Innovation　and　creativity　are　essential　for　graduate　education,　and　supervisors　have　a　substantial　responsibility　to　foster　the　creative　abilities　of　graduate　students.　However,　empirical　studies　investigating　how　supervisor　personality　affects　graduate　student　creativity　are　rare.　To　enhance　the　ability　of　higher　education　institutions　to　cultivate　creativity　among　graduate　students,　we　examined　how　supervisor　Machiavellianism　leads　graduate　students　to　perceived　objectification,　reducing　graduate　student　creative　performance　based　on　the　Job　Demands-Resources　model　and　Job-Demand-Control-Support　theory.　We　proposed　personal　initiative　as　the　moderator　to　explore　boundary　conditions　of　the　relationship　between　supervisor　Machiavellianism　and　perceived　objectification.　Results　from　326　graduate　students　across　three　time　points　indicated　that　supervisor　Machiavellianism　negatively　affects　graduate　students’　creative　performance,　and　graduate　students’　perceived　objectification　fully　mediates　the　relationship.　Additionally,　graduate　student　personal　initiative　moderated　this　relationship.　Graduate　students　with　high　personal　initiative　can　mitigate　the　negative　effects　of　Machiavellian　supervisors.　Our　findings　emphasize　the　significance　of　considering　the　individual　traits　of　both　supervisors　and　graduate　students　in　graduate　education　with　valuable　theoretical　and　practical　implications　discussed.　©　2024　Society　for　Research　into　Higher　Education.