diff --git a/docs/src/network-definition-spec.md b/docs/src/network-definition-spec.md
index ce1a141aa..dcdcf9b60 100644
--- a/docs/src/network-definition-spec.md
+++ b/docs/src/network-definition-spec.md
@@ -70,8 +70,8 @@ The network config can be provided both in `json` or `toml` format and each sect
 - `parachains` Array of `parachain` definition objects
 
   - `*id`: (Number) The id to assign to this parachain. Must be unique.
-  - `add_to_genesis`: (Boolean) flag to add parachain to genesis or register in runtime.
-  - `cumulus_based`: (Boolean) flag to use `cumulus` command generation; Set to `true` by default.
+  - `add_to_genesis`: (Boolean, default true) flag to add parachain to genesis or register in runtime.
+  - `cumulus_based`: (Boolean, default true) flag to use `cumulus` command generation.
   - `genesis_wasm_path`: (String) Path to the wasm file to use.
   - `genesis_wasm_generator`: (String) Command to generate the wasm file.
   - `genesis_state_path`: (String) Path to the state file to use.
@@ -98,6 +98,9 @@ The network config can be provided both in `json` or `toml` format and each sect
       - name: (String) name of the `env` var.
       - value: (String| number) Value of the env var.
 
+  - `onboard_as_parachain`: (Boolean, default true) flag to specify whether the para should be onboarded as a parachain or stay a parathread
+  - `register_para`: (Boolean, default true) flag to specify whether the para should be registered. The `add_to_genesis` flag **must** be set to false for this flag to have any effect.
+
 ## `hrmp_channels`: (Array of objects)
 
 - `sender`: (Number) parachain Id.
diff --git a/flake-module.nix b/flake-module.nix
index 95ac2f825..214f3292e 100644
--- a/flake-module.nix
+++ b/flake-module.nix
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
         default = pkgs.buildNpmPackage rec {
           # root hash (hash of hashes of each dependnecies)
           # this should be updated on each dependency change (use `prefetch-npm-deps` to get new hash)
-          npmDepsHash = "sha256-hsQ7Z0/wU8FPNWeR68N9NnbvW95Ux1gHwk+MoTQYBRE=";
+          npmDepsHash = "sha256-lA8xOKnzthgscr0pMmQ6KcZjYxNdOK5lfZ301PZ29Xg=";
 
           pname = "zombienet";
           name = pname;
diff --git a/javascript/packages/orchestrator/src/configGenerator.ts b/javascript/packages/orchestrator/src/configGenerator.ts
index 52b0c4f21..dc1e7b84e 100644
--- a/javascript/packages/orchestrator/src/configGenerator.ts
+++ b/javascript/packages/orchestrator/src/configGenerator.ts
@@ -364,6 +364,10 @@ export async function generateNetworkSpec(
           parachain.register_para === undefined
             ? true
             : parachain.register_para, // register by default
+        onboardAsParachain:
+          parachain.onboard_as_parachain !== undefined
+            ? parachain.onboard_as_parachain
+            : true, // onboard by default
         collators,
       };
 
diff --git a/javascript/packages/orchestrator/src/jsapi-helpers/index.ts b/javascript/packages/orchestrator/src/jsapi-helpers/index.ts
index 70fd33b42..a849a24d8 100644
--- a/javascript/packages/orchestrator/src/jsapi-helpers/index.ts
+++ b/javascript/packages/orchestrator/src/jsapi-helpers/index.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { ApiPromise, WsProvider } from "@polkadot/api";
 import { Keyring } from "@polkadot/keyring";
 import { cryptoWaitReady } from "@polkadot/util-crypto";
 import { readDataFile } from "@zombienet/utils";
+import { RegisterParachainOptions } from "../types";
 import {
   chainCustomSectionUpgrade,
   chainUpgradeFromLocalFile,
@@ -18,14 +19,15 @@ async function connect(apiUrl: string, types?: any): Promise<ApiPromise> {
   return api;
 }
 
-async function registerParachain(
-  id: number,
-  wasmPath: string,
-  statePath: string,
-  apiUrl: string,
-  seed: string = "//Alice",
+async function registerParachain({
+  id,
+  wasmPath,
+  statePath,
+  apiUrl,
+  onboardAsParachain,
+  seed = "//Alice",
   finalization = false,
-) {
+}: RegisterParachainOptions) {
   return new Promise<void>(async (resolve, reject) => {
     await cryptoWaitReady();
 
@@ -42,7 +44,7 @@ async function registerParachain(
     const parachainGenesisArgs = {
       genesis_head: genesis_state,
       validation_code: wasm_data,
-      parachain: true,
+      parachain: onboardAsParachain,
     };
 
     const genesis = api.createType("ParaGenesisArgs", parachainGenesisArgs);
diff --git a/javascript/packages/orchestrator/src/orchestrator.ts b/javascript/packages/orchestrator/src/orchestrator.ts
index d4291dd9b..d0a56c480 100644
--- a/javascript/packages/orchestrator/src/orchestrator.ts
+++ b/javascript/packages/orchestrator/src/orchestrator.ts
@@ -703,12 +703,14 @@ export async function start(
     for (const parachain of networkSpec.parachains) {
       if (!parachain.addToGenesis && parachain.registerPara) {
         // register parachain on a running network
-        await registerParachain(
-          parachain.id,
-          `${tmpDir.path}/${parachain.name}/${GENESIS_WASM_FILENAME}`,
-          `${tmpDir.path}/${parachain.name}/${GENESIS_STATE_FILENAME}`,
-          network.relay[0].wsUri,
-        );
+        const basePath = `${tmpDir.path}/${parachain.name}`;
+        await registerParachain({
+          id: parachain.id,
+          wasmPath: `${basePath}/${GENESIS_WASM_FILENAME}`,
+          statePath: `${basePath}/${GENESIS_STATE_FILENAME}`,
+          apiUrl: network.relay[0].wsUri,
+          onboardAsParachain: parachain.onboardAsParachain,
+        });
       }
 
       if (parachain.cumulusBased) {
diff --git a/javascript/packages/orchestrator/src/types.ts b/javascript/packages/orchestrator/src/types.ts
index c18320fec..68e6163c7 100644
--- a/javascript/packages/orchestrator/src/types.ts
+++ b/javascript/packages/orchestrator/src/types.ts
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ export interface ParachainConfig {
   chain?: string;
   add_to_genesis?: boolean;
   register_para?: boolean;
+  onboard_as_parachain?: boolean;
   balance?: number;
   genesis_wasm_path?: string;
   genesis_wasm_generator?: string;
@@ -203,6 +204,7 @@ export interface Parachain {
   para: PARA;
   addToGenesis: boolean;
   registerPara: boolean;
+  onboardAsParachain: boolean;
   cumulusBased: boolean;
   genesisWasmPath?: string;
   genesisWasmGenerator?: string;
@@ -315,3 +317,13 @@ export interface FnArgs {
   after?: number;
   seconds?: number;
 }
+
+export interface RegisterParachainOptions {
+  id: number;
+  wasmPath: string;
+  statePath: string;
+  apiUrl: string;
+  onboardAsParachain: boolean;
+  seed?: string;
+  finalization?: boolean;
+}