diff --git a/.changeset/cli-packs-a-punch.md b/.changeset/cli-packs-a-punch.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1fabe199d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/cli-packs-a-punch.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+'@backstage/cli': patch
+---
+
+Introduced the `--alwaysYarnPack` flag on `backstage-cli build-workspace`, which can be passed in cases where accuracy of workspace contents is more important than the
+speed with which the workspace is built. Useful in rare situations where `yarn pack` and `npm pack` produce different results.
diff --git a/packages/cli/cli-report.md b/packages/cli/cli-report.md
index 39bee2ed05..4cf5c6329c 100644
--- a/packages/cli/cli-report.md
+++ b/packages/cli/cli-report.md
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ Commands:
   versions:bump [options]
   versions:check [options]
   clean
-  build-workspace <workspace-dir> [packages...]
+  build-workspace [options] <workspace-dir> [packages...]
   create-github-app <github-org>
   info
   help [command]
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ Commands:
 Usage: backstage-cli build-workspace [options] <workspace-dir> [packages...]
 
 Options:
+  --alwaysYarnPack
   -h, --help
 ```
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/index.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/index.ts
index 3a40839e25..1fa7fe2964 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/index.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/index.ts
@@ -402,6 +402,10 @@ export function registerCommands(program: Command) {
 
   program
     .command('build-workspace <workspace-dir> [packages...]')
+    .option(
+      '--alwaysYarnPack',
+      'Force workspace output to be a result of running `yarn pack` on each package (warning: very slow)',
+    )
     .description('Builds a temporary dist workspace from the provided packages')
     .action(lazy(() => import('./buildWorkspace').then(m => m.default)));
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/packager/createDistWorkspace.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/packager/createDistWorkspace.ts
index ab8b20919f..e91924dd37 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lib/packager/createDistWorkspace.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/packager/createDistWorkspace.ts
@@ -95,6 +95,13 @@ type Options = {
    * with the same structure as the workspace dir.
    */
   skeleton?: 'skeleton.tar' | 'skeleton.tar.gz';
+
+  /**
+   * If set to true, `yarn pack` is always preferred when creating the dist
+   * workspace. This ensures correct workspace output at significant cost to
+   * command performance.
+   */
+  alwaysYarnPack?: boolean;
 };
 
 function prefixLogFunc(prefix: string, out: 'stdout' | 'stderr') {
@@ -220,7 +227,11 @@ export async function createDistWorkspace(
     }
   }
 
-  await moveToDistWorkspace(targetDir, targets);
+  await moveToDistWorkspace(
+    targetDir,
+    targets,
+    Boolean(options.alwaysYarnPack),
+  );
 
   const files: FileEntry[] = options.files ?? ['yarn.lock', 'package.json'];
 
@@ -262,9 +273,13 @@ const FAST_PACK_SCRIPTS = [
 async function moveToDistWorkspace(
   workspaceDir: string,
   localPackages: PackageGraphNode[],
+  alwaysYarnPack: boolean,
 ): Promise<void> {
-  const [fastPackPackages, slowPackPackages] = partition(localPackages, pkg =>
-    FAST_PACK_SCRIPTS.includes(pkg.packageJson.scripts?.prepack),
+  const [fastPackPackages, slowPackPackages] = partition(
+    localPackages,
+    pkg =>
+      !alwaysYarnPack &&
+      FAST_PACK_SCRIPTS.includes(pkg.packageJson.scripts?.prepack),
   );
 
   // New an improved flow where we avoid calling `yarn pack`