diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 06f052b..971355a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -123,6 +123,7 @@ semantra [OPTIONS] [FILENAME(S)]...
 
 - `--model [openai|minilm|mpnet|sgpt|sgpt-1.3B]`: Preset model to use for embedding. See [the models guide](docs/guide_models.md) for more info (default: mpnet)
 - `--transformer-model TEXT`: Custom Huggingface transformers model name to use for embedding (only one of `--model` and `--transformer-model` should be specified). See [the models guide](docs/guide_models.md) for more info
+- `--cpu`: Run local transformers models on CPU even if CUDA is available
 - `--windows TEXT`: Embedding windows to extract. A comma-separated list of the format "size[\_offset=0][_rewind=0]. A window with size 128, offset 0, and rewind of 16 (128_0_16) will embed the document in chunks of 128 tokens which partially overlap by 16. Only the first window is used for search. See the [windows concept doc](docs/concept_windows.md) for more information (default: 128_0_16)
 - `--encoding`: Encoding to use for reading text files [default: utf-8]
 - `--no-server`: Do not start the UI server (only process)
diff --git a/docs/guide_models.md b/docs/guide_models.md
index 581e536..9c50d69 100644
--- a/docs/guide_models.md
+++ b/docs/guide_models.md
@@ -2,6 +2,12 @@
 
 Semantra comes with a few preset models along with the ability to run almost any custom [Hugging Face](https://huggingface.co/) [transformers](https://huggingface.co/docs/transformers/index) model. If your computer has a compatible GPU (graphics processing unit, often found in video cards), Semantra will leverage it via [PyTorch](https://pytorch.org/) to dramatically speed up computation.
 
+If PyTorch detects a CUDA device that is incompatible with the installed PyTorch build, you can force local transformers models to run on CPU with `--cpu`:
+
+```sh
+semantra --cpu <documents>
+```
+
 ## Using preset models
 
 The models Semantra comes with out-of-the-box include:
diff --git a/src/semantra/models.py b/src/semantra/models.py
index 5ff77b1..d0a0925 100644
--- a/src/semantra/models.py
+++ b/src/semantra/models.py
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ def embed(self, tokens, offsets, is_query=False) -> "list[list[float]]":
         "cost_per_token": 0.0004 / 1000,
         "pool_size": 50000,
         "pool_count": 2000,
-        "get_model": lambda: OpenAIModel(
+        "get_model": lambda cuda=None: OpenAIModel(
             model_name="text-embedding-ada-002",
             num_dimensions=1536,
             tokenizer_name="cl100k_base",
@@ -326,35 +326,43 @@ def embed(self, tokens, offsets, is_query=False) -> "list[list[float]]":
     "minilm": {
         "cost_per_token": None,
         "pool_size": 50000,
-        "get_model": lambda: TransformerModel(model_name=minilm_model_name),
+        "get_model": lambda cuda=None: TransformerModel(
+            model_name=minilm_model_name,
+            cuda=cuda,
+        ),
     },
     "mpnet": {
         "cost_per_token": None,
         "pool_size": 15000,
-        "get_model": lambda: TransformerModel(model_name=mpnet_model_name),
+        "get_model": lambda cuda=None: TransformerModel(
+            model_name=mpnet_model_name,
+            cuda=cuda,
+        ),
     },
     "sgpt": {
         "cost_per_token": None,
         "pool_size": 10000,
-        "get_model": lambda: TransformerModel(
+        "get_model": lambda cuda=None: TransformerModel(
             model_name=sgpt_model_name,
             query_token_pre="[",
             query_token_post="]",
             doc_token_pre="{",
             doc_token_post="}",
             asymmetric=True,
+            cuda=cuda,
         ),
     },
     "sgpt-1.3B": {
         "cost_per_token": None,
         "pool_size": 1000,
-        "get_model": lambda: TransformerModel(
+        "get_model": lambda cuda=None: TransformerModel(
             model_name=sgpt_1_3B_model_name,
             query_token_pre="[",
             query_token_post="]",
             doc_token_pre="{",
             doc_token_post="}",
             asymmetric=True,
+            cuda=cuda,
         ),
     },
 }
diff --git a/src/semantra/semantra.py b/src/semantra/semantra.py
index 9636117..cade2de 100644
--- a/src/semantra/semantra.py
+++ b/src/semantra/semantra.py
@@ -367,6 +367,12 @@ def process_windows(windows: str) -> "list[tuple[int, int, int]]":
     type=str,
     help="Custom Huggingface transformers model name to use for embedding",
 )
+@click.option(
+    "--cpu",
+    is_flag=True,
+    default=False,
+    help="Run local transformers models on CPU even if CUDA is available",
+)
 @click.option(
     "--windows",
     type=str,
@@ -538,6 +544,7 @@ def main(
     doc_token_post=None,
     query_token_pre=None,
     query_token_post=None,
+    cpu=False,
     model="mpnet",
     transformer_model=None,
     encoding=DEFAULT_ENCODING,
@@ -581,6 +588,7 @@ def main(
         raise click.UsageError("Must provide a filename to process/query")
 
     processed_windows = list(process_windows(windows))
+    cuda = False if cpu else None
 
     if transformer_model is not None:
         # Handle custom transformers model
@@ -594,6 +602,7 @@ def main(
             doc_token_post=doc_token_post,
             query_token_pre=query_token_pre,
             query_token_post=query_token_post,
+            cuda=cuda,
         )
     else:
         # Pull preset model
@@ -603,7 +612,7 @@ def main(
             pool_size = model_config["pool_size"]
         if pool_count is None:
             pool_count = model_config.get("pool_count", None)
-        model: BaseModel = model_config["get_model"]()
+        model: BaseModel = model_config["get_model"](cuda=cuda)
 
     # Check if model is compatible
     if svm and model.is_asymmetric():