diff --git a/.changeset/early-kiwis-drum.md b/.changeset/early-kiwis-drum.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..807173989
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/early-kiwis-drum.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"sv": patch
+---
+
+fix(sv): set `engineStrict` in `pnpm-workspace.yaml` for pnpm projects, `engine-strict` in `.npmrc` otherwise
diff --git a/packages/sv-utils/src/tests/transforms.ts b/packages/sv-utils/src/tests/transforms.ts
index ad0620f7a..ebaadfe19 100644
--- a/packages/sv-utils/src/tests/transforms.ts
+++ b/packages/sv-utils/src/tests/transforms.ts
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ describe('transforms', () => {
 			expect(result).toContain('name: new');
 		});
 
-		it('abort: returns fals if transform is cacelled', () => {
+		it('abort: returns false if transform is cancelled', () => {
 			const input = 'name: old\n';
 			expect(transforms.yaml(() => false)(input)).toBe(false);
 		});
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ describe('transforms', () => {
 			expect(result).toContain('name = "new"');
 		});
 
-		it('abort: returns fals if transform is cacelled', () => {
+		it('abort: returns false if transform is cancelled', () => {
 			const input = 'name = "old"\n';
 			expect(transforms.toml(() => false)(input)).toBe(false);
 		});
diff --git a/packages/sv/src/cli/create.ts b/packages/sv/src/cli/create.ts
index 4c666336a..b7b6b0841 100644
--- a/packages/sv/src/cli/create.ts
+++ b/packages/sv/src/cli/create.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import { formatFiles } from '../core/formatFiles.ts';
 import {
 	AGENT_NAMES,
 	addAllowBuildsIfPnpm,
+	addEngineStrict,
 	detectPackageManager,
 	installDependencies,
 	installOption,
@@ -416,6 +417,7 @@ export async function createProject(cwd: ProjectPath, options: Options) {
 
 	const addOnNextSteps = getNextSteps(addOnSuccessfulAddons, workspace, answers, addonSetupResults);
 
+	addEngineStrict({ cwd: projectPath, packageManager });
 	addAllowBuildsIfPnpm({ cwd: projectPath, packageManager, packages: ['esbuild'] });
 
 	let depsInstalled = false;
diff --git a/packages/sv/src/create/templates/demo/.npmrc b/packages/sv/src/cli/tests/snapshots/@my-org/sv/.npmrc
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/sv/src/create/templates/demo/.npmrc
rename to packages/sv/src/cli/tests/snapshots/@my-org/sv/.npmrc
diff --git a/packages/sv/src/core/package-manager.ts b/packages/sv/src/core/package-manager.ts
index 6c81cdafe..b2c56b5e2 100644
--- a/packages/sv/src/core/package-manager.ts
+++ b/packages/sv/src/core/package-manager.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@ import {
 	color,
 	detect,
 	pnpm,
-	resolveCommand
+	resolveCommand,
+	transforms,
+	type TransformFn
 } from '@sveltejs/sv-utils';
 import { Option } from 'commander';
 import * as find from 'empathic/find';
@@ -132,17 +134,45 @@ function isInstalled(agent: AgentName): boolean {
  * `sv.file`, but the CLI itself runs outside that pipeline, so it locates (or creates)
  * `pnpm-workspace.yaml` by hand.
  */
-export function addAllowBuildsIfPnpm(options: {
-	cwd: string;
-	packageManager: AgentName | null | undefined;
-	packages: string[];
-}): void {
+export function addAllowBuildsIfPnpm(options: ProjectOptions & { packages: string[] }): void {
 	const { cwd, packageManager, packages } = options;
 	if (packageManager !== 'pnpm') return;
 
-	const found = find.up('pnpm-workspace.yaml', { cwd });
-	const filePath = found ?? path.join(cwd, 'pnpm-workspace.yaml');
-	const content = found ? fs.readFileSync(found, 'utf-8') : '';
-	const newContent = pnpm.allowBuilds({ cwd, packages })(content);
+	const filePath = find.up('pnpm-workspace.yaml', { cwd }) ?? path.join(cwd, 'pnpm-workspace.yaml');
+	transformFile(filePath, pnpm.allowBuilds({ cwd, packages }));
+}
+
+type ProjectOptions = {
+	cwd: string;
+	packageManager: AgentName | null | undefined;
+};
+
+/** pnpm reads its settings from `pnpm-workspace.yaml`, others from `.npmrc`. */
+export function addEngineStrict(options: ProjectOptions): void {
+	if (options.packageManager === 'pnpm') addEngineStrictForPnpm(options.cwd);
+	else addEngineStrictForNpm(options.cwd);
+}
+
+function addEngineStrictForPnpm(cwd: string): void {
+	transformFile(
+		path.join(cwd, 'pnpm-workspace.yaml'),
+		transforms.yaml(({ data }) => {
+			if (data.get('engineStrict') !== undefined) return false;
+			data.set('engineStrict', true);
+		})
+	);
+}
+
+function addEngineStrictForNpm(cwd: string): void {
+	transformFile(
+		path.join(cwd, '.npmrc'),
+		transforms.text(({ content, text }) => text.upsert(content, 'engine-strict', { value: 'true' }))
+	);
+}
+
+/** Missing file is treated as empty, so the transform can create it. */
+function transformFile(filePath: string, transform: TransformFn): void {
+	const content = fs.existsSync(filePath) ? fs.readFileSync(filePath, 'utf-8') : '';
+	const newContent = transform(content);
 	if (newContent && newContent !== content) fs.writeFileSync(filePath, newContent, 'utf-8');
 }
diff --git a/packages/sv/src/create/templates/library/.npmrc b/packages/sv/src/create/templates/library/.npmrc
deleted file mode 100644
index b6f27f135..000000000
--- a/packages/sv/src/create/templates/library/.npmrc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-engine-strict=true
diff --git a/packages/sv/src/create/templates/minimal/.npmrc b/packages/sv/src/create/templates/minimal/.npmrc
deleted file mode 100644
index b6f27f135..000000000
--- a/packages/sv/src/create/templates/minimal/.npmrc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-engine-strict=true