diff --git a/cmd/apps/init.go b/cmd/apps/init.go
index 144b5b7c6d..b8afd64b05 100644
--- a/cmd/apps/init.go
+++ b/cmd/apps/init.go
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ const (
 	appkitTemplateDir    = "template"
 	appkitDefaultBranch  = "main"
 	appkitTemplateTagPfx = "template-v"
+	appkitDefaultVersion = "template-v0.11.0"
 	defaultProfile       = "DEFAULT"
 )
 
@@ -161,7 +162,7 @@ Environment variables:
 
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&templatePath, "template", "", "Template path (local directory or GitHub URL)")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&branch, "branch", "", "Git branch or tag (for GitHub templates, mutually exclusive with --version)")
-	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&version, "version", "", "AppKit version to use (default: latest release, use 'latest' for main branch)")
+	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&version, "version", "", fmt.Sprintf("AppKit version to use (default: %s, use 'latest' for main branch)", appkitDefaultVersion))
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&name, "name", "", "Project name (prompts if not provided)")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&warehouseID, "warehouse-id", "", "SQL warehouse ID")
 	_ = cmd.Flags().MarkDeprecated("warehouse-id", "use --set <plugin>.sql-warehouse.id=<value> instead")
@@ -540,8 +541,8 @@ func runCreate(ctx context.Context, opts createOptions) error {
 		case opts.version != "":
 			gitRef = normalizeVersion(opts.version)
 		default:
-			// Default: use main branch
-			gitRef = appkitDefaultBranch
+			// Default: use pinned version
+			gitRef = appkitDefaultVersion
 		}
 		templateSrc = appkitRepoURL
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/apps/init_test.go b/cmd/apps/init_test.go
index a96b984261..e7aff8c7bf 100644
--- a/cmd/apps/init_test.go
+++ b/cmd/apps/init_test.go
@@ -211,6 +211,7 @@ func TestNormalizeVersion(t *testing.T) {
 		{"", ""},
 		{"main", "main"},
 		{"feat/something", "feat/something"},
+		{appkitDefaultVersion, appkitDefaultVersion},
 	}
 
 	for _, tt := range tests {
diff --git a/cmd/apps/manifest.go b/cmd/apps/manifest.go
index f4f5c0a4bb..f50185cc99 100644
--- a/cmd/apps/manifest.go
+++ b/cmd/apps/manifest.go
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ func runManifestOnly(ctx context.Context, templatePath, branch, version string)
 		case version != "":
 			gitRef = normalizeVersion(version)
 		default:
-			gitRef = appkitDefaultBranch
+			gitRef = appkitDefaultVersion
 		}
 		templateSrc = appkitRepoURL
 	}