--non-interactive',
+      '--system-image',
+      '  ',
+    ]);
+    await command.runAsync();
+
+    expect(mockCreateDeviceRunSessionAsync.mock.calls[0][1]).not.toHaveProperty('android');
+  });
+
+  it('rejects --system-image for iOS before creating a session', async () => {
+    const { command } = createCommand([
+      '--platform',
+      'ios',
+      '--non-interactive',
+      '--system-image',
+      'system-images;android-35-ext15;google_apis_playstore;x86_64',
+    ]);
+    await expect(command.runAsync()).rejects.toThrow(
+      '--system-image is only supported with --platform android.'
+    );
+    expect(mockCreateDeviceRunSessionAsync).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
   it('trims --device before sending it', async () => {
     const { command } = createCommand([
       '--platform',
diff --git a/packages/eas-cli/src/commands/simulator/index.ts b/packages/eas-cli/src/commands/simulator/index.ts
index e7972570fb..129bbd505a 100644
--- a/packages/eas-cli/src/commands/simulator/index.ts
+++ b/packages/eas-cli/src/commands/simulator/index.ts
@@ -100,6 +100,10 @@ export default class Simulator extends EasCommand {
       description:
         'Virtual device to start for the session. On iOS, a Simulator device name or UDID (e.g. "iPhone 16 Pro"). On Android, an AVD hardware profile id (e.g. "pixel_7"). Defaults to a device chosen by the runner.',
     }),
+    'system-image': Flags.string({
+      description:
+        'Android SDK system image package to use for the emulator (e.g. "system-images;android-35-ext15;google_apis_playstore;x86_64"). Defaults to a system image chosen by the runner. Only supported with --platform android.',
+    }),
     'build-id': Flags.string({
       description: 'EAS Build to install and launch before the simulator session is ready.',
       exclusive: ['build-fingerprint', 'application-archive-url', 'expo-go'],
@@ -248,6 +252,7 @@ export default class Simulator extends EasCommand {
     const name = flags.name?.trim() || undefined;
     const tags = flags.tag?.map(tag => tag.trim()).filter(tag => tag.length > 0);
     const deviceIdentifier = flags.device?.trim() || undefined;
+    const systemImagePackage = flags['system-image']?.trim() || undefined;
     const buildId = flags['build-id']?.trim() || undefined;
     const buildFingerprint = flags['build-fingerprint']?.trim() || undefined;
     const applicationArchiveUrlFromFlag = flags['application-archive-url']?.trim() || undefined;
@@ -291,6 +296,9 @@ export default class Simulator extends EasCommand {
 
     const platform = await resolvePlatformAsync(flags.platform, nonInteractive);
     const egress = flags.egress === 'local' ? DeviceRunSessionEgress.Local : undefined;
+    if (systemImagePackage && platform !== AppPlatform.Android) {
+      throw new EasCommandError('--system-image is only supported with --platform android.');
+    }
     let egressAllow: string[] = [];
     try {
       egressAllow = parseEgressAllowList(flags['egress-allow'] ?? []);
@@ -366,11 +374,18 @@ export default class Simulator extends EasCommand {
             packageVersion: flags['package-version'],
             networkCapture: flags['network-capture'],
             ...(networkCaptureFields.length ? { networkCaptureFields } : {}),
-            ...(deviceIdentifier
-              ? platform === AppPlatform.Ios
+            ...(platform === AppPlatform.Ios
+              ? deviceIdentifier
                 ? { ios: { deviceIdentifier } }
-                : { android: { deviceIdentifier } }
-              : {}),
+                : {}
+              : deviceIdentifier || systemImagePackage
+                ? {
+                    android: {
+                      ...(deviceIdentifier ? { deviceIdentifier } : {}),
+                      ...(systemImagePackage ? { systemImagePackage } : {}),
+                    },
+                  }
+                : {}),
             ...(buildId ? { buildId } : {}),
             ...(buildFingerprint ? { buildFingerprint } : {}),
             ...(applicationArchiveUrlFromFlag