diff --git a/src/commands/projects.ts b/src/commands/projects.ts
index bef32b8..150cb42 100644
--- a/src/commands/projects.ts
+++ b/src/commands/projects.ts
@@ -259,6 +259,17 @@ function registerCreateCommand(projects: Command): void {
           `Created ${c.bold(filled.name)} ${c.dim(`(${result.id})`)} on ${c.bold(env.name)}`
         )
       );
+      if (filled.platforms.length === 0) {
+        console.log(c.dim("  No platforms enabled."));
+        console.log(
+          c.dim("  See accepted platform names with `photon projects create --help`.")
+        );
+        console.log(
+          c.dim(
+            `  Enable one with \`photon spectrum platforms enable <platform-name> --project '${result.id}'\`.`
+          )
+        );
+      }
       console.log(
         c.dim(`  To make this the active project: export PHOTON_PROJECT_ID='${result.id}'`)
       );
diff --git a/tests/contract/projects.contract.test.ts b/tests/contract/projects.contract.test.ts
index 6163f44..cd73990 100644
--- a/tests/contract/projects.contract.test.ts
+++ b/tests/contract/projects.contract.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,17 @@
-import { describe, test, expect, beforeAll, afterAll } from "bun:test";
-import { startMockServer, stopMockServer } from "../helpers/mock-server.ts";
+import {
+  afterAll,
+  beforeAll,
+  beforeEach,
+  describe,
+  expect,
+  test,
+} from "bun:test";
+import {
+  getMockProjectCreateRequests,
+  resetMockState,
+  startMockServer,
+  stopMockServer,
+} from "../helpers/mock-server.ts";
 import { runCommand } from "../helpers/cli-runner.ts";
 
 let baseUrl: string;
@@ -12,6 +24,96 @@ afterAll(async () => {
   await stopMockServer();
 });
 
+beforeEach(() => {
+  resetMockState();
+});
+
+describe("photon projects create", () => {
+  test("explains how to enable a platform when created without platforms", async () => {
+    const { stdout, exitCode } = await runCommand(
+      ["projects", "create", "--name", "No Platform"],
+      {
+        env: {
+          CI: "1",
+          PHOTON_TOKEN: "test-token",
+          PHOTON_API_HOST: baseUrl,
+        },
+      },
+    );
+
+    expect(exitCode).toBe(0);
+    expect(getMockProjectCreateRequests()).toEqual([
+      {
+        name: "No Platform",
+        location: "United States",
+        platforms: [],
+        template: false,
+        observability: false,
+      },
+    ]);
+    expect(stdout).toContain("No platforms enabled.");
+    expect(stdout).toContain("photon projects create --help");
+    expect(stdout).toContain(
+      "photon spectrum platforms enable <platform-name> --project '00000000-0000-4000-a000-000000000001'",
+    );
+  });
+
+  test("does not show the no-platform hint for an explicit platform", async () => {
+    const { stdout, exitCode } = await runCommand(
+      [
+        "projects",
+        "create",
+        "--name",
+        "iMessage Project",
+        "--platforms",
+        "imessage",
+      ],
+      {
+        env: {
+          CI: "1",
+          PHOTON_TOKEN: "test-token",
+          PHOTON_API_HOST: baseUrl,
+        },
+      },
+    );
+
+    expect(exitCode).toBe(0);
+    expect(getMockProjectCreateRequests()).toEqual([
+      {
+        name: "iMessage Project",
+        location: "United States",
+        platforms: ["imessage"],
+        template: false,
+        observability: false,
+      },
+    ]);
+    expect(stdout).not.toContain("No platforms enabled.");
+    expect(stdout).not.toContain("photon projects create --help");
+    expect(stdout).not.toContain("spectrum platforms enable");
+  });
+
+  test("keeps --json output unchanged when no platform is selected", async () => {
+    const { stdout, exitCode } = await runCommand(
+      ["projects", "create", "--name", "JSON Project", "--json"],
+      {
+        env: {
+          CI: "1",
+          PHOTON_TOKEN: "test-token",
+          PHOTON_API_HOST: baseUrl,
+        },
+      },
+    );
+
+    expect(exitCode).toBe(0);
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(stdout);
+    expect(Object.keys(parsed)).toEqual(["id", "name", "env"]);
+    expect(parsed.id).toBe("00000000-0000-4000-a000-000000000001");
+    expect(parsed.name).toBe("JSON Project");
+    expect(typeof parsed.env).toBe("string");
+    expect(getMockProjectCreateRequests()[0]?.platforms).toEqual([]);
+  });
+});
+
 describe("photon projects list", () => {
   test("lists project names from fixtures", async () => {
     const { stdout, exitCode } = await runCommand(["projects", "list"], {
diff --git a/tests/helpers/mock-server.ts b/tests/helpers/mock-server.ts
index 0455822..6a4e76d 100644
--- a/tests/helpers/mock-server.ts
+++ b/tests/helpers/mock-server.ts
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ interface MockState {
   lineAvatarResponseFault: "missing-avatar-url" | "missing-upload-key" | null;
   lineProfileRequests: MockLineProfileRequest[];
   profileSyncRequests: MockProfileSyncRequest[];
+  projectCreateRequests: Record<string, unknown>[];
 }
 
 export interface MockLineProfileRequest {
@@ -70,6 +71,7 @@ const state: MockState = {
   lineAvatarResponseFault: null,
   lineProfileRequests: [],
   profileSyncRequests: [],
+  projectCreateRequests: [],
 };
 
 export function setMockSubscription(sub: "free" | "active"): void {
@@ -102,6 +104,10 @@ export function getMockLineProfileRequests(): MockLineProfileRequest[] {
   return state.lineProfileRequests.map((request) => ({ ...request }));
 }
 
+export function getMockProjectCreateRequests(): Record<string, unknown>[] {
+  return state.projectCreateRequests.map((request) => ({ ...request }));
+}
+
 export function resetMockState(): void {
   state.subscription = subscriptionFree;
   state.forceUnauthorized = false;
@@ -110,6 +116,7 @@ export function resetMockState(): void {
   state.lineAvatarResponseFault = null;
   state.lineProfileRequests = [];
   state.profileSyncRequests = [];
+  state.projectCreateRequests = [];
 }
 
 function requireAuth(headers: Record<string, string | undefined>) {
@@ -292,9 +299,10 @@ const app = new Elysia()
     if (found) return found;
     return projectFixture;
   })
-  .post("/api/projects", ({ headers }) => {
+  .post("/api/projects", ({ body, headers }) => {
     const denied = requireAuth(headers as Record<string, string | undefined>);
     if (denied) return denied;
+    state.projectCreateRequests.push({ ...(body as Record<string, unknown>) });
     return { success: true, id: projectFixture.id };
   })
   .get("/api/projects/:id/subscription", ({ headers }) => {