diff --git a/packages/core/src/config/default-config.ts b/packages/core/src/config/default-config.ts
index 074d4e9814..e5f950ec6c 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/config/default-config.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/config/default-config.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ import { Transport } from '@nestjs/microservices';
 import { LanguageCode } from '@vendure/common/lib/generated-types';
 import { DEFAULT_AUTH_TOKEN_HEADER_KEY } from '@vendure/common/lib/shared-constants';
 
+import { generatePublicId } from '../common/generate-public-id';
+
 import { DefaultAssetNamingStrategy } from './asset-naming-strategy/default-asset-naming-strategy';
 import { NoAssetPreviewStrategy } from './asset-preview-strategy/no-asset-preview-strategy';
 import { NoAssetStorageStrategy } from './asset-storage-strategy/no-asset-storage-strategy';
@@ -71,6 +73,7 @@ export const defaultConfig: RuntimeVendureConfig = {
         mergeStrategy: new MergeOrdersStrategy(),
         checkoutMergeStrategy: new UseGuestStrategy(),
         process: {},
+        generateOrderCode: () => generatePublicId(),
     },
     paymentOptions: {
         paymentMethodHandlers: [],
diff --git a/packages/core/src/config/vendure-config.ts b/packages/core/src/config/vendure-config.ts
index 0d6181648e..bda135b862 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/config/vendure-config.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/config/vendure-config.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { RequestHandler } from 'express';
 import { Observable } from 'rxjs';
 import { ConnectionOptions } from 'typeorm';
 
+import { RequestContext } from '../api/common/request-context';
 import { Transitions } from '../common/finite-state-machine';
 import { Order } from '../entity/order/order.entity';
 import { OrderState } from '../service/helpers/order-state-machine/order-state';
@@ -152,6 +153,17 @@ export interface OrderOptions {
      * @default UseGuestStrategy
      */
     checkoutMergeStrategy?: OrderMergeStrategy;
+    /**
+     * @description
+     * Allows a user-defined function to create Order codes. This can be useful when
+     * integrating with existing systems. By default, Vendure will generate a 16-character
+     * alphanumeric string.
+     *
+     * Note: when using a custom function for Order codes, bear in mind the database limit
+     * for string types (e.g. 255 chars for a varchar field in MySQL), and also the need
+     * for codes to be unique.
+     */
+    generateOrderCode?: (ctx: RequestContext) => string | Promise<string>;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/packages/core/src/service/services/order.service.ts b/packages/core/src/service/services/order.service.ts
index 225573a04f..1f38523132 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/service/services/order.service.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/service/services/order.service.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ import {
     OrderItemsLimitError,
     UserInputError,
 } from '../../common/error/errors';
-import { generatePublicId } from '../../common/generate-public-id';
 import { ListQueryOptions } from '../../common/types/common-types';
 import { assertFound, idsAreEqual } from '../../common/utils';
 import { ConfigService } from '../../config/config.service';
@@ -200,7 +199,7 @@ export class OrderService {
 
     async create(ctx: RequestContext, userId?: ID): Promise<Order> {
         const newOrder = new Order({
-            code: generatePublicId(),
+            code: await this.configService.orderOptions.generateOrderCode(ctx),
             state: this.orderStateMachine.getInitialState(),
             lines: [],
             couponCodes: [],