diff --git a/lib/kamal/cli/base.rb b/lib/kamal/cli/base.rb
index 8468dc78a..2065b8afb 100644
--- a/lib/kamal/cli/base.rb
+++ b/lib/kamal/cli/base.rb
@@ -52,10 +52,23 @@ def initialize_commander
             commander.verbosity = VERBOSITY[:quiet]
           end
 
+          config_file = Pathname.new(File.expand_path(options[:config_file]))
+          destination = options[:destination]
+          version = options[:version]
+
           commander.configure \
-            config_file: Pathname.new(File.expand_path(options[:config_file])),
-            destination: options[:destination],
-            version: options[:version]
+            config_file: config_file,
+            destination: destination,
+            version: version
+
+          if config_file.exist? && !options[:skip_hooks]
+            cli = self
+            commander.before_config do
+              if (new_dest = cli.send(:run_pre_configure_hook, config_file, destination).presence)
+                commander.configure config_file: config_file, destination: new_dest, version: version
+              end
+            end
+          end
 
           commander.specific_hosts    = options[:hosts]&.split(",")
           commander.specific_roles    = options[:roles]&.split(",")
@@ -63,6 +76,47 @@ def initialize_commander
         end
       end
 
+      # Fires before config is created — can inject or rewrite the destination.
+      # Runs as a lightweight hook (no config-derived env) because config
+      # may be invalid without a destination (require_destination: true).
+      def run_pre_configure_hook(config_file, destination)
+        env = { "KAMAL_DESTINATION" => destination }
+
+        hook_file = File.join(pre_configure_hooks_path(config_file, env), "pre-configure")
+        return unless File.exist?(hook_file)
+
+        hook_output = Kamal::HookOutput.new
+
+        begin
+          with_env(env.merge("KAMAL_OUTPUT" => hook_output.path)) do
+            run_locally { execute hook_file }
+          end
+
+          output = hook_output.parse
+          KAMAL.merge_hook_output(output)
+
+          if (message = output["KAMAL_MESSAGE"])
+            say message
+          end
+
+          output["KAMAL_DESTINATION"]
+        rescue SSHKit::Command::Failed => e
+          raise HookError.new("Hook `pre-configure` failed:\n#{e.message}")
+        ensure
+          hook_output.cleanup
+        end
+      end
+
+      def pre_configure_hooks_path(config_file, env)
+        with_env(env) do
+          load_method = YAML.respond_to?(:unsafe_load) ? :unsafe_load : :load
+          raw = YAML.send(load_method, ERB.new(File.read(config_file)).result)
+          raw&.dig("hooks_path") || ".kamal/hooks"
+        end
+      rescue Psych::SyntaxError, SyntaxError, KeyError
+        ".kamal/hooks"
+      end
+
       def print_runtime
         started_at = Time.now
         yield
@@ -196,10 +250,12 @@ def pre_connect_if_required
       def command
         @kamal_command ||= begin
           invocation_class, invocation_commands = *first_invocation
-          if invocation_class == Kamal::Cli::Main
+          if invocation_class.nil?
+            nil
+          elsif invocation_class == Kamal::Cli::Main
             invocation_commands[0]
           else
-            Kamal::Cli::Main.subcommand_classes.find { |command, clazz| clazz == invocation_class }[0]
+            Kamal::Cli::Main.subcommand_classes.find { |command, clazz| clazz == invocation_class }&.first
           end
         end
       end
@@ -207,7 +263,7 @@ def command
       def subcommand
         @kamal_subcommand ||= begin
           invocation_class, invocation_commands = *first_invocation
-          invocation_commands[0] if invocation_class != Kamal::Cli::Main
+          invocation_commands&.at(0) if invocation_class && invocation_class != Kamal::Cli::Main
         end
       end
 
diff --git a/lib/kamal/cli/templates/sample_hooks/pre-configure.sample b/lib/kamal/cli/templates/sample_hooks/pre-configure.sample
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..40e0406f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/kamal/cli/templates/sample_hooks/pre-configure.sample
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# A sample pre-configure hook
+#
+# Runs before configuration is created. Can inject or rewrite the deployment
+# destination by writing KAMAL_DESTINATION to $KAMAL_OUTPUT. Useful for
+# dynamic destination assignment (e.g., claiming an available beta slot).
+#
+# Because config has not been created yet, only these environment variables
+# are available:
+# KAMAL_DESTINATION (if set via -d flag)
+# KAMAL_OUTPUT
+#
+# Write KEY=VALUE lines to $KAMAL_OUTPUT to pass data back to Kamal:
+#   echo "KAMAL_DESTINATION=beta2" >> "$KAMAL_OUTPUT"
+#   echo "KAMAL_MESSAGE=Deploying to beta2" >> "$KAMAL_OUTPUT"
+#
+# KAMAL_DESTINATION — sets or overwrites the destination for this deploy
+# KAMAL_MESSAGE — printed to the user after the hook runs
+# Any other keys are accumulated and available to subsequent hooks
+
+echo "pre-configure hook called for destination: ${KAMAL_DESTINATION:-<none>}"
diff --git a/lib/kamal/commander.rb b/lib/kamal/commander.rb
index 3852b4474..09e278ed8 100644
--- a/lib/kamal/commander.rb
+++ b/lib/kamal/commander.rb
@@ -17,14 +17,23 @@ def reset
     self.connected = false
     @specifics = @specific_roles = @specific_hosts = nil
     @config = @config_kwargs = nil
+    @before_config = nil
     @hook_outputs = {}
     @commands = {}
   end
 
   def config
-    @config ||= Kamal::Configuration.create_from(**@config_kwargs.to_h).tap do |config|
-      @config_kwargs = nil
-      configure_sshkit_with(config)
+    @config ||= begin
+      if @before_config
+        hook = @before_config
+        @before_config = nil
+        hook.call
+      end
+
+      Kamal::Configuration.create_from(**@config_kwargs.to_h).tap do |config|
+        @config_kwargs = nil
+        configure_sshkit_with(config)
+      end
     end
   end
 
@@ -32,6 +41,10 @@ def configure(**kwargs)
     @config, @config_kwargs = nil, kwargs
   end
 
+  def before_config(&block)
+    @before_config = block
+  end
+
   def merge_hook_output(output)
     @hook_outputs.merge!(output)
   end
diff --git a/test/cli/main_test.rb b/test/cli/main_test.rb
index 69e2cbf02..3856c8814 100644
--- a/test/cli/main_test.rb
+++ b/test/cli/main_test.rb
@@ -488,7 +488,7 @@ class CliMainTest < CliTestCase
   end
 
   test "init with bundle option and existing binstub" do
-    Pathname.any_instance.expects(:exist?).returns(true).times(4)
+    Pathname.any_instance.stubs(:exist?).returns(true)
     Pathname.any_instance.stubs(:mkpath)
     FileUtils.stubs(:mkdir_p)
     FileUtils.stubs(:cp_r)
diff --git a/test/cli/pre_configure_test.rb b/test/cli/pre_configure_test.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e986007b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cli/pre_configure_test.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,216 @@
+require_relative "cli_test_case"
+
+class CliPreConfigureTest < CliTestCase
+  test "pre-configure hook can rewrite destination" do
+    with_pre_configure_hook({ "KAMAL_DESTINATION" => "world" }) do
+      # Pass -d beta, but the hook rewrites to "world"
+      run_command("exec", "date", "-c", config_file_path("deploy_for_required_dest"), "-d", "beta")
+
+      assert_equal "world", KAMAL.config.destination
+    end
+  end
+
+  test "pre-configure hook can inject destination when require_destination is set" do
+    with_pre_configure_hook({ "KAMAL_DESTINATION" => "world" }) do
+      # No -d flag, but the hook injects one — should not raise despite require_destination: true
+      run_command("exec", "date", "-c", config_file_path("deploy_for_required_dest"))
+
+      assert_equal "world", KAMAL.config.destination
+    end
+  end
+
+  test "pre-configure hook prints KAMAL_MESSAGE" do
+    with_pre_configure_hook({ "KAMAL_MESSAGE" => "Deploying to beta2" }) do
+      output = run_command("exec", "date", "-c", config_file_path("deploy_with_accessories"))
+
+      assert_match "Deploying to beta2", output
+    end
+  end
+
+  test "pre-configure hook accumulates output for subsequent hooks" do
+    with_pre_configure_hook({ "DEPLOY_SLOT" => "slot3" }) do
+      run_command("exec", "date", "-c", config_file_path("deploy_with_accessories"))
+
+      assert_equal "slot3", KAMAL.hook_outputs["DEPLOY_SLOT"]
+    end
+  end
+
+  test "pre-configure hook failure raises HookError" do
+    with_pre_configure_hook_that_fails do
+      assert_raises(Kamal::Cli::HookError) do
+        run_command("exec", "date", "-c", config_file_path("deploy_with_accessories"))
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  test "pre-configure hook tempfile is cleaned up on failure" do
+    tempfile_paths = []
+    original_new = Kamal::HookOutput.method(:new)
+
+    Kamal::HookOutput.stubs(:new).returns(original_new.call.tap { |ho| tempfile_paths << ho.path })
+
+    with_pre_configure_hook_that_fails do
+      assert_raises(Kamal::Cli::HookError) do
+        run_command("exec", "date", "-c", config_file_path("deploy_with_accessories"))
+      end
+    end
+
+    tempfile_paths.each { |path| refute File.exist?(path), "Tempfile #{path} should have been cleaned up" }
+  end
+
+  test "pre-configure hook is skipped with --skip-hooks" do
+    with_pre_configure_hook({ "KAMAL_DESTINATION" => "world" }) do
+      run_command("exec", "date", "-c", config_file_path("deploy_with_accessories"), "-H")
+
+      assert_nil KAMAL.config.destination
+    end
+  end
+
+  test "pre-configure hook does not fire for commands that skip config" do
+    with_pre_configure_hook_that_fails do
+      # version never accesses KAMAL.config, so the hook should not fire
+      output = stdouted { Kamal::Cli::Main.start([ "version", "-c", config_file_path("deploy_with_accessories") ]) }
+      assert_equal Kamal::VERSION, output
+    end
+  end
+
+  test "pre-configure hook clears KAMAL_DESTINATION when no -d flag is passed" do
+    ENV["KAMAL_DESTINATION"] = "leaked"
+
+    with_pre_configure_hook({}) do
+      run_command("exec", "date", "-c", config_file_path("deploy_with_accessories"))
+
+      assert_nil KAMAL.config.destination
+    end
+  ensure
+    ENV.delete("KAMAL_DESTINATION")
+  end
+
+  test "pre-configure hook ignores empty KAMAL_DESTINATION from hook" do
+    with_pre_configure_hook({ "KAMAL_DESTINATION" => "" }) do
+      run_command("exec", "date", "-c", config_file_path("deploy_with_accessories"))
+
+      assert_nil KAMAL.config.destination
+    end
+  end
+
+  test "pre-configure hook falls back to default hooks_path on config ERB error" do
+    Tempfile.create([ "deploy", ".yml" ]) do |config_file|
+      config_file.write(<<~YAML)
+        service: app
+        image: dhh/app
+        hooks_path: '<%= ENV.fetch("NONEXISTENT_VAR_FOR_TEST") %>'
+      YAML
+      config_file.flush
+
+      cli = Kamal::Cli::Base.allocate
+      result = cli.send(:pre_configure_hooks_path, config_file.path, {})
+      assert_equal ".kamal/hooks", result
+    end
+  end
+
+  test "pre-configure hook honors destination-aware hooks_path" do
+    hooks_path = '.kamal/hooks-<%= ENV["KAMAL_DESTINATION"] %>'
+    with_pre_configure_hook({ "KAMAL_DESTINATION" => "world" }, hooks_path: hooks_path, destination: "beta") do
+      run_command("exec", "date", "-c", "config/deploy.yml", "-d", "beta")
+
+      assert_equal "world", KAMAL.config.destination
+    end
+  end
+
+  private
+    def run_command(*command)
+      SSHKit::Backend::Abstract.any_instance.stubs(:capture)
+        .with("date", verbosity: 1)
+        .returns("Today")
+
+      stdouted { Kamal::Cli::Server.start(command) }
+    end
+
+    def config_file_path(fixture_name)
+      "test/fixtures/#{fixture_name}.yml"
+    end
+
+    def with_pre_configure_hook(output, hooks_path: nil, destination: nil)
+      Dir.mktmpdir do |tmpdir|
+        original_pwd = Dir.pwd
+        old_dest = ENV["KAMAL_DESTINATION"]
+        begin
+          copy_fixtures(tmpdir)
+
+          # Resolve ERB hooks_path to determine the actual directory on disk
+          resolved_hooks_path = if hooks_path && destination
+            ENV["KAMAL_DESTINATION"] = destination
+            ERB.new(hooks_path).result
+          else
+            hooks_path || ".kamal/hooks"
+          end
+
+          hook_dir = File.join(tmpdir, resolved_hooks_path)
+          FileUtils.mkdir_p(hook_dir)
+          File.write(File.join(hook_dir, "pre-configure"), "#!/bin/bash\n")
+
+          # If custom hooks_path, write a config that uses it (with raw ERB intact),
+          # plus a destination overlay so config loads successfully after rewrite
+          if hooks_path
+            config_dir = File.join(tmpdir, "config")
+            FileUtils.mkdir_p(config_dir)
+            File.write(File.join(config_dir, "deploy.yml"), <<~YAML)
+              service: app
+              image: dhh/app
+              registry:
+                username: dhh
+                password: secret
+              servers:
+                - 1.1.1.1
+              builder:
+                arch: amd64
+              hooks_path: '#{hooks_path}'
+            YAML
+
+            # Create destination overlay for the rewritten destination
+            rewritten_dest = output["KAMAL_DESTINATION"]
+            if rewritten_dest
+              File.write(File.join(config_dir, "deploy.#{rewritten_dest}.yml"), <<~YAML)
+                servers:
+                  - 1.1.1.1
+              YAML
+            end
+          end
+
+          Dir.chdir(tmpdir)
+
+          # Stub parse to return desired output since Printer backend won't run the hook
+          Kamal::HookOutput.any_instance.stubs(:parse).returns(output)
+
+          yield
+        ensure
+          ENV["KAMAL_DESTINATION"] = old_dest
+          Dir.chdir(original_pwd)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    def with_pre_configure_hook_that_fails
+      Dir.mktmpdir do |tmpdir|
+        original_pwd = Dir.pwd
+        begin
+          copy_fixtures(tmpdir)
+
+          hook_dir = File.join(tmpdir, ".kamal", "hooks")
+          FileUtils.mkdir_p(hook_dir)
+          File.write(File.join(hook_dir, "pre-configure"), "#!/bin/bash\nexit 1")
+
+          Dir.chdir(tmpdir)
+
+          SSHKit::Backend::Abstract.any_instance.stubs(:execute)
+            .with { |*args| args.first.to_s.include?("pre-configure") }
+            .raises(SSHKit::Command::Failed.new("hook failed"))
+
+          yield
+        ensure
+          Dir.chdir(original_pwd)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+end