diff --git a/docs/cli.rst b/docs/cli.rst
index e07c73d..36ff029 100644
--- a/docs/cli.rst
+++ b/docs/cli.rst
@@ -699,6 +699,19 @@ The ``most_common`` and ``least_common`` columns will contain nested JSON arrays
         ["Condarco", 4288]
     ]
 
+.. _cli_create_database:
+
+Creating an empty database
+==========================
+
+You can create a new empty database file using the ``create-database`` command::
+
+    $ sqlite-utils create-database empty.db
+
+To enable :ref:`cli_wal` on the newly created database add the ``--enable-wal`` option::
+
+    $ sqlite-utils create-database empty.db --enable-wal
+
 .. _cli_inserting_data:
 
 Inserting JSON data
diff --git a/sqlite_utils/cli.py b/sqlite_utils/cli.py
index 1bc797e..315b162 100644
--- a/sqlite_utils/cli.py
+++ b/sqlite_utils/cli.py
@@ -1052,6 +1052,23 @@ def upsert(
         raise click.ClickException(UNICODE_ERROR.format(ex))
 
 
+@cli.command(name="create-database")
+@click.argument(
+    "path",
+    type=click.Path(file_okay=True, dir_okay=False, allow_dash=False),
+    required=True,
+)
+@click.option(
+    "--enable-wal", is_flag=True, help="Enable WAL mode on the created database"
+)
+def create_table(path, enable_wal):
+    "Create a new empty database file."
+    db = sqlite_utils.Database(path)
+    if enable_wal:
+        db.enable_wal()
+    db.vacuum()
+
+
 @cli.command(name="create-table")
 @click.argument(
     "path",
diff --git a/tests/test_cli.py b/tests/test_cli.py
index 5a9ca65..ca5c820 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -2039,3 +2039,21 @@ def test_python_dash_m():
     )
     assert result.returncode == 0
     assert b"Commands for interacting with a SQLite database" in result.stdout
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("enable_wal", (False, True))
+def test_create_database(tmpdir, enable_wal):
+    db_path = tmpdir / "test.db"
+    assert not db_path.exists()
+    args = ["create-database", str(db_path)]
+    if enable_wal:
+        args.append("--enable-wal")
+    result = CliRunner().invoke(cli.cli, args)
+    assert result.exit_code == 0, result.output
+    assert db_path.exists()
+    assert db_path.read_binary()[:16] == b"SQLite format 3\x00"
+    db = Database(str(db_path))
+    if enable_wal:
+        assert db.journal_mode == "wal"
+    else:
+        assert db.journal_mode == "delete"