diff --git a/src/cmd/lib/create.ts b/src/cmd/lib/create.ts
index 8809b27a..3964db4f 100644
--- a/src/cmd/lib/create.ts
+++ b/src/cmd/lib/create.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
-import { Command } from "@cliffy/command";
+import { Command, EnumType } from "@cliffy/command";
 import { basename } from "@std/path";
 import VTClient, { assertSafeDirectory } from "~/vt/vt/VTClient.ts";
 import { getCurrentUser } from "~/sdk.ts";
 import { APIError } from "@valtown/sdk";
 import { doWithSpinner, getClonePath } from "~/cmd/utils.ts";
 import { ensureAddEditorFiles } from "~/cmd/lib/utils/messages.ts";
-import { Confirm } from "@cliffy/prompt";
+import { Confirm, Select } from "@cliffy/prompt";
 import { DEFAULT_EDITOR_TEMPLATE } from "~/consts.ts";
 
 export const createCmd = new Command()
@@ -21,11 +21,12 @@ export const createCmd = new Command()
   .option("--unlisted", "Create as unlisted Val", {
     conflicts: ["public", "private"],
   })
-  .option("--no-editor-files", "Skip creating editor configuration files")
+  .type("if-exists", new EnumType(["continue", "yes-and-upload", "cancel"]))
   .option(
-    "--upload-if-exists", // useful for testing
+    "--if-exists <action:if-exists>", // useful for testing
     "Upload existing files to the new Val if the directory is not empty",
   )
+  .option("--no-editor-files", "Skip creating editor configuration files")
   .option("-d, --description <desc:string>", "Val description")
   .example(
     "Start fresh",
@@ -62,14 +63,14 @@ vt checkout main`,
       unlisted,
       description,
       editorFiles,
-      uploadIfExists,
+      ifExistsAction,
     }: {
       public?: boolean;
       private?: boolean;
       unlisted?: boolean;
       description?: string;
       editorFiles?: boolean;
-      uploadIfExists?: boolean;
+      ifExistsAction?: "continue" | "yes-and-upload" | "cancel";
     },
     valName: string,
     targetDir?: string,
@@ -80,23 +81,32 @@ vt checkout main`,
 
       // Determine privacy setting (defaults to public)
       const privacy = isPrivate ? "private" : unlisted ? "unlisted" : "public";
+      let doUpload = ifExistsAction === "yes-and-upload";
 
       try {
         try {
           await assertSafeDirectory(clonePath);
         } catch (e) {
           if (e instanceof Error && e.message.includes("not empty")) {
-            if (!uploadIfExists) {
+            if (ifExistsAction !== "cancel") {
               spinner.stop();
-              const confirmContinue = await Confirm.prompt(
-                `The directory "${
-                  basename(clonePath)
-                }" already exists and is not empty. Do you want to continue?` +
-                  " Existing files will be uploaded to the new Val.",
+              const confirmContinue = await Select.prompt(
+                {
+                  message: `The directory "${
+                    basename(clonePath)
+                  }" already exists and is not empty. Do you want to continue?`,
+                  options: [
+                    { name: "Yes", value: "yes" },
+                    { name: "Yes, and upload files", value: "yes_and_upload" },
+                    { name: "No, cancel", value: "no" },
+                  ],
+                },
               );
 
-              if (!confirmContinue) {
+              if (confirmContinue === "no") {
                 Deno.exit(0);
+              } else {
+                doUpload = confirmContinue === "yes_and_upload";
               }
             }
           } else {
@@ -111,6 +121,7 @@ vt checkout main`,
           privacy,
           description,
           skipSafeDirCheck: true,
+          doUpload,
         });
 
         if (editorFiles) {
diff --git a/src/cmd/lib/utils/messages.ts b/src/cmd/lib/utils/messages.ts
index faac23df..87a824ab 100644
--- a/src/cmd/lib/utils/messages.ts
+++ b/src/cmd/lib/utils/messages.ts
@@ -7,12 +7,13 @@ export const noChangesDryRunMsg = "Dry run completed. " +
 
 export function ensureAddEditorFiles(editorTemplate: string) {
   if (editorTemplate === DEFAULT_EDITOR_TEMPLATE) {
-    return wrap(
-      "Would you like `vt` to add editor files to this Val?\n" +
+    return `Would you like \`vt\` to add editor files to this Val?\n${
+      wrap(
         "\nThis will add files like a deno.json and .vscode folder with " +
-        "default editor configuration for Deno.",
-      { width: DEFAULT_WRAP_WIDTH },
-    );
+          "default editor configuration for Deno.",
+        { width: DEFAULT_WRAP_WIDTH },
+      )
+    }`;
   } else {
     // If they aren't using the default for the editor file template they
     // probably know what this means
diff --git a/src/cmd/tests/create_test.ts b/src/cmd/tests/create_test.ts
index cbb83ace..ea610903 100644
--- a/src/cmd/tests/create_test.ts
+++ b/src/cmd/tests/create_test.ts
@@ -59,10 +59,9 @@ Deno.test({
             "create",
             nonEmptyDirValName,
           ], tmpDir);
-          console.log(stdout);
           assertStringIncludes(
             stdout,
-            "files will be uploaded",
+            "already exists and is not empty",
           );
         },
       );
@@ -263,3 +262,85 @@ Deno.test({
   },
   sanitizeResources: false,
 });
+
+Deno.test({
+  name: "create Val with --if-exists continue option",
+  permissions: "inherit",
+  async fn(t) {
+    const user = await getCurrentUser();
+    const newValName = randomValName();
+    let newVal: ValTown.Val | null = null;
+
+    await doWithTempDir(async (tmpDir) => {
+      await t.step("create files in target directory", async () => {
+        const targetDir = join(tmpDir, newValName);
+        await Deno.mkdir(targetDir);
+
+        // Create some files in the target directory
+        await Deno.writeTextFile(
+          join(targetDir, "existing-file.js"),
+          "console.log('Existing file content');",
+        );
+        await Deno.writeTextFile(
+          join(targetDir, "another-file.ts"),
+          "export const value = 42;",
+        );
+      });
+
+      await t.step("create Val with --if-exists continue", async () => {
+        // Create Val with --if-exists continue option
+        await runVtCommand([
+          "create",
+          newValName,
+          "--if-exists",
+          "continue",
+          "--no-editor-files",
+        ], tmpDir);
+
+        newVal = await sdk.alias.username.valName.retrieve(
+          user.username!,
+          newValName,
+        );
+
+        assertEquals(newVal.name, newValName);
+        assertEquals(newVal.author.username, user.username);
+      });
+
+      await t.step("verify files were NOT uploaded to the Val", async () => {
+        // Check that the existing files were NOT uploaded to the Val
+        const valItems = await listValItems(
+          newVal!.id,
+          (await branchNameToBranch(newVal!.id, DEFAULT_BRANCH_NAME)).id,
+          await getLatestVersion(
+            newVal!.id,
+            (await branchNameToBranch(newVal!.id, DEFAULT_BRANCH_NAME)).id,
+          ),
+        );
+
+        const fileNames = valItems.map((item) => item.path);
+        assert(
+          !fileNames.includes("existing-file.js"),
+          "existing-file.js should NOT be uploaded to Val with continue option",
+        );
+        assert(
+          !fileNames.includes("another-file.ts"),
+          "another-file.ts should NOT be uploaded to Val with continue option",
+        );
+      });
+
+      await t.step("verify local files still exist", async () => {
+        // Verify the local files still exist in the directory
+        const targetDir = join(tmpDir, newValName);
+        assert(
+          await exists(join(targetDir, "existing-file.js")),
+          "existing-file.js should still exist locally",
+        );
+        assert(
+          await exists(join(targetDir, "another-file.ts")),
+          "another-file.ts should still exist locally",
+        );
+      });
+    });
+  },
+  sanitizeResources: false,
+});
diff --git a/src/vt/lib/create.ts b/src/vt/lib/create.ts
index 363db66a..f5809774 100644
--- a/src/vt/lib/create.ts
+++ b/src/vt/lib/create.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import sdk, { branchNameToBranch } from "~/sdk.ts";
 import type { ValPrivacy } from "~/types.ts";
 import { DEFAULT_BRANCH_NAME } from "~/consts.ts";
 import { ensureDir } from "@std/fs";
-import type { ItemStatusManager } from "~/vt/lib/utils/ItemStatusManager.ts";
+import { ItemStatusManager } from "~/vt/lib/utils/ItemStatusManager.ts";
 
 /**
  * Result of a checkout operation containing branch information and file
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ export interface CreateParams {
   sourceDir: string;
   /** The name for the new val. */
   valName: string;
+  /** Whether to upload after creating. */
+  doUpload?: boolean;
   /** Optional Val description. Defaults to that of the Val being remixed. */
   description?: string;
   /** Privacy setting for the val. Defaults to that of the Val being remixed. */
@@ -49,6 +51,7 @@ export async function create(
     description = "",
     privacy = "private",
     gitignoreRules,
+    doUpload = true,
   } = params;
 
   await ensureDir(sourceDir);
@@ -64,13 +67,17 @@ export async function create(
     DEFAULT_BRANCH_NAME,
   );
 
-  // Push the local directory contents to the new val
-  const { itemStateChanges } = await push({
-    targetDir: sourceDir,
-    valId: newVal.id,
-    branchId: newBranch.id,
-    gitignoreRules,
-  });
+  // Push the local directory contents to the new val if requested
+  let itemStateChanges = new ItemStatusManager();
+  if (doUpload) {
+    const { itemStateChanges: changes } = await push({
+      targetDir: sourceDir,
+      valId: newVal.id,
+      branchId: newBranch.id,
+      gitignoreRules,
+    });
+    itemStateChanges = changes;
+  }
 
   return {
     itemStateChanges: itemStateChanges,
diff --git a/src/vt/vt/VTClient.ts b/src/vt/vt/VTClient.ts
index 7a90ffb8..74feb4de 100644
--- a/src/vt/vt/VTClient.ts
+++ b/src/vt/vt/VTClient.ts
@@ -267,6 +267,7 @@ export default class VTClient {
     username,
     privacy,
     description,
+    doUpload = true,
     skipSafeDirCheck = false,
   }: {
     rootPath: string;
@@ -274,6 +275,7 @@ export default class VTClient {
     username: string;
     privacy: "public" | "private" | "unlisted";
     description?: string;
+    doUpload?: boolean;
     skipSafeDirCheck: boolean;
   }): Promise<VTClient> {
     if (!skipSafeDirCheck) {
@@ -286,6 +288,7 @@ export default class VTClient {
       valName,
       privacy,
       description,
+      doUpload,
     });
 
     // Get the Val branch