diff --git a/src/_nebari/config_set.py b/src/_nebari/config_set.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..95413ea1a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/_nebari/config_set.py
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+import logging
+import pathlib
+from typing import Optional
+
+from packaging.requirements import SpecifierSet
+from pydantic import BaseModel, ConfigDict, field_validator
+
+from _nebari._version import __version__
+from _nebari.utils import yaml
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+class ConfigSetMetadata(BaseModel):
+    model_config: ConfigDict = ConfigDict(extra="allow", arbitrary_types_allowed=True)
+    name: str  # for use with guided init
+    description: Optional[str] = None
+    nebari_version: str | SpecifierSet
+
+    @field_validator("nebari_version")
+    @classmethod
+    def validate_version_requirement(cls, version_req):
+        if isinstance(version_req, str):
+            version_req = SpecifierSet(version_req, prereleases=True)
+
+        return version_req
+
+    def check_version(self, version):
+        if not self.nebari_version.contains(version, prereleases=True):
+            raise ValueError(
+                f'Nebari version "{version}" is not compatible with '
+                f'version requirement {self.nebari_version} for "{self.name}" config set.'
+            )
+
+
+class ConfigSet(BaseModel):
+    metadata: ConfigSetMetadata
+    config: dict
+
+
+def read_config_set(config_set_filepath: str):
+    """Read a config set from a config file."""
+
+    filename = pathlib.Path(config_set_filepath)
+
+    with filename.open() as f:
+        config_set_yaml = yaml.load(f)
+
+    config_set = ConfigSet(**config_set_yaml)
+
+    # validation
+    config_set.metadata.check_version(__version__)
+
+    return config_set
diff --git a/src/_nebari/initialize.py b/src/_nebari/initialize.py
index 4b41f2c5a1..7566fe7b44 100644
--- a/src/_nebari/initialize.py
+++ b/src/_nebari/initialize.py
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@
 import pydantic
 import requests
 
-from _nebari import constants
+from _nebari import constants, utils
+from _nebari.config_set import read_config_set
 from _nebari.provider import git
 from _nebari.provider.cicd import github
 from _nebari.provider.cloud import amazon_web_services, azure_cloud, google_cloud
@@ -47,6 +48,7 @@ def render_config(
     region: str = None,
     disable_prompt: bool = False,
     ssl_cert_email: str = None,
+    config_set: str = None,
 ) -> Dict[str, Any]:
     config = {
         "provider": cloud_provider,
@@ -176,13 +178,17 @@ def render_config(
         config["certificate"] = {"type": CertificateEnum.letsencrypt.value}
         config["certificate"]["acme_email"] = ssl_cert_email
 
+    if config_set:
+        config_set = read_config_set(config_set)
+        config = utils.deep_merge(config, config_set.config)
+
     # validate configuration and convert to model
     from nebari.plugins import nebari_plugin_manager
 
     try:
         config_model = nebari_plugin_manager.config_schema.model_validate(config)
     except pydantic.ValidationError as e:
-        print(str(e))
+        raise e
 
     if repository_auto_provision:
         match = re.search(github_url_regex, repository)
diff --git a/src/_nebari/stages/infrastructure/__init__.py b/src/_nebari/stages/infrastructure/__init__.py
index 243abd1608..b75412bd64 100644
--- a/src/_nebari/stages/infrastructure/__init__.py
+++ b/src/_nebari/stages/infrastructure/__init__.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 import re
 import sys
 import tempfile
+import warnings
 from typing import Annotated, Any, Dict, List, Literal, Optional, Tuple, Type, Union
 
 from pydantic import ConfigDict, Field, field_validator, model_validator
@@ -613,11 +614,23 @@ def check_provider(cls, data: Any) -> Any:
                     data[provider] = provider_enum_model_map[provider]()
             else:
                 # if the provider field is invalid, it won't be set when this validator is called
-                # so we need to check for it explicitly here, and set the `pre` to True
+                # so we need to check for it explicitly here, and set mode to "before"
                 # TODO: this is a workaround, check if there is a better way to do this in Pydantic v2
                 raise ValueError(
                     f"'{provider}' is not a valid enumeration member; permitted: local, existing, aws, gcp, azure"
                 )
+            set_providers = {
+                provider
+                for provider in provider_name_abbreviation_map.keys()
+                if provider in data and data[provider]
+            }
+            expected_provider_config = provider_enum_name_map[provider]
+            extra_provider_config = set_providers - {expected_provider_config}
+            if extra_provider_config:
+                warnings.warn(
+                    f"Provider is set to {getattr(provider, 'value', provider)},  but configuration defined for other providers: {extra_provider_config}"
+                )
+
         else:
             set_providers = [
                 provider
@@ -631,6 +644,7 @@ def check_provider(cls, data: Any) -> Any:
                 data["provider"] = provider_name_abbreviation_map[set_providers[0]]
             elif num_providers == 0:
                 data["provider"] = schema.ProviderEnum.local.value
+
         return data
 
 
diff --git a/src/_nebari/subcommands/init.py b/src/_nebari/subcommands/init.py
index e794841ea7..c2f8d416e9 100644
--- a/src/_nebari/subcommands/init.py
+++ b/src/_nebari/subcommands/init.py
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@ class InitInputs(schema.Base):
     region: Optional[str] = None
     ssl_cert_email: Optional[schema.email_pydantic] = None
     disable_prompt: bool = False
+    config_set: Optional[str] = None
     output: pathlib.Path = pathlib.Path("nebari-config.yaml")
     explicit: int = 0
 
@@ -134,6 +135,7 @@ def handle_init(inputs: InitInputs, config_schema: BaseModel):
         terraform_state=inputs.terraform_state,
         ssl_cert_email=inputs.ssl_cert_email,
         disable_prompt=inputs.disable_prompt,
+        config_set=inputs.config_set,
     )
 
     try:
@@ -496,6 +498,12 @@ def init(
             False,
             is_eager=True,
         ),
+        config_set: str = typer.Option(
+            None,
+            "--config-set",
+            "-s",
+            help="Apply a pre-defined set of nebari configuration options.",
+        ),
         output: str = typer.Option(
             pathlib.Path("nebari-config.yaml"),
             "--output",
@@ -554,6 +562,7 @@ def init(
         inputs.terraform_state = terraform_state
         inputs.ssl_cert_email = ssl_cert_email
         inputs.disable_prompt = disable_prompt
+        inputs.config_set = config_set
         inputs.output = output
         inputs.explicit = explicit
 
diff --git a/src/_nebari/utils.py b/src/_nebari/utils.py
index f3d62f353d..48b8a91e9b 100644
--- a/src/_nebari/utils.py
+++ b/src/_nebari/utils.py
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ def modified_environ(*remove: List[str], **update: Dict[str, str]):
 
 
 def deep_merge(*args):
-    """Deep merge multiple dictionaries.
+    """Deep merge multiple dictionaries.  Preserves order in dicts and lists.
 
     >>> value_1 = {
     'a': [1, 2],
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ def deep_merge(*args):
 
     if isinstance(d1, dict) and isinstance(d2, dict):
         d3 = {}
-        for key in d1.keys() | d2.keys():
+        for key in tuple(d1.keys()) + tuple(d2.keys()):
             if key in d1 and key in d2:
                 d3[key] = deep_merge(d1[key], d2[key])
             elif key in d1:
diff --git a/tests/tests_unit/test_config_set.py b/tests/tests_unit/test_config_set.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..81f5a8a11c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/tests_unit/test_config_set.py
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+import pytest
+from packaging.requirements import SpecifierSet
+
+from _nebari.config_set import ConfigSetMetadata, read_config_set
+
+test_version = "2024.12.2"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "version_input,test_version,should_pass",
+    [
+        # Standard version tests
+        (">=2024.12.0,<2025.0.0", "2024.12.2", True),
+        (SpecifierSet(">=2024.12.0,<2025.0.0"), "2024.12.2", True),
+        # Pre-release version requirement tests
+        (">=2024.12.0rc1,<2025.0.0", "2024.12.0rc1", True),
+        (SpecifierSet(">=2024.12.0rc1"), "2024.12.0rc2", True),
+        # Pre-release test version against standard requirement
+        (">=2024.12.0,<2025.0.0", "2024.12.1rc1", True),
+        (SpecifierSet(">=2024.12.0,<2025.0.0"), "2024.12.1rc1", True),
+        # Failing cases
+        (">=2025.0.0", "2024.12.2rc1", False),
+        (SpecifierSet(">=2025.0.0rc1"), "2024.12.2", False),
+    ],
+)
+def test_version_requirement(version_input, test_version, should_pass):
+    metadata = ConfigSetMetadata(name="test-config", nebari_version=version_input)
+
+    if should_pass:
+        metadata.check_version(test_version)
+    else:
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError) as exc_info:
+            metadata.check_version(test_version)
+        assert "Nebari version" in str(exc_info.value)
+
+
+def test_read_config_set_valid(tmp_path):
+    config_set_yaml = """
+    metadata:
+      name: test-config
+      nebari_version: ">=2024.12.0"
+    config:
+      key: value
+    """
+    config_set_filepath = tmp_path / "config_set.yaml"
+    config_set_filepath.write_text(config_set_yaml)
+    with patch("_nebari.config_set.__version__", "2024.12.2"):
+        config_set = read_config_set(str(config_set_filepath))
+    assert config_set.metadata.name == "test-config"
+    assert config_set.config["key"] == "value"
+
+
+def test_read_config_set_invalid_version(tmp_path):
+    config_set_yaml = """
+    metadata:
+      name: test-config
+      nebari_version: ">=2025.0.0"
+    config:
+      key: value
+    """
+    config_set_filepath = tmp_path / "config_set.yaml"
+    config_set_filepath.write_text(config_set_yaml)
+
+    with patch("_nebari.config_set.__version__", "2024.12.2"):
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError) as exc_info:
+            read_config_set(str(config_set_filepath))
+        assert "Nebari version" in str(exc_info.value)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    pytest.main()
diff --git a/tests/tests_unit/test_schema.py b/tests/tests_unit/test_schema.py
index 5c21aef8d6..e445ba37da 100644
--- a/tests/tests_unit/test_schema.py
+++ b/tests/tests_unit/test_schema.py
@@ -161,3 +161,13 @@ def test_set_provider(config_schema, provider):
     result_config_dict = config.model_dump()
     assert provider in result_config_dict
     assert result_config_dict[provider]["kube_context"] == "some_context"
+
+
+def test_provider_config_mismatch_warning(config_schema):
+    config_dict = {
+        "project_name": "test",
+        "provider": "local",
+        "existing": {"kube_context": "some_context"},  # <-- Doesn't match the provider
+    }
+    with pytest.warns(UserWarning, match="configuration defined for other providers"):
+        config_schema(**config_dict)
diff --git a/tests/tests_unit/test_stages.py b/tests/tests_unit/test_stages.py
index c716d93030..c15aa6d9fc 100644
--- a/tests/tests_unit/test_stages.py
+++ b/tests/tests_unit/test_stages.py
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ def test_check_immutable_fields_immutable_change(
     mock_model_fields, mock_get_state, terraform_state_stage, mock_config
 ):
     old_config = mock_config.model_copy(deep=True)
+    old_config.local = None
     old_config.provider = schema.ProviderEnum.gcp
     mock_get_state.return_value = old_config.model_dump()
 
diff --git a/tests/tests_unit/test_utils.py b/tests/tests_unit/test_utils.py
index 678cd1f230..88b911ff60 100644
--- a/tests/tests_unit/test_utils.py
+++ b/tests/tests_unit/test_utils.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import pytest
 
-from _nebari.utils import JsonDiff, JsonDiffEnum, byte_unit_conversion
+from _nebari.utils import JsonDiff, JsonDiffEnum, byte_unit_conversion, deep_merge
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
@@ -64,3 +64,75 @@ def test_JsonDiff_modified():
     diff = JsonDiff(obj1, obj2)
     modifieds = diff.modified()
     assert sorted(modifieds) == sorted([(["b", "!"], 2, 3), (["+"], 4, 5)])
+
+
+def test_deep_merge_order_preservation_dict():
+    value_1 = {
+        "a": [1, 2],
+        "b": {"c": 1, "z": [5, 6]},
+        "e": {"f": {"g": {}}},
+        "m": 1,
+    }
+
+    value_2 = {
+        "a": [3, 4],
+        "b": {"d": 2, "z": [7]},
+        "e": {"f": {"h": 1}},
+        "m": [1],
+    }
+
+    expected_result = {
+        "a": [1, 2, 3, 4],
+        "b": {"c": 1, "z": [5, 6, 7], "d": 2},
+        "e": {"f": {"g": {}, "h": 1}},
+        "m": 1,
+    }
+
+    result = deep_merge(value_1, value_2)
+    assert result == expected_result
+    assert list(result.keys()) == list(expected_result.keys())
+    assert list(result["b"].keys()) == list(expected_result["b"].keys())
+    assert list(result["e"]["f"].keys()) == list(expected_result["e"]["f"].keys())
+
+
+def test_deep_merge_order_preservation_list():
+    value_1 = {
+        "a": [1, 2],
+        "b": {"c": 1, "z": [5, 6]},
+    }
+
+    value_2 = {
+        "a": [3, 4],
+        "b": {"d": 2, "z": [7]},
+    }
+
+    expected_result = {
+        "a": [1, 2, 3, 4],
+        "b": {"c": 1, "z": [5, 6, 7], "d": 2},
+    }
+
+    result = deep_merge(value_1, value_2)
+    assert result == expected_result
+    assert result["a"] == expected_result["a"]
+    assert result["b"]["z"] == expected_result["b"]["z"]
+
+
+def test_deep_merge_single_dict():
+    value_1 = {
+        "a": [1, 2],
+        "b": {"c": 1, "z": [5, 6]},
+    }
+
+    expected_result = value_1
+
+    result = deep_merge(value_1)
+    assert result == expected_result
+    assert list(result.keys()) == list(expected_result.keys())
+    assert list(result["b"].keys()) == list(expected_result["b"].keys())
+
+
+def test_deep_merge_empty():
+    expected_result = {}
+
+    result = deep_merge()
+    assert result == expected_result