diff --git a/.changeset/fetch-latest-pds-version.md b/.changeset/fetch-latest-pds-version.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..057a7629
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/fetch-latest-pds-version.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"create-pds": patch
+---
+
+Fetch latest @ascorbic/pds version from npm registry when creating a new project
diff --git a/packages/create-pds/src/index.ts b/packages/create-pds/src/index.ts
index ff7f5f70..b59e35c8 100644
--- a/packages/create-pds/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/create-pds/src/index.ts
@@ -97,6 +97,22 @@ async function replaceInFile(
 	await writeFile(filePath, content);
 }
 
+async function getLatestPdsVersion(): Promise<string> {
+	try {
+		const response = await fetch(
+			"https://registry.npmjs.org/@ascorbic/pds/latest",
+		);
+		if (!response.ok) {
+			throw new Error(`Failed to fetch: ${response.status}`);
+		}
+		const data = (await response.json()) as { version: string };
+		return `^${data.version}`;
+	} catch {
+		// Fallback to a known version if fetch fails
+		return "^0.2.0";
+	}
+}
+
 const main = defineCommand({
 	meta: {
 		name: "create-pds",
@@ -225,6 +241,10 @@ const main = defineCommand({
 
 		// Copy template
 		const spinner = p.spinner();
+		spinner.start("Fetching latest @ascorbic/pds version...");
+		const pdsVersion = await getLatestPdsVersion();
+		spinner.stop(`Using @ascorbic/pds ${pdsVersion}`);
+
 		spinner.start("Copying template...");
 
 		const templateDir = join(__dirname, "..", "templates", "pds-worker");
@@ -233,6 +253,7 @@ const main = defineCommand({
 		// Replace placeholders in package.json
 		await replaceInFile(join(targetDir, "package.json"), {
 			name: projectName,
+			pdsVersion,
 		});
 
 		spinner.stop("Template copied");
diff --git a/packages/create-pds/templates/pds-worker/package.json.tmpl b/packages/create-pds/templates/pds-worker/package.json.tmpl
index 80db5bd1..c299759a 100644
--- a/packages/create-pds/templates/pds-worker/package.json.tmpl
+++ b/packages/create-pds/templates/pds-worker/package.json.tmpl
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 	"type": "module",
 	"private": true,
 	"dependencies": {
-		"@ascorbic/pds": "^0.0.0"
+		"@ascorbic/pds": "{{pdsVersion}}"
 	},
 	"devDependencies": {
 		"@cloudflare/vite-plugin": "^1.17.0",