diff --git a/.changeset/cold-rings-show.md b/.changeset/cold-rings-show.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cb12dbff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/cold-rings-show.md
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+---
+'@tanstack/cta-cli': minor
+'create-start-app': minor
+'create-tanstack': minor
+'create-tanstack-app': minor
+'create-tsrouter-app': minor
+'@tanstack/create-start': minor
+'@tanstack/cta-framework-react-cra': minor
+'@tanstack/cta-framework-solid': minor
+'@tanstack/cta-engine': minor
+'@tanstack/cta-ui': minor
+'@tanstack/cta-ui-base': minor
+---
+
+no will prompt about overriding a directory that has contents
diff --git a/packages/cta-cli/src/cli.ts b/packages/cta-cli/src/cli.ts
index 3183a02b..3641149e 100644
--- a/packages/cta-cli/src/cli.ts
+++ b/packages/cta-cli/src/cli.ts
@@ -386,6 +386,11 @@ Remove your node_modules directory and package lock file and re-install.`,
       '--add-on-config <config>',
       'JSON string with add-on configuration options',
     )
+    .option(
+      '-f, --force',
+      'force project creation even if the target directory is not empty',
+      false,
+    )
 
   program.action(async (projectName: string, options: CliOptions) => {
     if (options.listAddOns) {
diff --git a/packages/cta-cli/src/options.ts b/packages/cta-cli/src/options.ts
index c8d10335..12b8b134 100644
--- a/packages/cta-cli/src/options.ts
+++ b/packages/cta-cli/src/options.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-import { intro } from '@clack/prompts'
+import fs from 'node:fs'
+import { cancel, confirm, intro, isCancel } from '@clack/prompts'
 
 import {
   finalizeAddOns,
@@ -12,8 +13,8 @@ import {
   getProjectName,
   promptForAddOnOptions,
   selectAddOns,
-  selectGit,
   selectDeployment,
+  selectGit,
   selectPackageManager,
   selectRouterType,
   selectTailwind,
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ export async function promptForCreateOptions(
 
   options.framework = getFrameworkById(cliOptions.framework || 'react-cra')!
 
+  // Validate project name
   if (cliOptions.projectName) {
     // Handle "." as project name - use sanitized current directory name
     if (cliOptions.projectName === '.') {
@@ -62,6 +64,23 @@ export async function promptForCreateOptions(
     options.projectName = await getProjectName()
   }
 
+  // Check if target directory is empty
+  if (
+    !cliOptions.force &&
+    fs.existsSync(options.projectName) &&
+    fs.readdirSync(options.projectName).length > 0
+  ) {
+    const shouldContinue = await confirm({
+      message: `Target directory ${options.projectName} is not empty. Do you want to continue?`,
+      initialValue: true,
+    })
+
+    if (isCancel(shouldContinue) || !shouldContinue) {
+      cancel('Operation cancelled.')
+      process.exit(0)
+    }
+  }
+
   // Router type selection
   if (forcedMode) {
     options.mode = forcedMode
diff --git a/packages/cta-cli/src/types.ts b/packages/cta-cli/src/types.ts
index 2a732302..6b1ebede 100644
--- a/packages/cta-cli/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/cta-cli/src/types.ts
@@ -23,4 +23,5 @@ export interface CliOptions {
   devWatch?: string
   install?: boolean
   addOnConfig?: string
+  force?: boolean
 }
diff --git a/packages/cta-cli/src/ui-prompts.ts b/packages/cta-cli/src/ui-prompts.ts
index 46a6110a..8bb2265b 100644
--- a/packages/cta-cli/src/ui-prompts.ts
+++ b/packages/cta-cli/src/ui-prompts.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ import { validateProjectName } from './utils.js'
 import type { AddOn, PackageManager } from '@tanstack/cta-engine'
 
 import type { Framework } from '@tanstack/cta-engine/dist/types/types.js'
-import { InitialData } from '../../cta-ui/src/types'
 
 export async function getProjectName(): Promise<string> {
   const value = await text({