diff --git a/cli/templatepush.go b/cli/templatepush.go
index 02884aed360b3..ef511f595898f 100644
--- a/cli/templatepush.go
+++ b/cli/templatepush.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"bufio"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
+	"net/http"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"time"
 
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/coder/coder/cli/clibase"
 	"github.com/coder/coder/cli/cliui"
 	"github.com/coder/coder/coderd/database"
+	"github.com/coder/coder/coderd/util/ptr"
 	"github.com/coder/coder/codersdk"
 	"github.com/coder/coder/provisionersdk"
 )
@@ -142,6 +144,7 @@ func (r *RootCmd) templatePush() *clibase.Cmd {
 		provisionerTags []string
 		uploadFlags     templateUploadFlags
 		activate        bool
+		create          bool
 	)
 	client := new(codersdk.Client)
 	cmd := &clibase.Cmd{
@@ -164,24 +167,48 @@ func (r *RootCmd) templatePush() *clibase.Cmd {
 				return err
 			}
 
-			template, err := client.TemplateByName(inv.Context(), organization.ID, name)
+			resp, err := uploadFlags.upload(inv, client)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 
-			err = uploadFlags.checkForLockfile(inv)
-			if err != nil {
-				return xerrors.Errorf("check for lockfile: %w", err)
-			}
-
-			resp, err := uploadFlags.upload(inv, client)
+			tags, err := ParseProvisionerTags(provisionerTags)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 
-			tags, err := ParseProvisionerTags(provisionerTags)
+			template, err := client.TemplateByName(inv.Context(), organization.ID, name)
 			if err != nil {
-				return err
+				if !create {
+					if sdkErr, ok := codersdk.AsError(err); ok && sdkErr.StatusCode() != http.StatusNotFound {
+						return xerrors.Errorf("get template: %w", err)
+					}
+					_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(inv.Stdout, "Create a new template with `coder templates create %s`.\n", name)
+					_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(inv.Stdout, "Or use `coder templates push %s --create`.\n", name)
+					return xerrors.Errorf("template %q not found: %w", name, err)
+				}
+				_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(inv.Stdout, "Creating a new template: %s\n", name)
+				job, err := createValidTemplateVersion(inv, createValidTemplateVersionArgs{
+					Client:          client,
+					Organization:    organization,
+					Provisioner:     database.ProvisionerType(provisioner),
+					FileID:          resp.ID,
+					ProvisionerTags: tags,
+					VariablesFile:   variablesFile,
+					Variables:       variables,
+				})
+				if err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+				defaultTTL := 24 * time.Hour
+				failureTTL := 0 * time.Hour
+				inactivityTTL := 0 * time.Hour
+				disableEveryone := false
+				createReq := codersdk.CreateTemplateRequest{Name: name, VersionID: job.ID, DefaultTTLMillis: ptr.Ref(defaultTTL.Milliseconds()), FailureTTLMillis: ptr.Ref(failureTTL.Milliseconds()), InactivityTTLMillis: ptr.Ref(inactivityTTL.Milliseconds()), DisableEveryoneGroupAccess: disableEveryone}
+				template, err = client.CreateTemplate(inv.Context(), organization.ID, createReq)
+				if err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
 			}
 
 			job, err := createValidTemplateVersion(inv, createValidTemplateVersionArgs{
@@ -212,7 +239,6 @@ func (r *RootCmd) templatePush() *clibase.Cmd {
 					return err
 				}
 			}
-
 			_, _ = fmt.Fprintf(inv.Stdout, "Updated version at %s!\n", cliui.DefaultStyles.DateTimeStamp.Render(time.Now().Format(time.Stamp)))
 			return nil
 		},
@@ -266,6 +292,12 @@ func (r *RootCmd) templatePush() *clibase.Cmd {
 			Default:     "true",
 			Value:       clibase.BoolOf(&activate),
 		},
+		{
+			Flag:        "create",
+			Description: "Create a new template if one does not already exist.",
+			Default:     "false",
+			Value:       clibase.BoolOf(&create),
+		},
 		cliui.SkipPromptOption(),
 	}
 	cmd.Options = append(cmd.Options, uploadFlags.options()...)
diff --git a/cli/templatepush_test.go b/cli/templatepush_test.go
index 22f5b6a38f1f5..75d7cd1007cd4 100644
--- a/cli/templatepush_test.go
+++ b/cli/templatepush_test.go
@@ -192,6 +192,43 @@ func TestTemplatePush(t *testing.T) {
 		require.NotEqual(t, "example", templateVersions[0].Name)
 	})
 
+	t.Run("PushTemplateWithCreate", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), testutil.WaitMedium)
+		t.Cleanup(cancel)
+		client := coderdtest.New(t, &coderdtest.Options{IncludeProvisionerDaemon: true})
+		user := coderdtest.CreateFirstUser(t, client)
+
+		source := clitest.CreateTemplateVersionSource(t, &echo.Responses{
+			Parse:          echo.ParseComplete,
+			ProvisionApply: echo.ProvisionComplete,
+		})
+
+		inv, root := clitest.New(t, "templates", "push", "--create", "--directory", source, "--name", "example")
+		clitest.SetupConfig(t, client, root)
+		pty := ptytest.New(t).Attach(inv)
+
+		clitest.Start(t, inv)
+
+		matches := []struct {
+			match string
+			write string
+		}{
+			{match: "Upload", write: "yes"},
+			{match: "Creating a new template"},
+		}
+		for _, m := range matches {
+			pty.ExpectMatch(m.match)
+			if len(m.write) > 0 {
+				pty.WriteLine(m.write)
+			}
+			// Assert that the template was created.
+			template, err := client.TemplateByName(ctx, user.OrganizationID, "example")
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			require.NotNil(t, template.ID)
+		}
+	})
+
 	t.Run("UseWorkingDir", func(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Parallel()
 
diff --git a/cli/testdata/coder_templates_push_--help.golden b/cli/testdata/coder_templates_push_--help.golden
index ebe0a73e7014a..4e47ad5e3714e 100644
--- a/cli/testdata/coder_templates_push_--help.golden
+++ b/cli/testdata/coder_templates_push_--help.golden
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ Push a new template version from the current directory or as specified by flag
           Always prompt all parameters. Does not pull parameter values from
           active template version.
 
+      --create bool (default: false)
+          Create a new template if one does not already exist.
+
   -d, --directory string (default: .)
           Specify the directory to create from, use '-' to read tar from stdin.
 
diff --git a/docs/cli/templates_push.md b/docs/cli/templates_push.md
index 692887b6921d2..294b0acf9f911 100644
--- a/docs/cli/templates_push.md
+++ b/docs/cli/templates_push.md
@@ -29,6 +29,15 @@ Whether the new template will be marked active.
 
 Always prompt all parameters. Does not pull parameter values from active template version.
 
+### --create
+
+|         |                    |
+| ------- | ------------------ |
+| Type    | <code>bool</code>  |
+| Default | <code>false</code> |
+
+Create a new template if one does not already exist.
+
 ### -d, --directory
 
 |         |                     |