diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2a290c6..0e3c436 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,21 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 0.2.0-next.18
+
+- `bool create` now verifies the new project can be developed against *before*
+  writing any files. A project that isn't on the gateway runtime can't be used
+  as a local backend; previously `create` scaffolded the whole app and only then
+  hit the error, leaving an orphaned folder. It now fails immediately with the
+  server's reason and scaffolds nothing.
+- The scaffolded app pins `bool-sdk@0.2.0-next.17` (the latest published
+  release), catching the template pin up from `next.16`.
+
+## 0.2.0-next.17
+
+- `createBoolClient` routes the gateway same-origin for any deployment
+  subdomain, not just the canonical one — fixes a 404 when a deployed app is
+  reached via a renamed slug.
+
 ## 0.2.0-next.16
 
 - `bool create` no longer requires a name — a bare `bool create` generates a
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a729fe7..f2152e0 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -111,30 +111,28 @@ const todos = await bool.entities.todos.list();
 
 ### Documentation
 
-Complete guides and API reference at **[bool.com/docs](https://bool.com/docs)**:
+Complete guides at **[bool.com/docs](https://bool.com/docs)**:
 
-- **[Local Development](https://bool.com/docs/local-development)** — complete
-  walkthrough with use cases, workflows, and tips
-- **[CLI Reference](https://bool.com/docs/cli)** — command-line tools
-- **[SDK Reference](https://bool.com/docs/sdk-reference)** — API documentation
-- **[Data Design](https://bool.com/docs/database)** — schema patterns and
-  privacy
+- **[Develop locally (CLI)](https://bool.com/docs/cli)** — the CLI commands, the
+  local workflow, client setup, and deploying
+- **[Database](https://bool.com/docs/database)** — entities, records, and your
+  data model
 
 ### Admin Key Gotcha
 
-When using the admin key (`apiKey`), on a **private** entity (one with
-`user_id` owner field), you must set `user_id` explicitly:
+When using the admin key (`apiKey`), on a **private** entity (one Bool gives an
+`owner_id` owner column), you must set `owner_id` explicitly:
 
 ```ts
-// ❌ Fails on private entity (NOT NULL constraint)
+// ❌ Fails on private entity (owner_id has no value to default to)
 await bool.entities.tasks.create({ title: "Task" });
 
 // ✅ Works
-await bool.entities.tasks.create({ title: "Task", user_id: userId });
+await bool.entities.tasks.create({ title: "Task", owner_id: userId });
 ```
 
-The admin key has no user identity, so it can't default `user_id`. End-user
-clients and `boolk_` keys carry the user and default automatically.
+The admin key has no user identity, so it can't default `owner_id`. End-user
+clients and `boolk_` keys carry the user and default it automatically.
 
 Coding agents can do all of the above through Bool's MCP server instead
 (`list_entities`, `define_entity`, `list_records`, `get_entity_types`,
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 7d0aea1..9e7bf86 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "bool-sdk",
-  "version": "0.2.0-next.17",
+  "version": "0.2.0-next.18",
   "description": "Client SDK for apps built on Bool — gateway data access, end-user auth, the AI battery, the React auth layer, and the local-dev CLI (link, types, deploy).",
   "type": "module",
   "main": "./dist/index.js",
diff --git a/src/cli.test.ts b/src/cli.test.ts
index 2a48418..9289caf 100644
--- a/src/cli.test.ts
+++ b/src/cli.test.ts
@@ -138,6 +138,23 @@ describe("create", () => {
     expect(logs.join("\n")).toMatch(/Created project ".+"/);
     expect(logs.join("\n")).toMatch(/Scaffolded a todo app in [a-z]+-[a-z]+-\d+\//);
   });
+
+  test("fails fast (no scaffold) when the new project isn't a gateway project", async () => {
+    const routes = createRoutes();
+    routes["/api/projects/new1/connection"] = () =>
+      json({ error: "not_gateway_project", message: "This project runs on the v1 runtime" }, 409);
+    const { deps, calls, errors } = makeDeps(cwd, routes);
+
+    expect(await runCli(["create", "my-todo"], deps)).toBe(1);
+    // Surfaces the server's reason plus the reassurance that nothing was written.
+    expect(errors.join("\n")).toContain("v1 runtime");
+    expect(errors.join("\n")).toContain("nothing was scaffolded");
+    // No files scaffolded — the target dir was never created.
+    expect(existsSync(join(cwd, "my-todo"))).toBe(false);
+    // Bailed at the connection check: never scaffolded, linked, or pushed.
+    expect(calls.some((c) => c.url.endsWith("/api/projects/new1/api-key"))).toBe(false);
+    expect(calls.some((c) => c.url.endsWith("/api/projects/new1/entities"))).toBe(false);
+  });
 });
 
 describe("link", () => {
diff --git a/src/cli.ts b/src/cli.ts
index 8de01db..4b34389 100644
--- a/src/cli.ts
+++ b/src/cli.ts
@@ -248,13 +248,19 @@ async function writeConfigAndKey(
   tok: string,
   typesPath: string,
   deps: CliDeps,
+  // A connection descriptor the caller already fetched (e.g. `create` checks
+  // the runtime before scaffolding). When omitted we fetch it here — the case
+  // for `link`, which has nothing to check first.
+  prefetched?: Connection,
 ): Promise<{ config: BoolConfig; name: string }> {
-  const conn = await apiJson<Connection>(
-    deps,
-    tok,
-    apiUrl,
-    `/api/projects/${projectId}/connection`,
-  );
+  const conn =
+    prefetched ??
+    (await apiJson<Connection>(
+      deps,
+      tok,
+      apiUrl,
+      `/api/projects/${projectId}/connection`,
+    ));
 
   const config: BoolConfig = {
     projectId: conn.projectId,
@@ -365,7 +371,28 @@ async function cmdCreate(
   );
   deps.log(`Created project "${project.name ?? name}" (${project.id}).`);
 
-  // 2. Scaffold the todo app into dir.
+  // 2. Confirm the project can actually be developed against BEFORE writing any
+  //    files. Local dev requires the gateway runtime; a non-gateway (v1)
+  //    project 409s here. Checking now means a v1 project fails with a clear
+  //    message and leaves no half-scaffolded folder behind (previously we
+  //    scaffolded first and only discovered the problem afterward).
+  let conn: Connection;
+  try {
+    conn = await apiJson<Connection>(
+      deps,
+      tok,
+      apiUrl,
+      `/api/projects/${project.id}/connection`,
+    );
+  } catch (e) {
+    throw new CliError(
+      `${e instanceof Error ? e.message : String(e)}\n` +
+        `Project ${project.id} was created but can't be used for local development, ` +
+        `so nothing was scaffolded.`,
+    );
+  }
+
+  // 3. Scaffold the todo app into dir.
   mkdirSync(dir, { recursive: true });
   const files = todoTemplate(name);
   for (const [rel, content] of Object.entries(files)) {
@@ -380,11 +407,19 @@ async function cmdCreate(
   // Everything below runs inside the new project dir.
   const sub: CliDeps = { ...deps, cwd: dir };
 
-  // 3. Write bool.config.json + .env.bool into the project dir.
-  const { config } = await writeConfigAndKey(project.id, apiUrl, tok, DEFAULT_TYPES_PATH, sub);
+  // 4. Write bool.config.json + .env.bool into the project dir, reusing the
+  //    connection descriptor we already fetched in step 2.
+  const { config } = await writeConfigAndKey(
+    project.id,
+    apiUrl,
+    tok,
+    DEFAULT_TYPES_PATH,
+    sub,
+    conn,
+  );
   deps.log(`Linked ${CONFIG_FILE} to project ${project.id}.`);
 
-  // 4. Declare the todos entity so the table exists, then refresh types.
+  // 5. Declare the todos entity so the table exists, then refresh types.
   //    If this fails the app has no data — don't ship a broken deploy; tell the
   //    user to re-push once the cause is fixed.
   const pushCode = await cmdEntitiesPush(flags, sub);
@@ -395,7 +430,7 @@ async function cmdCreate(
   }
   await pullTypes(config, tok, sub);
 
-  // 5. Optionally publish.
+  // 6. Optionally publish.
   if (flags.deploy) {
     await cmdDeploy(flags, sub);
   } else {
diff --git a/src/templates.ts b/src/templates.ts
index 1361bf9..8946185 100644
--- a/src/templates.ts
+++ b/src/templates.ts
@@ -8,9 +8,11 @@
 // `todos` entity is PUBLIC (one shared list, no per-user isolation) so the
 // deployed app works for any visitor with no sign-in.
 
-// Keep in sync with the CLI's own version so the scaffolded app pulls the
-// matching client. Injected into package.json at scaffold time.
-export const TEMPLATE_BOOL_SDK_VERSION = "0.2.0-next.16";
+// The bool-sdk version the scaffolded app pins, injected into its package.json.
+// This must be an ALREADY-PUBLISHED version (the scaffold runs `npm install`),
+// so it tracks the latest published release, not this in-flight package.json
+// version — they can differ by the release currently being cut.
+export const TEMPLATE_BOOL_SDK_VERSION = "0.2.0-next.17";
 
 function packageJson(name: string): string {
   return (