diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk-testing/cli-integ/tests/cli-integ-tests/diff/cdk-cdk-diff---method-change-set-does-not-leave-stack-in-review-in-progress.integtest.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk-testing/cli-integ/tests/cli-integ-tests/diff/cdk-cdk-diff---method-change-set-does-not-leave-stack-in-review-in-progress.integtest.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fc1f80a2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk-testing/cli-integ/tests/cli-integ-tests/diff/cdk-cdk-diff---method-change-set-does-not-leave-stack-in-review-in-progress.integtest.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+import { integTest, withDefaultFixture } from '../../../lib';
+
+integTest(
+  'cdk diff --method=change-set does not leave stack in REVIEW_IN_PROGRESS',
+  withDefaultFixture(async (fixture) => {
+    const stackName = fixture.fullStackName('test-1');
+
+    // WHEN - diff against a stack that has not been deployed
+    await fixture.cdk(['diff', '--method=change-set', stackName]);
+
+    // THEN - the stack should be deleted or deleting (not stuck in REVIEW_IN_PROGRESS)
+    const status = await fixture.aws.stackStatus(stackName);
+    expect(status).not.toBe('REVIEW_IN_PROGRESS');
+  }),
+);
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/toolkit-lib/lib/api/deployments/cfn-api.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/toolkit-lib/lib/api/deployments/cfn-api.ts
index b30942162..9a541db93 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/toolkit-lib/lib/api/deployments/cfn-api.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/toolkit-lib/lib/api/deployments/cfn-api.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-import { format } from 'util';
+import { randomUUID } from 'node:crypto';
+import { format } from 'node:util';
 import type { FileManifestEntry } from '@aws-cdk/cdk-assets-lib';
 import { AssetManifest } from '@aws-cdk/cdk-assets-lib';
 import * as cxapi from '@aws-cdk/cloud-assembly-api';
@@ -277,7 +278,7 @@ async function uploadBodyParameterAndCreateChangeSet(
   const stack = await CloudFormationStack.lookup(cfn, options.stack.stackName, false);
   // A stack in REVIEW_IN_PROGRESS was created by a previous CREATE changeset
   // that was never executed. Treat it as non-existent for changeset purposes.
-  const exists = stack.exists && stack.stackStatus.name !== 'REVIEW_IN_PROGRESS';
+  const exists = stack.exists && stack.stackStatus.name !== 'REVIEW_IN_PROGRESS' && stack.stackStatus.name !== 'DELETE_IN_PROGRESS';
 
   const executionRoleArn = await env.replacePlaceholders(options.stack.cloudFormationExecutionRoleArn);
   await ioHelper.defaults.info(
@@ -384,6 +385,16 @@ async function createChangeSetAndCleanup(
     changeSet.StackId ?? options.stack.stackName,
   );
 
+  // If the stack didn't exist before, creating a CREATE changeset will have
+  // put it in REVIEW_IN_PROGRESS state. Delete the empty stack to clean up.
+  if (!options.exists) {
+    await ioHelper.defaults.debug(format('Deleting empty stack created by diff changeset: %s', changeSet.StackId ?? options.stack.stackName));
+    await options.cfn.deleteStack({
+      StackName: changeSet.StackId ?? options.stack.stackName,
+      ClientRequestToken: randomUUID(),
+    });
+  }
+
   return createdChangeSet;
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/@aws-cdk/toolkit-lib/test/actions/diff.test.ts b/packages/@aws-cdk/toolkit-lib/test/actions/diff.test.ts
index 83843cd2d..68a664842 100644
--- a/packages/@aws-cdk/toolkit-lib/test/actions/diff.test.ts
+++ b/packages/@aws-cdk/toolkit-lib/test/actions/diff.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import * as path from 'path';
-import { CreateChangeSetCommand, DescribeChangeSetCommand, DescribeStacksCommand, GetTemplateCommand, ListStacksCommand } from '@aws-sdk/client-cloudformation';
+import { CreateChangeSetCommand, DeleteStackCommand, DescribeChangeSetCommand, DescribeStacksCommand, GetTemplateCommand, ListStacksCommand } from '@aws-sdk/client-cloudformation';
 import { GetParameterCommand } from '@aws-sdk/client-ssm';
 import * as chalk from 'chalk';
 import { DiffMethod } from '../../lib/actions/diff';
@@ -465,6 +465,61 @@ describe('diff', () => {
         ChangeSetType: 'CREATE',
       }));
     });
+
+    test('ChangeSet diff deletes stack created in REVIEW_IN_PROGRESS for new stacks', async () => {
+      // GIVEN - stack doesn't exist
+      jest.spyOn(deployments.Deployments.prototype, 'stackExists').mockResolvedValue(false);
+      mockCloudFormationClient.on(DescribeStacksCommand).resolves({ Stacks: [] });
+      mockSSMClient.on(GetParameterCommand).resolves({ Parameter: { Value: '99' } });
+      mockCloudFormationClient.on(CreateChangeSetCommand).resolves({
+        Id: 'arn:aws:cloudformation:us-east-1:123456789012:changeSet/cdk-diff',
+        StackId: 'arn:aws:cloudformation:us-east-1:123456789012:stack/Stack1/fake-id',
+      });
+      mockCloudFormationClient.on(DescribeChangeSetCommand).resolves({
+        Status: 'CREATE_COMPLETE',
+        Changes: [],
+      });
+
+      // WHEN
+      const cx = await cdkOutFixture(toolkit, 'stack-with-bucket');
+      await toolkit.diff(cx, {
+        stacks: { strategy: StackSelectionStrategy.ALL_STACKS },
+        method: DiffMethod.ChangeSet({ fallbackToTemplate: false }),
+      });
+
+      // THEN - the stack is deleted after the changeset is cleaned up
+      expect(mockCloudFormationClient).toHaveReceivedCommandWith(DeleteStackCommand, {
+        StackName: 'arn:aws:cloudformation:us-east-1:123456789012:stack/Stack1/fake-id',
+      });
+    });
+
+    test('ChangeSet diff treats DELETE_IN_PROGRESS stack as non-existent', async () => {
+      // GIVEN - stack is in DELETE_IN_PROGRESS (from a previous diff cleanup)
+      jest.spyOn(deployments.Deployments.prototype, 'stackExists').mockResolvedValue(true);
+      mockCloudFormationClient.on(DescribeStacksCommand).resolves({
+        Stacks: [{ StackName: 'Stack1', StackStatus: 'DELETE_IN_PROGRESS', CreationTime: new Date() }],
+      });
+      mockSSMClient.on(GetParameterCommand).resolves({ Parameter: { Value: '99' } });
+      mockCloudFormationClient.on(CreateChangeSetCommand).resolves({ Id: 'arn:aws:cloudformation:us-east-1:123456789012:changeSet/cdk-diff' });
+      mockCloudFormationClient.on(DescribeChangeSetCommand).resolves({
+        Status: 'CREATE_COMPLETE',
+        Changes: [],
+      });
+
+      // WHEN
+      const cx = await cdkOutFixture(toolkit, 'stack-with-bucket');
+      await toolkit.diff(cx, {
+        stacks: { strategy: StackSelectionStrategy.ALL_STACKS },
+        method: DiffMethod.ChangeSet({ fallbackToTemplate: false }),
+      });
+
+      // THEN - a CREATE changeset was made (not UPDATE)
+      const createCalls = mockCloudFormationClient.commandCalls(CreateChangeSetCommand);
+      expect(createCalls).toHaveLength(1);
+      expect(createCalls[0].args[0].input).toEqual(expect.objectContaining({
+        ChangeSetType: 'CREATE',
+      }));
+    });
   });
 
   describe('DiffMethod.LocalFile', () => {