diff --git a/DISASMER_PUBLIC_TREE.json b/DISASMER_PUBLIC_TREE.json
index 0f82e11..73a8f4e 100644
--- a/DISASMER_PUBLIC_TREE.json
+++ b/DISASMER_PUBLIC_TREE.json
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {
   "kind": "disasmer-filtered-public-tree",
-  "source_commit": "4a860d72efe34b376c4b08762555bee3fe3105f9",
-  "release_name": "dryrun-4a860d72efe3",
+  "source_commit": "b25bfc668c9ac086a09be0d69b2ca1e6a6ddae13",
+  "release_name": "dryrun-b25bfc668c9a",
   "filtered_out": [
     "private/**",
     "experiments/**",
diff --git a/crates/disasmer-cli/src/main.rs b/crates/disasmer-cli/src/main.rs
index 660250a..0031af7 100644
--- a/crates/disasmer-cli/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/disasmer-cli/src/main.rs
@@ -1276,11 +1276,16 @@ fn key_revoke_report(args: KeyRevokeArgs) -> Result<Value> {
 }
 
 fn project_init_report(args: ProjectInitArgs, cwd: PathBuf) -> Result<Value> {
+    let tenant = args.scope.tenant.clone();
+    let project = args.new_project.clone();
+    let user = args.scope.user.clone();
+    let coordinator = args.scope.coordinator.clone();
+    let name = args.name.clone();
     let config = ProjectConfig {
-        tenant: args.scope.tenant.clone(),
-        project: args.new_project.clone(),
-        user: args.scope.user.clone(),
-        coordinator: args.scope.coordinator.clone(),
+        tenant: tenant.clone(),
+        project: project.clone(),
+        user: user.clone(),
+        coordinator: coordinator.clone(),
     };
     let config_file = project_config_file(&cwd);
     if config_file.exists() && !args.yes {
@@ -1289,26 +1294,63 @@ fn project_init_report(args: ProjectInitArgs, cwd: PathBuf) -> Result<Value> {
             config_file.display()
         );
     }
-    let coordinator_response = if let Some(coordinator) = &args.scope.coordinator {
+    let mut coordinator_session_requests = 0;
+    let coordinator_response = if let Some(coordinator) = &coordinator {
         let mut session = JsonLineSession::connect(coordinator)?;
-        Some(session.request(json!({
+        let response = session.request(json!({
             "type": "create_project",
-            "tenant": args.scope.tenant,
-            "actor_user": args.scope.user,
-            "project": args.new_project,
-            "name": args.name,
-        }))?)
+            "tenant": tenant,
+            "actor_user": user,
+            "project": project,
+            "name": name,
+        }))?;
+        coordinator_session_requests = session.requests();
+        Some(response)
     } else {
         None
     };
     write_project_config(&cwd, &config)?;
+    let created_or_linked_project = coordinator_response
+        .as_ref()
+        .and_then(|response| response.get("project"))
+        .cloned()
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| {
+            json!({
+                "id": config.project.clone(),
+                "tenant": config.tenant.clone(),
+                "name": args.name.clone(),
+            })
+        });
     Ok(json!({
         "command": "project init",
-        "source": if args.scope.coordinator.is_some() { "public_coordinator_api" } else { "local_project_config" },
+        "source": if coordinator.is_some() { "public_coordinator_api" } else { "local_project_config" },
         "private_website_required": false,
         "project_config_written": true,
+        "project_config_write_after_coordinator_acceptance": coordinator.is_some(),
+        "coordinator_create_before_local_write": coordinator.is_some(),
+        "coordinator_session_requests": coordinator_session_requests,
+        "created_or_linked_project": created_or_linked_project,
+        "current_directory_link": {
+            "cwd": cwd,
+            "config_file": config_file,
+            "config_format": "disasmer_project_config_v1",
+            "links_current_directory": true,
+            "writes_current_directory_only": true,
+            "private_website_required": false,
+        },
+        "safe_defaults": {
+            "tenant": config.tenant.clone(),
+            "project": config.project.clone(),
+            "user": config.user.clone(),
+            "coordinator": config.coordinator.clone(),
+            "project_name": args.name.clone(),
+            "default_project_id_used": args.new_project == "project",
+            "default_project_name_used": args.name == "Disasmer Project",
+            "browser_interaction_required": false,
+            "private_website_required": false,
+        },
         "project_config": config,
-        "config_file": config_file,
+        "config_file": project_config_file(&cwd),
         "coordinator_response": coordinator_response,
     }))
 }
@@ -2567,6 +2609,16 @@ fn human_report(value: &Value) -> String {
             push_nested_string_field(&mut lines, project_config, "coordinator", "coordinator");
         }
     }
+    if let Some(link) = value.get("current_directory_link") {
+        if link
+            .get("links_current_directory")
+            .and_then(Value::as_bool)
+            .unwrap_or(false)
+        {
+            lines.push("current directory linked: true".to_owned());
+        }
+        push_nested_string_field(&mut lines, link, "config_file", "current directory config");
+    }
     if let Some(metadata) = value.get("metadata") {
         push_nested_string_field(&mut lines, metadata, "identity", "bundle");
         if let Some(environments) = metadata.get("environments").and_then(Value::as_array) {
@@ -8128,6 +8180,27 @@ mod tests {
         )
         .unwrap();
         assert_eq!(init["command"], "project init");
+        assert_eq!(init["source"], "local_project_config");
+        assert_eq!(init["project_config_written"], true);
+        assert_eq!(
+            init["current_directory_link"]["config_format"],
+            "disasmer_project_config_v1"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            init["current_directory_link"]["links_current_directory"],
+            true
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            init["current_directory_link"]["writes_current_directory_only"],
+            true
+        );
+        assert_eq!(init["safe_defaults"]["project"], "project-a");
+        assert_eq!(init["safe_defaults"]["tenant"], "tenant");
+        assert_eq!(init["safe_defaults"]["browser_interaction_required"], false);
+        assert_eq!(init["coordinator_create_before_local_write"], false);
+        let rendered = human_report(&init);
+        assert!(rendered.contains("current directory linked: true"));
+        assert!(rendered.contains("current directory config:"));
 
         let config = read_project_config(temp.path()).unwrap().unwrap();
         assert_eq!(config.project, "project-a");
@@ -8173,6 +8246,107 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(status["attached_nodes"]["checked"], false);
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn project_init_uses_public_create_before_writing_local_config() {
+        let temp_success = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let temp_rejected = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+        let listener = TcpListener::bind("127.0.0.1:0").unwrap();
+        let addr = listener.local_addr().unwrap().to_string();
+        let server = std::thread::spawn(move || {
+            for index in 0..2 {
+                let (mut stream, _) = listener.accept().unwrap();
+                let mut reader = BufReader::new(stream.try_clone().unwrap());
+                let mut line = String::new();
+                reader.read_line(&mut line).unwrap();
+                assert!(line.contains(r#""type":"create_project""#));
+                assert!(line.contains(r#""tenant":"tenant-live""#));
+                assert!(line.contains(r#""actor_user":"user-live""#));
+                match index {
+                    0 => {
+                        assert!(line.contains(r#""project":"project-created""#));
+                        stream
+                            .write_all(
+                                br#"{"type":"project_created","project":{"id":"project-created","tenant":"tenant-live","name":"Created Project"},"actor":"user-live"}"#,
+                            )
+                            .unwrap();
+                    }
+                    1 => {
+                        assert!(line.contains(r#""project":"foreign-project""#));
+                        stream
+                            .write_all(
+                                br#"{"type":"error","message":"project id is outside the signed-in tenant scope"}"#,
+                            )
+                            .unwrap();
+                    }
+                    _ => unreachable!(),
+                }
+                stream.write_all(b"\n").unwrap();
+            }
+        });
+
+        let scope = CliScopeArgs {
+            coordinator: Some(addr),
+            tenant: "tenant-live".to_owned(),
+            project: "ignored".to_owned(),
+            user: "user-live".to_owned(),
+            json: false,
+        };
+        let created = project_init_report(
+            ProjectInitArgs {
+                scope: scope.clone(),
+                new_project: "project-created".to_owned(),
+                name: "Created Project".to_owned(),
+                yes: true,
+            },
+            temp_success.path().to_path_buf(),
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(created["command"], "project init");
+        assert_eq!(created["source"], "public_coordinator_api");
+        assert_eq!(created["coordinator_create_before_local_write"], true);
+        assert_eq!(
+            created["project_config_write_after_coordinator_acceptance"],
+            true
+        );
+        assert_eq!(created["coordinator_session_requests"], 1);
+        assert_eq!(
+            created["created_or_linked_project"]["id"],
+            "project-created"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            created["current_directory_link"]["links_current_directory"],
+            true
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            created["safe_defaults"]["browser_interaction_required"],
+            false
+        );
+        assert_eq!(created["private_website_required"], false);
+        assert_eq!(
+            read_project_config(temp_success.path())
+                .unwrap()
+                .unwrap()
+                .project,
+            "project-created"
+        );
+
+        let rejected = project_init_report(
+            ProjectInitArgs {
+                scope,
+                new_project: "foreign-project".to_owned(),
+                name: "Foreign Project".to_owned(),
+                yes: true,
+            },
+            temp_rejected.path().to_path_buf(),
+        )
+        .unwrap_err();
+        server.join().unwrap();
+
+        assert!(rejected.to_string().contains("tenant scope"));
+        assert!(read_project_config(temp_rejected.path()).unwrap().is_none());
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn project_list_and_select_use_public_api_without_website() {
         let temp = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
diff --git a/scripts/cli-first-contract-smoke.js b/scripts/cli-first-contract-smoke.js
index f1f18f7..964acf4 100644
--- a/scripts/cli-first-contract-smoke.js
+++ b/scripts/cli-first-contract-smoke.js
@@ -239,6 +239,7 @@ for (const [name, pattern] of [
   ["doctor unchecked reachability coverage", /fn doctor_reports_unchecked_coordinator_reachability_without_config\(\)/],
   ["doctor ping reachability coverage", /fn doctor_pings_configured_coordinator\(\)/],
   ["project local config coverage", /fn project_init_select_and_status_use_local_project_config\(\)/],
+  ["project init public create coverage", /fn project_init_uses_public_create_before_writing_local_config\(\)/],
   ["project public API list/select coverage", /fn project_list_and_select_use_public_api_without_website\(\)/],
   ["project coordinator status coverage", /fn project_status_queries_public_coordinator_state\(\)/],
   ["run coordinator active-process coverage", /fn run_contacts_configured_coordinator_and_reports_active_process_conflicts\(\)/],
@@ -393,6 +394,21 @@ expect(
   "CLI exposes task placement reasons",
   /fn task_summaries[\s\S]*node_placement[\s\S]*reasons[\s\S]*explanation_available/
 );
+expect(
+  cli,
+  "CLI project init report current-directory link",
+  /fn project_init_report[\s\S]*current_directory_link[\s\S]*links_current_directory[\s\S]*safe_defaults[\s\S]*coordinator_create_before_local_write/
+);
+expect(
+  cli,
+  "CLI project init writes config after public create",
+  /let coordinator_response = if let Some\(coordinator\)[\s\S]*"type": "create_project"[\s\S]*coordinator_session_requests = session\.requests\(\)[\s\S]*write_project_config\(&cwd, &config\)\?/
+);
+expect(
+  cli,
+  "CLI project init renders current-directory link",
+  /current_directory_link[\s\S]*current directory linked: true[\s\S]*current directory config/
+);
 expect(
   cli,
   "CLI project list/select report public API boundary",