diff --git a/pkg/bundle/prompt.go b/pkg/bundle/prompt.go
index 84dbfb7..0b3ad2f 100644
--- a/pkg/bundle/prompt.go
+++ b/pkg/bundle/prompt.go
@@ -111,11 +111,28 @@ var ignoredTemplateDirs = map[string]bool{"alpha": true}
 func getTemplate(t *templates.TemplateData) error {
 	templateList, err := templates.List()
 	if err != nil {
+		if errors.Is(err, templates.ErrNotConfigured) {
+			fmt.Println()
+			fmt.Println("💡 Did you know? You can set up bundle templates for faster development!")
+			fmt.Println("   Set MASSDRIVER_TEMPLATES_PATH or templates_path in your config profile.")
+			fmt.Println("   See: https://docs.massdriver.cloud/guides/bundle-templates")
+			fmt.Println()
+			fmt.Println("   Continuing without a template - we'll generate a basic massdriver.yaml for you.")
+			fmt.Println()
+			t.TemplateName = ""
+			return nil
+		}
 		return err
 	}
 
 	filteredTemplates := removeIgnoredTemplateDirectories(templateList)
 
+	if len(filteredTemplates) == 0 {
+		fmt.Println("No templates found in templates path. Generating a basic massdriver.yaml.")
+		t.TemplateName = ""
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	prompt := promptui.Select{
 		Label: "Template",
 		Items: filteredTemplates,
diff --git a/pkg/commands/bundle/new.go b/pkg/commands/bundle/new.go
index 4832090..ef58c36 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/bundle/new.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/bundle/new.go
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@ package bundle
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"path"
+	"path/filepath"
 
 	"github.com/massdriver-cloud/mass/pkg/bundle"
 	"github.com/massdriver-cloud/mass/pkg/provisioners"
@@ -10,6 +12,10 @@ import (
 )
 
 func RunNew(data *templates.TemplateData) error {
+	if data.TemplateName == "" {
+		return generateBasicBundle(data)
+	}
+
 	if err := templates.Render(data); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to render template: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -31,3 +37,66 @@ func RunNew(data *templates.TemplateData) error {
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+func generateBasicBundle(data *templates.TemplateData) error {
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(data.OutputDir, 0750); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to create output directory: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	content := generateMassdriverYAML(data)
+
+	outputPath := filepath.Join(data.OutputDir, "massdriver.yaml")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(outputPath, []byte(content), 0644); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to write massdriver.yaml: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func generateMassdriverYAML(data *templates.TemplateData) string {
+	yaml := fmt.Sprintf(`# Massdriver Bundle Specification
+# https://docs.massdriver.cloud/guides/bundle-yaml-spec
+
+schema: draft-07
+name: %q
+description: %q
+source_url: ""
+
+# steps:
+#   - path: src
+#     provisioner: opentofu
+# See provisioners: https://docs.massdriver.cloud/provisioners/overview
+
+params:
+  required: []
+  properties: {}
+
+`, data.Name, data.Description)
+
+	// Add connections
+	yaml += "connections:\n"
+	if len(data.Connections) == 0 {
+		yaml += "  required: []\n  properties: {}\n"
+	} else {
+		yaml += "  required:\n"
+		for _, conn := range data.Connections {
+			yaml += fmt.Sprintf("    - %s\n", conn.Name)
+		}
+		yaml += "  properties:\n"
+		for _, conn := range data.Connections {
+			yaml += fmt.Sprintf("    %s:\n      $ref: %s\n", conn.Name, conn.ArtifactDefinition)
+		}
+	}
+
+	yaml += `
+artifacts:
+  required: []
+  properties: {}
+
+ui:
+  ui:order:
+    - "*"
+`
+
+	return yaml
+}
diff --git a/pkg/commands/bundle/new_test.go b/pkg/commands/bundle/new_test.go
index 66ba458..4ad4b79 100644
--- a/pkg/commands/bundle/new_test.go
+++ b/pkg/commands/bundle/new_test.go
@@ -101,6 +101,90 @@ func TestTemplateRender(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestGenerateBasicBundleWithoutTemplate(t *testing.T) {
+	testDir := t.TempDir()
+	writePath := path.Join(testDir, "my-bundle")
+
+	data := &templates.TemplateData{
+		OutputDir:   writePath,
+		Name:        "my-test-bundle",
+		Description: "A test bundle without a template",
+		TemplateName: "", // No template
+		Connections: []templates.Connection{
+			{Name: "vpc", ArtifactDefinition: "massdriver/aws-vpc"},
+			{Name: "database", ArtifactDefinition: "massdriver/aws-rds-postgres"},
+		},
+	}
+
+	err := cmdbundle.RunNew(data)
+	checkErr(err, t)
+
+	// Verify massdriver.yaml was created
+	content, err := os.ReadFile(path.Join(writePath, "massdriver.yaml"))
+	checkErr(err, t)
+
+	got := &bundle.Bundle{}
+	err = yaml.Unmarshal(content, got)
+	checkErr(err, t)
+
+	if got.Name != "my-test-bundle" {
+		t.Errorf("Expected name to be 'my-test-bundle' but got %q", got.Name)
+	}
+
+	if got.Description != "A test bundle without a template" {
+		t.Errorf("Expected description to be 'A test bundle without a template' but got %q", got.Description)
+	}
+
+	// Check connections
+	wantConnections := map[string]any{
+		"required": []any{"vpc", "database"},
+		"properties": map[string]any{
+			"vpc":      map[string]any{"$ref": "massdriver/aws-vpc"},
+			"database": map[string]any{"$ref": "massdriver/aws-rds-postgres"},
+		},
+	}
+
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(got.Connections, wantConnections) {
+		t.Errorf("Expected connections to be %v but got %v", wantConnections, got.Connections)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestGenerateBasicBundleNoConnections(t *testing.T) {
+	testDir := t.TempDir()
+	writePath := path.Join(testDir, "simple-bundle")
+
+	data := &templates.TemplateData{
+		OutputDir:    writePath,
+		Name:         "simple-bundle",
+		Description:  "A simple bundle",
+		TemplateName: "", // No template
+		Connections:  []templates.Connection{},
+	}
+
+	err := cmdbundle.RunNew(data)
+	checkErr(err, t)
+
+	content, err := os.ReadFile(path.Join(writePath, "massdriver.yaml"))
+	checkErr(err, t)
+
+	got := &bundle.Bundle{}
+	err = yaml.Unmarshal(content, got)
+	checkErr(err, t)
+
+	if got.Name != "simple-bundle" {
+		t.Errorf("Expected name to be 'simple-bundle' but got %q", got.Name)
+	}
+
+	wantConnections := map[string]any{
+		"required":   []any{},
+		"properties": map[string]any{},
+	}
+
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual(got.Connections, wantConnections) {
+		t.Errorf("Expected connections to be %v but got %v", wantConnections, got.Connections)
+	}
+}
+
 func mockTemplateData(writePath string) *templates.TemplateData {
 	return &templates.TemplateData{
 		OutputDir:         writePath,