diff --git a/src/commands/sites/sites-create.ts b/src/commands/sites/sites-create.ts
index b595a6af04d..00c1dce675d 100644
--- a/src/commands/sites/sites-create.ts
+++ b/src/commands/sites/sites-create.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import { chalk, logAndThrowError, log, logJson, warn, type APIError } from '../.
 import getRepoData from '../../utils/get-repo-data.js'
 import { configureRepo } from '../../utils/init/config.js'
 import { isInteractive } from '../../utils/scripted-commands.js'
-import { resolveTeamForNonInteractive } from '../../utils/team.js'
+import { requireTeams, resolveTeamForNonInteractive } from '../../utils/team.js'
 import { track } from '../../utils/telemetry/index.js'
 import type { SiteInfo } from '../../utils/types.js'
 import { MAX_SITE_NAME_LENGTH } from '../../utils/validation.js'
@@ -41,9 +41,11 @@ export const sitesCreate = async (options: OptionValues, command: BaseCommand) =
       accountSlug = team.slug
       log(`Using team: ${team.name}`)
     } else {
+      // select prompts crash when choices is empty
+      const teams = requireTeams(accounts)
       accountSlug = await select({
         message: 'Team:',
-        choices: accounts.map((account) => ({
+        choices: teams.map((account) => ({
           value: account.slug,
           name: account.name,
         })),
diff --git a/src/utils/team.ts b/src/utils/team.ts
index 81f92ca5814..a61ace71f99 100644
--- a/src/utils/team.ts
+++ b/src/utils/team.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,14 @@
 import { logAndThrowError } from './command-helpers.js'
 import type { MinimalAccount } from './types.js'
 
+export const requireTeams = (accounts: MinimalAccount[] | undefined): MinimalAccount[] => {
+  const teams = accounts ?? []
+  if (teams.length === 0) {
+    return logAndThrowError('No teams available. Please ensure you have access to at least one team.')
+  }
+  return teams
+}
+
 export const resolveTeam = (accounts: MinimalAccount[]): MinimalAccount | undefined => {
   if (accounts.length === 1) {
     return accounts[0]
@@ -9,16 +17,14 @@ export const resolveTeam = (accounts: MinimalAccount[]): MinimalAccount | undefi
 }
 
 export const resolveTeamForNonInteractive = (accounts: MinimalAccount[], commandExample: string): MinimalAccount => {
-  if (accounts.length === 0) {
-    return logAndThrowError('No teams available. Please ensure you have access to at least one team.')
-  }
+  const teams = requireTeams(accounts)
 
-  const team = resolveTeam(accounts)
+  const team = resolveTeam(teams)
   if (team) {
     return team
   }
 
-  const availableTeams = accounts.map((t) => t.slug).join(', ')
+  const availableTeams = teams.map((t) => t.slug).join(', ')
   return logAndThrowError(
     `Multiple teams available. Please specify which team to use.\n` +
       `Available teams: ${availableTeams}\n\n` +
diff --git a/tests/unit/commands/sites/sites-create.test.ts b/tests/unit/commands/sites/sites-create.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..45a88b683d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/commands/sites/sites-create.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+import { describe, expect, test, vi } from 'vitest'
+
+const { mockSelect } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  mockSelect: vi.fn(),
+}))
+
+vi.mock('@inquirer/prompts', () => ({
+  input: vi.fn(),
+  select: mockSelect,
+}))
+
+vi.mock('../../../../src/utils/scripted-commands.js', () => ({
+  isInteractive: () => true,
+}))
+
+vi.mock('../../../../src/utils/telemetry/report-error.js', () => ({
+  reportError: vi.fn(),
+}))
+
+vi.mock('../../../../src/utils/telemetry/index.js', () => ({
+  track: vi.fn(),
+}))
+
+vi.mock('../../../../src/commands/link/link.js', () => ({
+  link: vi.fn(),
+}))
+
+import { sitesCreate } from '../../../../src/commands/sites/sites-create.js'
+import type BaseCommand from '../../../../src/commands/base-command.js'
+
+const commandWithAccounts = (accounts: unknown[]) =>
+  ({
+    authenticate: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+    netlify: {
+      accounts,
+      api: {},
+    },
+  }) as unknown as BaseCommand
+
+describe('sitesCreate', () => {
+  test('throws a team error instead of opening an empty list prompt', async () => {
+    await expect(sitesCreate({}, commandWithAccounts([]))).rejects.toThrowError(/No teams available/)
+    expect(mockSelect).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+})
diff --git a/tests/unit/utils/team.test.ts b/tests/unit/utils/team.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..391a4b18589
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/utils/team.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+import { describe, expect, test, vi } from 'vitest'
+
+vi.mock('../../../src/utils/telemetry/report-error.js', () => ({
+  reportError: vi.fn(),
+}))
+
+import { requireTeams, resolveTeam, resolveTeamForNonInteractive } from '../../../src/utils/team.js'
+import type { MinimalAccount } from '../../../src/utils/types.js'
+
+const team = (overrides: Partial<MinimalAccount> = {}): MinimalAccount => ({
+  id: 'acc-1',
+  name: 'Acme',
+  slug: 'acme',
+  default: false,
+  team_logo_url: null,
+  on_pro_trial: false,
+  organization_id: null,
+  type_name: 'Pro',
+  type_slug: 'pro',
+  members_count: 1,
+  ...overrides,
+})
+
+describe('requireTeams', () => {
+  test('throws when the account list is empty', () => {
+    expect(() => requireTeams([])).toThrowError(/No teams available/)
+  })
+
+  test('throws when the account list is missing', () => {
+    expect(() => requireTeams(undefined)).toThrowError(/No teams available/)
+  })
+
+  test('returns the account list when at least one team exists', () => {
+    const accounts = [team()]
+    expect(requireTeams(accounts)).toBe(accounts)
+  })
+})
+
+describe('resolveTeam', () => {
+  test('returns the only team', () => {
+    const only = team()
+    expect(resolveTeam([only])).toBe(only)
+  })
+
+  test('returns the default team when several exist', () => {
+    const fallback = team({ id: 'acc-2', slug: 'other', name: 'Other' })
+    const preferred = team({ default: true })
+    expect(resolveTeam([fallback, preferred])).toBe(preferred)
+  })
+})
+
+describe('resolveTeamForNonInteractive', () => {
+  test('throws when no teams can be selected', () => {
+    expect(() => resolveTeamForNonInteractive([], 'netlify sites:create --account-slug <TEAM_SLUG>')).toThrowError(
+      /No teams available/,
+    )
+  })
+})