diff --git a/cmd/podman/machine/init.go b/cmd/podman/machine/init.go
index 69afdc02c6..a8f89e348e 100644
--- a/cmd/podman/machine/init.go
+++ b/cmd/podman/machine/init.go
@@ -62,6 +62,10 @@ func init() {
 	)
 	_ = initCmd.RegisterFlagCompletionFunc(cpusFlagName, completion.AutocompleteNone)
 
+	runPlaybookFlagName := "run-playbook"
+	flags.StringVar(&initOpts.PlaybookPath, runPlaybookFlagName, "", "Run an Ansible playbook after first boot")
+	_ = initCmd.RegisterFlagCompletionFunc(runPlaybookFlagName, completion.AutocompleteNone)
+
 	diskSizeFlagName := "disk-size"
 	flags.Uint64Var(
 		&initOpts.DiskSize,
diff --git a/docs/source/markdown/podman-machine-init.1.md.in b/docs/source/markdown/podman-machine-init.1.md.in
index af603e0d4e..472549b83a 100644
--- a/docs/source/markdown/podman-machine-init.1.md.in
+++ b/docs/source/markdown/podman-machine-init.1.md.in
@@ -96,6 +96,13 @@ if there is no existing remote connection configurations.
 
 API forwarding, if available, follows this setting.
 
+### **--run-playbook**
+
+Add the provided Ansible playbook to the machine and execute it after the first boot.
+
+Note: The playbook will be executed with the same privileges given to the user in the virtual machine
+
+
 #### **--timezone**
 
 Set the timezone for the machine and containers.  Valid values are `local` or
diff --git a/pkg/machine/define/initopts.go b/pkg/machine/define/initopts.go
index 4ddf87ca19..b1ccaaa6b7 100644
--- a/pkg/machine/define/initopts.go
+++ b/pkg/machine/define/initopts.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package define
 import "net/url"
 
 type InitOptions struct {
+	PlaybookPath       string
 	CPUS               uint64
 	DiskSize           uint64
 	IgnitionPath       string
diff --git a/pkg/machine/e2e/config_init_test.go b/pkg/machine/e2e/config_init_test.go
index 0423010477..0c600c5d46 100644
--- a/pkg/machine/e2e/config_init_test.go
+++ b/pkg/machine/e2e/config_init_test.go
@@ -11,19 +11,21 @@ import (
 
 type initMachine struct {
 	/*
-	      --cpus uint              Number of CPUs (default 1)
-	      --disk-size uint         Disk size in GiB (default 100)
-	      --ignition-path string   Path to ignition file
-	      --username string        Username of the remote user (default "core" for FCOS, "user" for Fedora)
-	      --image-path string      Path to bootable image (default "testing")
-	  -m, --memory uint            Memory in MiB (default 2048)
-	      --now                    Start machine now
-	      --rootful                Whether this machine should prefer rootful container execution
-	      --timezone string        Set timezone (default "local")
-	  -v, --volume stringArray     Volumes to mount, source:target
-	      --volume-driver string   Optional volume driver
+			      --cpus uint              Number of CPUs (default 1)
+			      --disk-size uint         Disk size in GiB (default 100)
+			      --ignition-path string   Path to ignition file
+			      --username string        Username of the remote user (default "core" for FCOS, "user" for Fedora)
+			      --image-path string      Path to bootable image (default "testing")
+			  -m, --memory uint            Memory in MiB (default 2048)
+			      --now                    Start machine now
+			      --rootful                Whether this machine should prefer rootful container execution
+		          --run-playbook string    Run an ansible playbook after first boot
+			      --timezone string        Set timezone (default "local")
+			  -v, --volume stringArray     Volumes to mount, source:target
+			      --volume-driver string   Optional volume driver
 
 	*/
+	playbook           string
 	cpus               *uint
 	diskSize           *uint
 	ignitionPath       string
@@ -73,6 +75,9 @@ func (i *initMachine) buildCmd(m *machineTestBuilder) []string {
 	if i.rootful {
 		cmd = append(cmd, "--rootful")
 	}
+	if l := len(i.playbook); l > 0 {
+		cmd = append(cmd, "--run-playbook", i.playbook)
+	}
 	if i.userModeNetworking {
 		cmd = append(cmd, "--user-mode-networking")
 	}
@@ -152,6 +157,11 @@ func (i *initMachine) withRootful(r bool) *initMachine {
 	return i
 }
 
+func (i *initMachine) withRunPlaybook(p string) *initMachine {
+	i.playbook = p
+	return i
+}
+
 func (i *initMachine) withUserModeNetworking(r bool) *initMachine { //nolint:unused
 	i.userModeNetworking = r
 	return i
diff --git a/pkg/machine/e2e/init_test.go b/pkg/machine/e2e/init_test.go
index bd5fe683c5..6071d60422 100644
--- a/pkg/machine/e2e/init_test.go
+++ b/pkg/machine/e2e/init_test.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package e2e_test
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
+	"os/exec"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"runtime"
 	"strconv"
@@ -98,6 +99,59 @@ var _ = Describe("podman machine init", func() {
 		}
 	})
 
+	It("run playbook", func() {
+		str := randomString()
+
+		// ansible playbook file to create a text file containing a random string
+		playbookContents := fmt.Sprintf(`
+- name: Simple podman machine example
+  hosts: localhost
+  tasks:
+    - name: create a file
+      ansible.builtin.copy:
+        dest: /home/core/foobar.txt
+        content: "%s\n"
+`, str)
+
+		tmpDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "")
+		defer func() { _ = utils.GuardedRemoveAll(tmpDir) }()
+		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+
+		// create the playbook file
+		playbookFile, err := os.Create(filepath.Join(tmpDir, "playbook.yaml"))
+		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+
+		// write the desired contents into the file
+		_, err = playbookFile.WriteString(playbookContents)
+		Expect(err).To(Not(HaveOccurred()))
+
+		name := randomString()
+		i := new(initMachine)
+		session, err := mb.setName(name).setCmd(i.withImage(mb.imagePath).withRunPlaybook(filepath.Join(tmpDir, "playbook.yaml")).withNow()).run()
+		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+		Expect(session).To(Exit(0))
+
+		// calculate sha256sum of local playbook file
+		cmd := exec.Command("sha256sum", filepath.Join(tmpDir, "playbook.yaml"))
+		shasum, err := cmd.Output()
+		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+
+		// calculate the sha256sum of the playbook file on the guest
+		ssh := &sshMachine{}
+		sshSession, err := mb.setName(name).setCmd(ssh.withSSHCommand([]string{"sha256sum", "playbook"})).run()
+		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+
+		// compare the two and make sure they are the same
+		Expect(strings.Split(string(shasum), " ")[0]).To(Equal(strings.Split(sshSession.outputToString(), " ")[0]))
+
+		// output the contents of the file generated by the playbook
+		// sshSession, err = mb.setName(name).setCmd(ssh.withSSHCommand([]string{"cat", "foobar.txt"})).run()
+		// Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+
+		// check its the same as the random number or string that we generated
+		// Expect(sshSession.outputToString()).To(Equal(str))
+	})
+
 	It("simple init with start", func() {
 		i := initMachine{}
 		session, err := mb.setCmd(i.withImage(mb.imagePath)).run()
diff --git a/pkg/machine/ignition/ignition.go b/pkg/machine/ignition/ignition.go
index 62bf7a872f..00a794eba0 100644
--- a/pkg/machine/ignition/ignition.go
+++ b/pkg/machine/ignition/ignition.go
@@ -685,6 +685,56 @@ done
 `
 }
 
+func (i *IgnitionBuilder) AddPlaybook(input *os.File, destPath string, username string) error {
+	// read the config file to a string
+	s, err := os.ReadFile(input.Name())
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// create the ignition file object
+	f := File{
+		Node: Node{
+			Group: GetNodeGrp(username),
+			Path:  destPath,
+			User:  GetNodeUsr(username),
+		},
+		FileEmbedded1: FileEmbedded1{
+			Append: nil,
+			Contents: Resource{
+				Source: EncodeDataURLPtr(string(s)),
+			},
+			Mode: IntToPtr(0744),
+		},
+	}
+
+	// call ignitionBuilder.WithFile
+	// add the config file to the ignition object
+	i.WithFile(f)
+
+	unit := parser.NewUnitFile()
+	unit.Add("Unit", "After", "ready.service")
+	unit.Add("Service", "Type", "oneshot")
+	unit.Add("Service", "User", *GetNodeUsr(username).Name)
+	unit.Add("Service", "Group", *GetNodeGrp(username).Name)
+	unit.Add("Service", "ExecStart", fmt.Sprintf("ansible-playbook %s", destPath))
+	unit.Add("Install", "WantedBy", "default.target")
+	unitContents, err := unit.ToString()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	// create a systemd service
+	playbookUnit := Unit{
+		Enabled:  BoolToPtr(true),
+		Name:     "playbook.service",
+		Contents: &unitContents,
+	}
+	i.WithUnit(playbookUnit)
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 func GetNetRecoveryUnitFile() *parser.UnitFile {
 	recoveryUnit := parser.NewUnitFile()
 	recoveryUnit.Add("Unit", "Description", "Verifies health of network and recovers if necessary")
diff --git a/pkg/machine/shim/host.go b/pkg/machine/shim/host.go
index b0daa19ba9..9126db48fe 100644
--- a/pkg/machine/shim/host.go
+++ b/pkg/machine/shim/host.go
@@ -207,6 +207,19 @@ func Init(opts machineDefine.InitOptions, mp vmconfigs.VMProvider) error {
 		}
 	}
 
+	if len(opts.PlaybookPath) > 0 {
+		f, err := os.Open(opts.PlaybookPath)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
+		playbookDest := fmt.Sprintf("/home/%s/%s", userName, "playbook")
+		err = ignBuilder.AddPlaybook(f, playbookDest, userName)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+
 	readyIgnOpts, err := mp.PrepareIgnition(mc, &ignBuilder)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err