diff --git a/composer.json b/composer.json
index d12c0bbc..ebc117cc 100644
--- a/composer.json
+++ b/composer.json
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@
             "plugin search",
             "plugin status",
             "plugin check-update",
+            "plugin download",
             "plugin toggle",
             "plugin uninstall",
             "plugin update",
@@ -82,6 +83,7 @@
             "theme search",
             "theme status",
             "theme check-update",
+            "theme download",
             "theme update",
             "theme mod list",
             "theme auto-updates",
diff --git a/extension-command.php b/extension-command.php
index 3cc65c80..0df4c555 100644
--- a/extension-command.php
+++ b/extension-command.php
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 if ( file_exists( $wpcli_extension_autoloader ) ) {
 	require_once $wpcli_extension_autoloader;
 }
+require_once __DIR__ . '/src/Plugin_Download_Command.php';
+require_once __DIR__ . '/src/Theme_Download_Command.php';
 
 $wpcli_extension_requires_wp_5_5 = [
 	'before_invoke' => static function () {
@@ -18,8 +20,22 @@
 ];
 
 WP_CLI::add_command( 'plugin', 'Plugin_Command' );
+WP_CLI::add_command(
+	'plugin download',
+	'Plugin_Download_Command',
+	[
+		'when' => 'before_wp_load',
+	]
+);
 WP_CLI::add_command( 'plugin auto-updates', 'Plugin_AutoUpdates_Command', $wpcli_extension_requires_wp_5_5 );
 WP_CLI::add_command( 'theme', 'Theme_Command' );
+WP_CLI::add_command(
+	'theme download',
+	'Theme_Download_Command',
+	[
+		'when' => 'before_wp_load',
+	]
+);
 WP_CLI::add_command( 'theme auto-updates', 'Theme_AutoUpdates_Command', $wpcli_extension_requires_wp_5_5 );
 WP_CLI::add_command( 'theme mod', 'Theme_Mod_Command' );
 
diff --git a/features/extension-download.feature b/features/extension-download.feature
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..92014bc6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/features/extension-download.feature
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+Feature: Download WordPress.org extensions without loading WordPress
+
+  Scenario: Downloading a plugin package works before WordPress is loaded
+    Given a WP install
+
+    When I run `wp plugin download debug-bar --skip-wordpress`
+    Then STDOUT should contain:
+      """
+      Downloading debug-bar
+      """
+    And STDOUT should contain:
+      """
+      Success: Downloaded plugin package to
+      """
+    And save STDOUT 'Success: Downloaded plugin package to (.+)' as {DOWNLOADED_PLUGIN}
+    And the {DOWNLOADED_PLUGIN} file should exist
+    And STDERR should be empty
+
+  Scenario: Downloading a theme package works before WordPress is loaded
+    Given a WP install
+
+    When I run `wp theme download twentytwelve --skip-wordpress`
+    Then STDOUT should contain:
+      """
+      Downloading twentytwelve
+      """
+    And STDOUT should contain:
+      """
+      Success: Downloaded theme package to
+      """
+    And save STDOUT 'Success: Downloaded theme package to (.+)' as {DOWNLOADED_THEME}
+    And the {DOWNLOADED_THEME} file should exist
+    And STDERR should be empty
diff --git a/src/Plugin_Download_Command.php b/src/Plugin_Download_Command.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5ad4a36c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Plugin_Download_Command.php
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+<?php
+
+use WP_CLI\Utils;
+use WP_CLI\WpOrgApi;
+
+/**
+ * Downloads plugin zip files from the WordPress.org repository.
+ *
+ * ## OPTIONS
+ *
+ * <slug>
+ * : Slug of the plugin to download.
+ *
+ * [--path=<path>]
+ * : Directory to store the downloaded zip file. Defaults to the current directory.
+ *
+ * [--version=<version>]
+ * : Version to download. Accepts a version number or `dev`.
+ *
+ * [--force]
+ * : Overwrite destination file if it already exists.
+ *
+ * [--insecure]
+ * : Retry download without certificate validation if TLS handshake fails. Note: This makes the request vulnerable to a MITM attack.
+ *
+ * ## EXAMPLES
+ *
+ *     $ wp plugin download bbpress
+ *     Downloading bbpress (2.5.9)...
+ *     Success: Downloaded plugin package to /path/to/bbpress.2.5.9.zip
+ *
+ * @when before_wp_load
+ */
+// phpcs:ignore WordPress.NamingConventions.PrefixAllGlobals.NonPrefixedClassFound
+class Plugin_Download_Command {
+
+	/**
+	 * Downloads a plugin zip package without loading WordPress.
+	 *
+	 * @param array{0: string}                                   $args       Positional arguments.
+	 * @param array{path?: string, version?: string, force?: bool, insecure?: bool} $assoc_args Associative arguments.
+	 */
+	public function __invoke( $args, $assoc_args ) {
+		$slug         = (string) $args[0];
+		$insecure     = Utils\get_flag_value( $assoc_args, 'insecure', false );
+		$force        = Utils\get_flag_value( $assoc_args, 'force', false );
+		$requested    = Utils\get_flag_value( $assoc_args, 'version', null );
+		$download_dir = Utils\get_flag_value( $assoc_args, 'path', getcwd() );
+		if ( '' === $slug ) {
+			WP_CLI::error( 'Please provide a plugin slug.' );
+		}
+
+		if ( ! is_dir( $download_dir ) ) {
+			if ( ! @mkdir( $download_dir, 0755, true ) ) {
+				WP_CLI::error( "Failed to create directory '{$download_dir}'." );
+			}
+		}
+
+		if ( ! is_writable( $download_dir ) ) {
+			WP_CLI::error( "'{$download_dir}' is not writable by current user." );
+		}
+
+		try {
+			$plugin_data = ( new WpOrgApi( [ 'insecure' => $insecure ] ) )->get_plugin_info( $slug );
+		} catch ( Exception $exception ) {
+			WP_CLI::error( $exception->getMessage() );
+		}
+
+		if ( ! is_array( $plugin_data ) || empty( $plugin_data['download_link'] ) || empty( $plugin_data['version'] ) ) {
+			WP_CLI::error( "The '{$slug}' plugin could not be found." );
+		}
+
+		$download_url = $plugin_data['download_link'];
+		$version      = $plugin_data['version'];
+
+		if ( is_string( $requested ) && '' !== $requested && $requested !== $plugin_data['version'] ) {
+			$current_zip = basename( (string) Utils\parse_url( $download_url, PHP_URL_PATH ) );
+			if ( 'dev' === $requested ) {
+				$download_url = str_replace( $current_zip, $slug . '.zip', $download_url );
+				$version      = 'Development Version';
+			} else {
+				$download_url = str_replace( $current_zip, $slug . '.' . $requested . '.zip', $download_url );
+				$version      = $requested;
+			}
+		}
+
+		$zip_name = basename( (string) Utils\parse_url( $download_url, PHP_URL_PATH ) );
+		if ( '' === $zip_name ) {
+			$zip_name = "{$slug}.zip";
+		}
+
+		$download_file = rtrim( $download_dir, '/\\' ) . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $zip_name;
+
+		if ( ! $force && file_exists( $download_file ) ) {
+			WP_CLI::error( "Destination file already exists: {$download_file}" );
+		}
+
+		WP_CLI::log( "Downloading {$slug} ({$version})..." );
+
+		try {
+			Utils\http_request(
+				'GET',
+				$download_url,
+				null,
+				[],
+				[
+					'filename' => $download_file,
+					'insecure' => (bool) $insecure,
+				]
+			);
+		} catch ( Exception $exception ) {
+			WP_CLI::error( $exception->getMessage() );
+		}
+
+		WP_CLI::success( "Downloaded plugin package to {$download_file}" );
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/Theme_Download_Command.php b/src/Theme_Download_Command.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..571fc41b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Theme_Download_Command.php
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+<?php
+
+use WP_CLI\Utils;
+use WP_CLI\WpOrgApi;
+
+/**
+ * Downloads theme zip files from the WordPress.org repository.
+ *
+ * ## OPTIONS
+ *
+ * <slug>
+ * : Slug of the theme to download.
+ *
+ * [--path=<path>]
+ * : Directory to store the downloaded zip file. Defaults to the current directory.
+ *
+ * [--version=<version>]
+ * : Version to download. Accepts a version number or `dev`.
+ *
+ * [--force]
+ * : Overwrite destination file if it already exists.
+ *
+ * [--insecure]
+ * : Retry download without certificate validation if TLS handshake fails. Note: This makes the request vulnerable to a MITM attack.
+ *
+ * ## EXAMPLES
+ *
+ *     $ wp theme download twentytwelve
+ *     Downloading twentytwelve (1.3)...
+ *     Success: Downloaded theme package to /path/to/twentytwelve.1.3.zip
+ *
+ * @when before_wp_load
+ */
+// phpcs:ignore WordPress.NamingConventions.PrefixAllGlobals.NonPrefixedClassFound
+class Theme_Download_Command {
+
+	/**
+	 * Downloads a theme zip package without loading WordPress.
+	 *
+	 * @param array{0: string}                                   $args       Positional arguments.
+	 * @param array{path?: string, version?: string, force?: bool, insecure?: bool} $assoc_args Associative arguments.
+	 */
+	public function __invoke( $args, $assoc_args ) {
+		$slug         = (string) $args[0];
+		$insecure     = Utils\get_flag_value( $assoc_args, 'insecure', false );
+		$force        = Utils\get_flag_value( $assoc_args, 'force', false );
+		$requested    = Utils\get_flag_value( $assoc_args, 'version', null );
+		$download_dir = Utils\get_flag_value( $assoc_args, 'path', getcwd() );
+		if ( '' === $slug ) {
+			WP_CLI::error( 'Please provide a theme slug.' );
+		}
+
+		if ( ! is_dir( $download_dir ) ) {
+			if ( ! @mkdir( $download_dir, 0755, true ) ) {
+				WP_CLI::error( "Failed to create directory '{$download_dir}'." );
+			}
+		}
+
+		if ( ! is_writable( $download_dir ) ) {
+			WP_CLI::error( "'{$download_dir}' is not writable by current user." );
+		}
+
+		try {
+			$theme_data = ( new WpOrgApi( [ 'insecure' => $insecure ] ) )->get_theme_info( $slug );
+		} catch ( Exception $exception ) {
+			WP_CLI::error( $exception->getMessage() );
+		}
+
+		if ( ! is_array( $theme_data ) || empty( $theme_data['download_link'] ) || empty( $theme_data['version'] ) ) {
+			WP_CLI::error( "The '{$slug}' theme could not be found." );
+		}
+
+		$download_url = $theme_data['download_link'];
+		$version      = $theme_data['version'];
+
+		if ( is_string( $requested ) && '' !== $requested && $requested !== $theme_data['version'] ) {
+			$current_zip = basename( (string) Utils\parse_url( $download_url, PHP_URL_PATH ) );
+			if ( 'dev' === $requested ) {
+				$download_url = str_replace( $current_zip, $slug . '.zip', $download_url );
+				$version      = 'Development Version';
+			} else {
+				$download_url = str_replace( $current_zip, $slug . '.' . $requested . '.zip', $download_url );
+				$version      = $requested;
+			}
+		}
+
+		$zip_name = basename( (string) Utils\parse_url( $download_url, PHP_URL_PATH ) );
+		if ( '' === $zip_name ) {
+			$zip_name = "{$slug}.zip";
+		}
+
+		$download_file = rtrim( $download_dir, '/\\' ) . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . $zip_name;
+
+		if ( ! $force && file_exists( $download_file ) ) {
+			WP_CLI::error( "Destination file already exists: {$download_file}" );
+		}
+
+		WP_CLI::log( "Downloading {$slug} ({$version})..." );
+
+		try {
+			Utils\http_request(
+				'GET',
+				$download_url,
+				null,
+				[],
+				[
+					'filename' => $download_file,
+					'insecure' => (bool) $insecure,
+				]
+			);
+		} catch ( Exception $exception ) {
+			WP_CLI::error( $exception->getMessage() );
+		}
+
+		WP_CLI::success( "Downloaded theme package to {$download_file}" );
+	}
+}