diff --git a/packages/@vue/cli-plugin-e2e-cypress/index.js b/packages/@vue/cli-plugin-e2e-cypress/index.js
index f567262a36..cef10406ee 100644
--- a/packages/@vue/cli-plugin-e2e-cypress/index.js
+++ b/packages/@vue/cli-plugin-e2e-cypress/index.js
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ module.exports = (api, options) => {
       '--headless': 'run in headless mode without GUI',
       '--mode': 'specify the mode the dev server should run in. (default: production)',
       '--url': 'run e2e tests against given url instead of auto-starting dev server',
-      '-s, --spec': '(headless only) runs a specific spec file. defaults to "all"'
+      '-s, --spec': '(headless only) runs a specific spec file. defaults to "all"',
+      '--command': 'vue-cli-service command to run (default: serve)'
     },
     details:
       `All Cypress CLI options are also supported:\n` +
@@ -17,12 +18,15 @@ module.exports = (api, options) => {
     removeArg(rawArgs, 'mode')
     removeArg(rawArgs, 'url')
     removeArg(rawArgs, 'config')
+    removeArg(rawArgs, 'command')
 
     info(`Starting e2e tests...`)
 
+    const command = args.command || 'serve'
+
     const { url, server } = args.url
       ? { url: args.url }
-      : await api.service.run('serve')
+      : await api.service.run(command)
 
     const configs = typeof args.config === 'string' ? args.config.split(',') : []
     const cyArgs = [
diff --git a/packages/@vue/cli-plugin-e2e-nightwatch/index.js b/packages/@vue/cli-plugin-e2e-nightwatch/index.js
index cb1a595a79..a1e38a77ee 100644
--- a/packages/@vue/cli-plugin-e2e-nightwatch/index.js
+++ b/packages/@vue/cli-plugin-e2e-nightwatch/index.js
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ module.exports = (api, options) => {
       '--use-selenium': 'use Selenium standalone server instead of chromedriver or geckodriver',
       '-e, --env': 'specify comma-delimited browser envs to run in (default: chrome)',
       '-t, --test': 'specify a test to run by name',
-      '-f, --filter': 'glob to filter tests by filename'
+      '-f, --filter': 'glob to filter tests by filename',
+      '--command': 'vue-cli-service command to run (default: serve)'
     },
     details:
       `All Nightwatch CLI options are also supported.\n` +
@@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ module.exports = (api, options) => {
     }
 
     // remove args
-    ;['url', 'mode'].forEach(toRemove => removeArg(rawArgs, toRemove))
+    ;['url', 'mode', 'command'].forEach(toRemove => removeArg(rawArgs, toRemove))
     // remove flags
     ;['headless', 'use-selenium', 'parallel'].forEach(toRemove => removeArg(rawArgs, toRemove, 0))
 
@@ -100,13 +101,13 @@ module.exports.defaultModes = {
 }
 
 function startDevServer (args, api) {
-  const { url } = args
+  const { url, command } = args
 
   if (url) {
     return Promise.resolve({ url })
   }
 
-  return api.service.run('serve')
+  return api.service.run(command || 'serve')
 }
 
 async function loadNightwatchConfig (rawArgs, api) {