diff --git a/packages/cli/snap-tests-global/new-check/snap.txt b/packages/cli/snap-tests-global/new-check/snap.txt
index 3af4450983..7948819fa7 100644
--- a/packages/cli/snap-tests-global/new-check/snap.txt
+++ b/packages/cli/snap-tests-global/new-check/snap.txt
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ Vite+ Built-in Templates:
 
 Popular Templates (shorthand):
   vite             Official Vite templates (create-vite)
-  @tanstack/start  TanStack applications (@tanstack/create-start)
+  @tanstack/start  TanStack applications (@tanstack/cli create)
   next-app         Next.js application (create-next-app)
   nuxt             Nuxt application (create-nuxt)
   react-router     React Router application (create-react-router)
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ Popular Templates (shorthand):
 Examples:
   vp create # interactive mode
   vp create vite # shorthand for create-vite
-  vp create @tanstack/start # shorthand for @tanstack/create-start
+  vp create @tanstack/start # shorthand for @tanstack/cli create
   vp create <template> -- <options> # pass options to the template
 
 Tip:
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/create/__tests__/discovery.spec.ts b/packages/cli/src/create/__tests__/discovery.spec.ts
index 48d9718eab..dee6803fb0 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/create/__tests__/discovery.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/create/__tests__/discovery.spec.ts
@@ -21,13 +21,13 @@ describe('expandCreateShorthand', () => {
   });
 
   it('should expand scoped names to @scope/create-* packages', () => {
-    expect(expandCreateShorthand('@tanstack/start')).toBe('@tanstack/create-start');
+    expect(expandCreateShorthand('@tanstack/start')).toBe('@tanstack/cli');
     expect(expandCreateShorthand('@my-org/app')).toBe('@my-org/create-app');
   });
 
   it('should expand scoped names with version', () => {
-    expect(expandCreateShorthand('@tanstack/start@latest')).toBe('@tanstack/create-start@latest');
-    expect(expandCreateShorthand('@tanstack/start@1.0.0')).toBe('@tanstack/create-start@1.0.0');
+    expect(expandCreateShorthand('@tanstack/start@latest')).toBe('@tanstack/cli@latest');
+    expect(expandCreateShorthand('@tanstack/start@1.0.0')).toBe('@tanstack/cli@1.0.0');
   });
 
   it('should not expand names already starting with create-', () => {
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/create/bin.ts b/packages/cli/src/create/bin.ts
index 8803c59170..78d11bba5a 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/create/bin.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/create/bin.ts
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ const listTemplatesMessage = renderCliDoc({
         { label: 'vite', description: 'Official Vite templates (create-vite)' },
         {
           label: '@tanstack/start',
-          description: 'TanStack applications (@tanstack/create-start)',
+          description: 'TanStack applications (@tanstack/cli create)',
         },
         { label: 'next-app', description: 'Next.js application (create-next-app)' },
         { label: 'nuxt', description: 'Nuxt application (create-nuxt)' },
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ const listTemplatesMessage = renderCliDoc({
       lines: [
         `  ${accent('vp create')} ${muted('# interactive mode')}`,
         `  ${accent('vp create vite')} ${muted('# shorthand for create-vite')}`,
-        `  ${accent('vp create @tanstack/start')} ${muted('# shorthand for @tanstack/create-start')}`,
+        `  ${accent('vp create @tanstack/start')} ${muted('# shorthand for @tanstack/cli create')}`,
         `  ${accent('vp create <template> -- <options>')} ${muted('# pass options to the template')}`,
       ],
     },
@@ -455,7 +455,7 @@ Use \`vp create --list\` to list all available templates, or run \`vp create --h
 
   const isBuiltinTemplate = selectedTemplateName.startsWith('vite:');
 
-  // Remote templates (e.g., @tanstack/create-start, custom templates) run their own
+  // Remote templates (e.g., @tanstack/cli, custom templates) run their own
   // interactive CLI, so verbose mode is needed to show their output.
   if (!isBuiltinTemplate) {
     compactOutput = false;
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/create/discovery.ts b/packages/cli/src/create/discovery.ts
index 547d09f292..ec8e4acef4 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/create/discovery.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/create/discovery.ts
@@ -133,11 +133,11 @@ export function discoverTemplate(
  * This follows the same convention as `npm create` / `pnpm create`:
  * - `vite` → `create-vite`
  * - `vite@latest` → `create-vite@latest`
- * - `@tanstack/start` → `@tanstack/create-start`
- * - `@tanstack/start@latest` → `@tanstack/create-start@latest`
  *
  * Special cases for packages where the convention doesn't work:
  * - `nitro` → `create-nitro-app` (create-nitro is abandoned)
+ * - `svelte` → `sv`
+ * - `@tanstack/start` → `@tanstack/cli` (@tanstack/create-start is deprecated)
  *
  * Skips expansion for:
  * - Builtin templates (`vite:*`)
@@ -186,6 +186,12 @@ export function expandCreateShorthand(templateName: string): string {
     if (name.startsWith('create-')) {
       return templateName;
     }
+
+    // Special cases where the default convention doesn't apply
+    if (scope === '@tanstack' && name === 'start') {
+      return `@tanstack/cli${version}`;
+    }
+
     return `${scope}/create-${name}${version}`;
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/create/templates/remote.ts b/packages/cli/src/create/templates/remote.ts
index 68be0a1b9e..7a0347b8ce 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/create/templates/remote.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/create/templates/remote.ts
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ export async function executeRemoteTemplate(
     // TODO: prompt for project name if not provided for degit
     // Template not found - use package manager runner (npx/pnpm dlx/etc.)
     if (!isGitHubTemplate) {
-      // templateInfo.command is the npm package name (e.g. "create-vite", "@tanstack/create-start")
+      // templateInfo.command is the npm package name (e.g. "create-vite", "@tanstack/cli")
       const packageExists = await checkNpmPackageExists(templateInfo.command);
       if (!packageExists) {
         if (!silent) {
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ export async function runRemoteTemplateCommand(
 }
 
 function autoFixRemoteTemplateCommand(templateInfo: TemplateInfo, workspaceInfo: WorkspaceInfo) {
-  // @tanstack/create-start@latest, create-vite@latest
+  // @tanstack/cli@latest, create-vite@latest
   let packageName = templateInfo.command;
   const indexOfAt = packageName.indexOf('@', 2);
   if (indexOfAt !== -1) {
@@ -118,7 +118,11 @@ function autoFixRemoteTemplateCommand(templateInfo: TemplateInfo, workspaceInfo:
     templateInfo.args.push('--no-immediate');
     // don't present rolldown option to users
     templateInfo.args.push('--no-rolldown');
-  } else if (packageName === '@tanstack/create-start') {
+  } else if (packageName === '@tanstack/cli') {
+    // ensure create command is used
+    if (templateInfo.args[0] !== 'create') {
+      templateInfo.args.unshift('create');
+    }
     // don't run npm install after project creation
     templateInfo.args.push('--no-install');
     // don't setup toolchain automatically
@@ -136,7 +140,7 @@ function autoFixRemoteTemplateCommand(templateInfo: TemplateInfo, workspaceInfo:
     // don't run git init on monorepo
     if (packageName === 'create-nuxt') {
       templateInfo.args.push('--no-gitInit');
-    } else if (packageName === '@tanstack/create-start') {
+    } else if (packageName === '@tanstack/cli') {
       templateInfo.args.push('--no-git');
     }
   }