diff --git a/pyodide_build/cli/skeleton.py b/pyodide_build/cli/skeleton.py
index 2c053a9b..3935dd3f 100644
--- a/pyodide_build/cli/skeleton.py
+++ b/pyodide_build/cli/skeleton.py
@@ -33,6 +33,11 @@ def new_recipe_pypi(
         "--update-patched",
         help="Force update the package even if it contains patches.",
     ),
+    update_pinned: bool = typer.Option(
+        False,
+        "--update-pinner",
+        help="Force update the package even if is pinned.",
+    ),
     version: str = typer.Option(
         None,
         help="The version of the package, if not specified, latest version will be used.",
@@ -71,14 +76,15 @@ def new_recipe_pypi(
 
         recipe_dir_ = root / "packages"
 
-    if update or update_patched:
+    if update or update_patched or update_pinned:
         try:
             skeleton.update_package(
                 recipe_dir_,
                 name,
-                version,
+                version=version,
                 source_fmt=source_format,  # type: ignore[arg-type]
                 update_patched=update_patched,
+                update_pinned=update_pinned,
             )
         except skeleton.MkpkgFailedException as e:
             logger.error("%s update failed: %s", name, e)
diff --git a/pyodide_build/recipe/skeleton.py b/pyodide_build/recipe/skeleton.py
index b3012892..922a6008 100755
--- a/pyodide_build/recipe/skeleton.py
+++ b/pyodide_build/recipe/skeleton.py
@@ -216,8 +216,10 @@ def make_package(
 def update_package(
     root: Path,
     package: str,
+    *,
     version: str | None = None,
-    update_patched: bool = True,
+    update_patched: bool = False,
+    update_pinned: bool = False,
     source_fmt: Literal["wheel", "sdist"] | None = None,
 ) -> None:
     yaml = YAML()
@@ -237,7 +239,7 @@ def update_package(
     if "url" not in yaml_content["source"]:
         raise MkpkgSkipped(f"{package} is a local package!")
 
-    if yaml_content["package"].get("pinned", False):
+    if (not update_pinned) and yaml_content["package"].get("pinned", False):
         raise MkpkgSkipped(f"{package} is pinned!")
 
     if yaml_content["source"]["url"].endswith("whl"):
diff --git a/pyodide_build/tests/recipe/test_skeleton.py b/pyodide_build/tests/recipe/test_skeleton.py
index 6235886a..0e96e1e6 100644
--- a/pyodide_build/tests/recipe/test_skeleton.py
+++ b/pyodide_build/tests/recipe/test_skeleton.py
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ def test_mkpkg_update(tmpdir, old_dist_type, new_dist_type):
     source_fmt = new_dist_type
     if new_dist_type == "same":
         source_fmt = None
-    skeleton.update_package(base_dir, "idna", None, False, source_fmt)
+    skeleton.update_package(base_dir, "idna", source_fmt=source_fmt)
 
     db = MetaConfig.from_yaml(meta_path)
     assert version.parse(db.package.version) > version.parse(db_init.package.version)
@@ -87,4 +87,5 @@ def test_mkpkg_update_pinned(tmpdir):
     meta_path = package_dir / "meta.yaml"
     db_init.to_yaml(meta_path)
     with pytest.raises(skeleton.MkpkgSkipped, match="pinned"):
-        skeleton.update_package(base_dir, "idna", None, False, None)
+        skeleton.update_package(base_dir, "idna")
+    skeleton.update_package(base_dir, "idna", update_pinned=True)