diff --git a/src/bin.ts b/src/bin.ts
index 37e78f3..377531d 100644
--- a/src/bin.ts
+++ b/src/bin.ts
@@ -2011,13 +2011,14 @@ yargs(rawArgs)
         'api-key': { type: 'string' as const, describe: 'WorkOS API key' },
         file: { type: 'string', describe: 'Path to seed YAML file' },
         clean: { type: 'boolean', default: false, describe: 'Tear down seeded resources' },
+        init: { type: 'boolean', default: false, describe: 'Create an example workos-seed.yml file' },
       }),
     async (argv) => {
       await applyInsecureStorage(argv.insecureStorage);
       const { resolveApiKey, resolveApiBaseUrl } = await import('./lib/api-key.js');
       const { runSeed } = await import('./commands/seed.js');
       await runSeed(
-        { file: argv.file, clean: argv.clean },
+        { file: argv.file, clean: argv.clean, init: argv.init },
         resolveApiKey({ apiKey: argv.apiKey }),
         resolveApiBaseUrl(),
       );
diff --git a/src/commands/seed.spec.ts b/src/commands/seed.spec.ts
index 221e579..deed10a 100644
--- a/src/commands/seed.spec.ts
+++ b/src/commands/seed.spec.ts
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ vi.mock('../lib/workos-client.js', () => ({
 }));
 
 const { setOutputMode } = await import('../utils/output.js');
-const { runSeed } = await import('./seed.js');
+const { runSeed, runSeedInit } = await import('./seed.js');
 
 const mockExistsSync = vi.mocked(existsSync);
 const mockReadFileSync = vi.mocked(readFileSync);
@@ -79,6 +79,55 @@ describe('seed command', () => {
 
   afterEach(() => vi.restoreAllMocks());
 
+  describe('runSeedInit (--init)', () => {
+    it('creates workos-seed.yml with example content', () => {
+      mockExistsSync.mockReturnValue(false);
+
+      runSeedInit();
+
+      expect(mockWriteFileSync).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      const [filePath, content] = mockWriteFileSync.mock.calls[0];
+      expect(filePath).toBe('workos-seed.yml');
+      expect(content).toContain('permissions:');
+      expect(content).toContain('roles:');
+      expect(content).toContain('organizations:');
+      expect(content).toContain('config:');
+      expect(content).toContain('redirect_uris:');
+      expect(consoleOutput.some((l) => l.includes('Created'))).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('does not overwrite existing file', () => {
+      mockExistsSync.mockReturnValue(true);
+
+      runSeedInit();
+
+      expect(mockWriteFileSync).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(consoleOutput.some((l) => l.includes('already exists'))).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('outputs JSON when in JSON mode', () => {
+      setOutputMode('json');
+      mockExistsSync.mockReturnValue(false);
+
+      runSeedInit();
+
+      const output = JSON.parse(consoleOutput[0]);
+      expect(output.status).toBe('ok');
+      expect(output.file).toBe('workos-seed.yml');
+      setOutputMode('human');
+    });
+
+    it('is reachable via runSeed({ init: true })', async () => {
+      mockExistsSync.mockReturnValue(false);
+
+      await runSeed({ init: true }, 'sk_test');
+
+      expect(mockWriteFileSync).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+      const [filePath] = mockWriteFileSync.mock.calls[0];
+      expect(filePath).toBe('workos-seed.yml');
+    });
+  });
+
   describe('runSeed with --file', () => {
     it('creates resources in dependency order: permissions → roles → orgs → config', async () => {
       mockExistsSync.mockReturnValue(true);
diff --git a/src/commands/seed.ts b/src/commands/seed.ts
index bc38742..fc71599 100644
--- a/src/commands/seed.ts
+++ b/src/commands/seed.ts
@@ -38,11 +38,74 @@ function saveState(state: SeedState): void {
   writeFileSync(STATE_FILE, JSON.stringify(state, null, 2));
 }
 
+const DEFAULT_SEED_FILE = 'workos-seed.yml';
+
+const SEED_TEMPLATE = `# WorkOS seed file — provision resources with \`workos seed --file=${DEFAULT_SEED_FILE}\`
+# Resources are created in dependency order: permissions → roles → organizations → config.
+# Existing resources are skipped (idempotent). Run \`workos seed --clean\` to tear down.
+
+permissions:
+  - name: Read Posts
+    slug: posts:read
+  - name: Write Posts
+    slug: posts:write
+    description: Create and edit posts
+
+roles:
+  - name: Admin
+    slug: admin
+    description: Full access
+    permissions:
+      - posts:read
+      - posts:write
+  - name: Viewer
+    slug: viewer
+    permissions:
+      - posts:read
+
+organizations:
+  - name: Acme Corp
+    domains:
+      - acme.com
+
+config:
+  redirect_uris:
+    - http://localhost:3000/auth/callback
+  cors_origins:
+    - http://localhost:3000
+  homepage_url: http://localhost:3000
+`;
+
+export function runSeedInit(): void {
+  if (existsSync(DEFAULT_SEED_FILE)) {
+    if (isJsonMode()) {
+      outputJson({ status: 'exists', message: `${DEFAULT_SEED_FILE} already exists`, file: DEFAULT_SEED_FILE });
+    } else {
+      console.log(chalk.yellow(`${DEFAULT_SEED_FILE} already exists — not overwriting.`));
+    }
+    return;
+  }
+
+  writeFileSync(DEFAULT_SEED_FILE, SEED_TEMPLATE);
+
+  if (isJsonMode()) {
+    outputJson({ status: 'ok', message: `Created ${DEFAULT_SEED_FILE}`, file: DEFAULT_SEED_FILE });
+  } else {
+    console.log(chalk.green(`Created ${DEFAULT_SEED_FILE}`));
+    console.log(chalk.dim('Edit the file, then run: workos seed --file=workos-seed.yml'));
+  }
+}
+
 export async function runSeed(
-  options: { file?: string; clean?: boolean },
+  options: { file?: string; clean?: boolean; init?: boolean },
   apiKey: string,
   baseUrl?: string,
 ): Promise<void> {
+  if (options.init) {
+    runSeedInit();
+    return;
+  }
+
   if (options.clean) {
     await runSeedClean(apiKey, baseUrl);
     return;
@@ -51,7 +114,8 @@ export async function runSeed(
   if (!options.file) {
     return exitWithError({
       code: 'missing_args',
-      message: 'Provide a seed file: workos seed --file=workos-seed.yml',
+      message:
+        'Provide a seed file: workos seed --file=workos-seed.yml\nRun workos seed --init to create an example seed file.',
     });
   }
 
diff --git a/src/utils/help-json.ts b/src/utils/help-json.ts
index 32c2f3a..8da463c 100644
--- a/src/utils/help-json.ts
+++ b/src/utils/help-json.ts
@@ -1064,6 +1064,14 @@ const commands: CommandSchema[] = [
         default: false,
         hidden: false,
       },
+      {
+        name: 'init',
+        type: 'boolean',
+        description: 'Create an example workos-seed.yml file',
+        required: false,
+        default: false,
+        hidden: false,
+      },
     ],
   },
   {