diff --git a/tabcmd/commands/group/create_group_command.py b/tabcmd/commands/group/create_group_command.py
index ff04039f..162e029f 100644
--- a/tabcmd/commands/group/create_group_command.py
+++ b/tabcmd/commands/group/create_group_command.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from tabcmd.commands.auth.session import Session
 from tabcmd.commands.constants import Errors
 from tabcmd.commands.server import Server
+from tabcmd.commands.user.user_data import UserCommand
 from tabcmd.execution.localize import _
 from tabcmd.execution.logger_config import log
 
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ class CreateGroupCommand(Server):
     def define_args(create_group_parser):
         args_group = create_group_parser.add_argument_group(title=CreateGroupCommand.name)
         args_group.add_argument("name")
+        UserCommand.set_role_arg(args_group)
 
     @classmethod
     def run_command(cls, args):
@@ -29,6 +31,10 @@ def run_command(cls, args):
         try:
             logger.info(_("creategroup.status").format(args.name))
             new_group = TSC.GroupItem(args.name)
+            if getattr(args, "role", None):
+                # Classic parity: --role/-r sets the group's default site role, so
+                # users added later without an explicit role inherit this one.
+                new_group.minimum_site_role = args.role
             server.groups.create(new_group)
             logger.info(_("common.output.succeeded"))
         except Exception as e:
diff --git a/tests/parsers/test_parser_create_group.py b/tests/parsers/test_parser_create_group.py
index db9500aa..b70e3cc6 100644
--- a/tests/parsers/test_parser_create_group.py
+++ b/tests/parsers/test_parser_create_group.py
@@ -20,3 +20,19 @@ def test_creategroup_parser_missing_all_args(self):
         mock_args = [commandname]
         with self.assertRaises(SystemExit):
             self.parser_under_test.parse_args(mock_args)
+
+    def test_creategroup_parser_role_flag(self):
+        args = self.parser_under_test.parse_args([commandname, "name", "--role", "Viewer"])
+        assert args.role == "Viewer"
+
+    def test_creategroup_parser_role_short_flag(self):
+        args = self.parser_under_test.parse_args([commandname, "name", "-r", "Explorer"])
+        assert args.role == "Explorer"
+
+    def test_creategroup_parser_role_case_insensitive(self):
+        args = self.parser_under_test.parse_args([commandname, "name", "--role", "creator"])
+        assert args.role == "Creator"
+
+    def test_creategroup_parser_role_optional(self):
+        args = self.parser_under_test.parse_args([commandname, "name"])
+        assert args.role is None