diff --git a/.github/workflows/create-manifest.yml b/.github/workflows/create-manifest.yml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c23de79b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/create-manifest.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+name: Create Manifest E2E
+
+on:
+  push:
+  pull_request:
+
+jobs:
+  create-manifest:
+    name: Run on ${{ matrix.os }}
+    runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
+    timeout-minutes: 30
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        os: [ubuntu-latest, macos-latest, windows-latest]
+
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Setup Node.js
+        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
+        with:
+          node-version: 20
+          cache: npm
+          cache-dependency-path: package-lock.json
+
+      - name: Install dependencies (workspaces)
+        run: npm i
+
+      - name: Run create-manifest (with parameters)
+        env:
+          NODE_ENV: test
+        working-directory: packages/create-manifest
+        run: >-
+          node --loader ts-node/esm bin/dev.js
+          ci-test-${{ runner.os }}
+          --backendFile=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mnfst/manifest/main/packages/create-manifest/assets/standalone/manifest.yml
+
+      - name: Verify generated files and parameters
+        run: node scripts/verify-create-manifest.mjs packages/create-manifest/ci-test-${{ runner.os }}
+
+      - name: Run create-manifest with windsurf flag
+        env:
+          NODE_ENV: test
+        working-directory: packages/create-manifest
+        run: >-
+          node --loader ts-node/esm bin/dev.js
+          ci-test-windsurf-${{ runner.os }}
+          --windsurf
+          --backendFile=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mnfst/manifest/main/packages/create-manifest/assets/standalone/manifest.yml
+
+      - name: Verify windsurf flag functionality
+        run: node scripts/verify-create-manifest.mjs packages/create-manifest/ci-test-windsurf-${{ runner.os }} --expect-windsurf
diff --git a/scripts/verify-create-manifest.mjs b/scripts/verify-create-manifest.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cab34c8fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/verify-create-manifest.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,103 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env node
+import fs from 'node:fs'
+import path from 'node:path'
+
+function fail(msg) {
+  console.error(`FAIL: ${msg}`)
+  process.exitCode = 1
+}
+
+function ok(msg) {
+  console.log(`OK: ${msg}`)
+}
+
+const args = process.argv.slice(2)
+if (args.length < 1) {
+  console.error('Usage: node scripts/verify-create-manifest.mjs <projectName> [--expect-windsurf]')
+  process.exit(2)
+}
+
+const projectName = args[0]
+const expectWindsurf = args.includes('--expect-windsurf')
+
+const base = path.resolve(projectName)
+
+// sanity existence checks
+if (fs.existsSync(base)) {
+  ok(`project folder exists: ${base}`)
+} else {
+  fail(`project folder missing: ${base}`)
+}
+
+const mustExist = [
+  'manifest.yml',
+  '.manifest',
+  '.vscode',
+  '.vscode/extensions.json',
+  '.vscode/settings.json',
+  '.gitignore',
+  'package.json',
+  '.env',
+  'README.md'
+]
+
+for (const rel of mustExist) {
+  const p = path.join(base, rel)
+  if (fs.existsSync(p)) {
+    ok(`${rel} exists`)
+  } else {
+    fail(`${rel} missing`)
+  }
+}
+
+// Check manifest.yml has content and expected key from the provided backend file
+try {
+  const manifest = fs.readFileSync(path.join(base, 'manifest.yml'), 'utf8')
+  if (manifest.trim().length > 0 && /entities:\s*$/m.test(manifest)) {
+    ok('manifest.yml seems valid (contains entities)')
+  } else {
+    fail('manifest.yml does not contain expected content')
+  }
+} catch (e) {
+  fail(`cannot read manifest.yml: ${e}`)
+}
+
+// Ensure the dependency was added
+try {
+  const pkg = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(path.join(base, 'package.json'), 'utf8'))
+  if (pkg?.dependencies?.manifest) {
+    ok('package.json includes manifest dependency')
+  } else {
+    fail('package.json missing manifest dependency')
+  }
+} catch (e) {
+  fail(`cannot read/parse package.json: ${e}`)
+}
+
+// Verify .gitignore contains expected lines
+try {
+  const gi = fs.readFileSync(path.join(base, '.gitignore'), 'utf8')
+  const required = ['node_modules', '.env', 'public', '.manifest']
+  for (const entry of required) {
+    if (gi.includes(entry)) {
+      ok(`.gitignore contains ${entry}`)
+    } else {
+      fail(`.gitignore missing ${entry}`)
+    }
+  }
+} catch (e) {
+  fail(`cannot read .gitignore: ${e}`)
+}
+
+// Optionally verify a flag effect (works with parameters)
+if (expectWindsurf) {
+  const windsurfFile = path.join(base, '.windsurf', 'rules', 'manifest.md')
+  if (fs.existsSync(windsurfFile)) {
+    ok('windsurf rules created via flag')
+  } else {
+    fail('windsurf rules missing though flag was provided')
+  }
+}
+
+process.exit(process.exitCode ?? 0)
+