diff --git a/packages/cli-workflow/__tests__/init-template.test.ts b/packages/cli-workflow/__tests__/init-template.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4db9614
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli-workflow/__tests__/init-template.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
+import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, test } from "bun:test";
+import { mkdir, readFile, rm } from "node:fs/promises";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import { join } from "node:path";
+
+import { runCli } from "../src/cli-dispatch.js";
+import { cmdInitTemplate, cmdInitWorkspace } from "../src/cmd-init.js";
+import { pathExists } from "../src/fs-utils.js";
+
+describe("init template", () => {
+  let parent: string;
+
+  beforeEach(async () => {
+    parent = join(
+      tmpdir(),
+      `wf-init-template-${Date.now()}-${Math.random().toString(36).slice(2)}`,
+    );
+    await mkdir(parent, { recursive: true });
+  });
+
+  afterEach(async () => {
+    await rm(parent, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+
+  test("creates templates/<name> with expected files", async () => {
+    const ws = await cmdInitWorkspace(parent, "my-workflows");
+    expect(ws.ok).toBe(true);
+    if (!ws.ok) {
+      return;
+    }
+    const root = ws.value.rootPath;
+
+    const created = await cmdInitTemplate(root, "review-pr");
+    expect(created.ok).toBe(true);
+    if (!created.ok) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const tdir = join(root, "templates", "review-pr");
+    expect(created.value.templatePath).toBe(tdir);
+    expect(await pathExists(join(tdir, "package.json"))).toBe(true);
+    expect(await pathExists(join(tdir, "tsconfig.json"))).toBe(true);
+    expect(await pathExists(join(tdir, "src", "roles.ts"))).toBe(true);
+    expect(await pathExists(join(tdir, "src", "moderator.ts"))).toBe(true);
+    expect(await pathExists(join(tdir, "src", "index.ts"))).toBe(true);
+
+    const pkg = JSON.parse(await readFile(join(tdir, "package.json"), "utf8")) as {
+      name: string;
+      type: string;
+      dependencies: Record<string, string>;
+    };
+    expect(pkg.type).toBe("module");
+    expect(pkg.dependencies["@uncaged/workflow"]).toBeDefined();
+    expect(pkg.dependencies.zod).toBeDefined();
+    expect(pkg.name).toContain("review-pr");
+
+    const idx = await readFile(join(tdir, "src", "index.ts"), "utf8");
+    expect(idx).toContain("WorkflowDefinition");
+
+    const roles = await readFile(join(tdir, "src", "roles.ts"), "utf8");
+    expect(roles).not.toContain("interface ");
+    expect(roles).not.toContain("?:");
+    expect(roles).not.toContain("export default");
+
+    const moder = await readFile(join(tdir, "src", "moderator.ts"), "utf8");
+    expect(moder).not.toContain("export default");
+  });
+
+  test("finds workspace walking up from nested cwd", async () => {
+    const ws = await cmdInitWorkspace(parent, "ws");
+    expect(ws.ok).toBe(true);
+    if (!ws.ok) {
+      return;
+    }
+    const root = ws.value.rootPath;
+    const nested = join(root, "a", "b");
+    await mkdir(nested, { recursive: true });
+
+    const created = await cmdInitTemplate(nested, "nested-tpl");
+    expect(created.ok).toBe(true);
+    if (!created.ok) {
+      return;
+    }
+    expect(await pathExists(join(root, "templates", "nested-tpl", "src", "index.ts"))).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  test("errors when not inside a workflow workspace", async () => {
+    const orphan = join(parent, "nowhere");
+    await mkdir(orphan, { recursive: true });
+    const r = await cmdInitTemplate(orphan, "x");
+    expect(r.ok).toBe(false);
+    if (!r.ok) {
+      expect(r.error).toContain("templates/*");
+    }
+  });
+
+  test("errors when template directory already exists", async () => {
+    const ws = await cmdInitWorkspace(parent, "ws");
+    expect(ws.ok).toBe(true);
+    if (!ws.ok) {
+      return;
+    }
+    const root = ws.value.rootPath;
+
+    const first = await cmdInitTemplate(root, "dup");
+    expect(first.ok).toBe(true);
+
+    const second = await cmdInitTemplate(root, "dup");
+    expect(second.ok).toBe(false);
+    if (!second.ok) {
+      expect(second.error).toContain("already exists");
+    }
+  });
+
+  test("errors on invalid template name", async () => {
+    const ws = await cmdInitWorkspace(parent, "ws");
+    expect(ws.ok).toBe(true);
+    if (!ws.ok) {
+      return;
+    }
+    const bad = await cmdInitTemplate(ws.value.rootPath, "a/b");
+    expect(bad.ok).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  test.serial("runCli init template uses cwd and succeeds in workspace", async () => {
+    const ws = await cmdInitWorkspace(parent, "cli-ws");
+    expect(ws.ok).toBe(true);
+    if (!ws.ok) {
+      return;
+    }
+    const root = ws.value.rootPath;
+    const prev = process.cwd();
+    try {
+      process.chdir(root);
+      const code = await runCli(join(parent, "_storage"), ["init", "template", "from-cli"]);
+      expect(code).toBe(0);
+      expect(await pathExists(join(root, "templates", "from-cli", "package.json"))).toBe(true);
+    } finally {
+      process.chdir(prev);
+    }
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/cli-workflow/__tests__/init-workspace.test.ts b/packages/cli-workflow/__tests__/init-workspace.test.ts
index 1589796..a5a1bc9 100644
--- a/packages/cli-workflow/__tests__/init-workspace.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli-workflow/__tests__/init-workspace.test.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
 import { join } from "node:path";
 
 import { formatCliUsage, runCli } from "../src/cli-dispatch.js";
-import { cmdInitTemplate, cmdInitWorkspace } from "../src/cmd-init.js";
+import { cmdInitWorkspace } from "../src/cmd-init.js";
 import { pathExists } from "../src/fs-utils.js";
 
 describe("init workspace", () => {
@@ -85,14 +85,6 @@ describe("init workspace", () => {
     expect(u).toContain("uncaged-workflow init template <name>");
   });
 
-  test("init template command is stubbed", () => {
-    const r = cmdInitTemplate(parent, "x");
-    expect(r.ok).toBe(false);
-    if (!r.ok) {
-      expect(r.error).toBe("not implemented yet");
-    }
-  });
-
   test("runCli rejects unknown init subcommand", async () => {
     const code = await runCli(join(parent, "_storage"), ["init", "bogus", "name"]);
     expect(code).toBe(1);
@@ -109,9 +101,4 @@ describe("init workspace", () => {
       process.chdir(prev);
     }
   });
-
-  test("runCli init template exits with error", async () => {
-    const code = await runCli(join(parent, "_storage"), ["init", "template", "t"]);
-    expect(code).toBe(1);
-  });
 });
diff --git a/packages/cli-workflow/src/cli-dispatch.ts b/packages/cli-workflow/src/cli-dispatch.ts
index 4151631..d40fe07 100644
--- a/packages/cli-workflow/src/cli-dispatch.ts
+++ b/packages/cli-workflow/src/cli-dispatch.ts
@@ -65,11 +65,12 @@ async function dispatchInit(_storageRoot: string, argv: string[]): Promise<numbe
   }
 
   if (sub === "template") {
-    const result = cmdInitTemplate(process.cwd(), name);
+    const result = await cmdInitTemplate(process.cwd(), name);
     if (!result.ok) {
       printCliError(result.error);
       return 1;
     }
+    printCliLine(`initialized template at ${result.value.templatePath}`);
     return 0;
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/cli-workflow/src/cmd-init.ts b/packages/cli-workflow/src/cmd-init.ts
index 21b1f5b..248c32d 100644
--- a/packages/cli-workflow/src/cmd-init.ts
+++ b/packages/cli-workflow/src/cmd-init.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-import { mkdir, writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
-import { join } from "node:path";
+import { mkdir, readFile, writeFile } from "node:fs/promises";
+import { dirname, join, resolve } from "node:path";
 
 import { err, ok, type Result } from "@uncaged/workflow";
 
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@ export type CmdInitWorkspaceSuccess = {
   rootPath: string;
 };
 
+export type CmdInitTemplateSuccess = {
+  templatePath: string;
+};
+
 function validateWorkspaceSegment(name: string): Result<void, string> {
   if (name.length === 0) {
     return err("workspace name must not be empty");
@@ -155,6 +159,182 @@ export async function cmdInitWorkspace(
   return ok({ rootPath });
 }
 
-export function cmdInitTemplate(_parentDir: string, _templateName: string): Result<void, string> {
-  return err("not implemented yet");
+function hasTemplatesWorkspaceGlob(workspaces: unknown): boolean {
+  return Array.isArray(workspaces) && workspaces.includes("templates/*");
+}
+
+async function readPackageJsonWorkspaces(dir: string): Promise<unknown | null> {
+  const pkgPath = join(dir, "package.json");
+  if (!(await pathExists(pkgPath))) {
+    return null;
+  }
+  let raw: string;
+  try {
+    raw = await readFile(pkgPath, "utf8");
+  } catch {
+    return null;
+  }
+  let parsed: unknown;
+  try {
+    parsed = JSON.parse(raw) as unknown;
+  } catch {
+    return null;
+  }
+  if (typeof parsed !== "object" || parsed === null || !("workspaces" in parsed)) {
+    return null;
+  }
+  return (parsed as { workspaces: unknown }).workspaces;
+}
+
+/** Resolve uncaged-workflow workspace root (package.json with `templates/*` in `workspaces`). */
+async function findWorkflowWorkspaceRoot(startDir: string): Promise<Result<string, string>> {
+  let dir = resolve(startDir);
+  for (;;) {
+    const workspaces = await readPackageJsonWorkspaces(dir);
+    if (workspaces !== null && hasTemplatesWorkspaceGlob(workspaces)) {
+      return ok(dir);
+    }
+    const parent = dirname(dir);
+    if (parent === dir) {
+      return err(
+        'not inside a workflow workspace (no package.json with workspaces containing "templates/*")',
+      );
+    }
+    dir = parent;
+  }
+}
+
+function templatePackageJson(templateName: string): string {
+  return `${JSON.stringify(
+    {
+      name: `template-${templateName}`,
+      version: "0.0.0",
+      private: true,
+      type: "module",
+      dependencies: {
+        "@uncaged/workflow": "^0.1.0",
+        zod: "^4.0.0",
+      },
+    },
+    null,
+    2,
+  )}\n`;
+}
+
+function templateTsconfigJson(): string {
+  return `${JSON.stringify(
+    {
+      extends: "../../tsconfig.json",
+      compilerOptions: {
+        rootDir: "src",
+        outDir: "dist",
+      },
+      include: ["src/**/*.ts"],
+    },
+    null,
+    2,
+  )}\n`;
+}
+
+function templateRolesTs(): string {
+  return `import type { RoleDefinition } from "@uncaged/workflow";
+import * as z from "zod/v4";
+
+export const HELLO_TEMPLATE_DESCRIPTION =
+  "Minimal starter template: one greeter role, then END.";
+
+export type HelloTemplateMeta = {
+  greeter: {
+    message: string;
+  };
+};
+
+const greeterMetaSchema = z.object({
+  message: z.string(),
+});
+
+export const greeterRole: RoleDefinition<HelloTemplateMeta["greeter"]> = {
+  description: "Says hello — replace with your first role.",
+  systemPrompt: "You are a helpful assistant. Reply with one short friendly sentence.",
+  extractPrompt: "Extract the assistant's greeting as message.",
+  schema: greeterMetaSchema,
+  extractRefs: null,
+};
+`;
+}
+
+function templateModeratorTs(): string {
+  return `import { END, type Moderator, type ModeratorContext } from "@uncaged/workflow";
+
+import type { HelloTemplateMeta } from "./roles.js";
+
+export const helloTemplateModerator: Moderator<HelloTemplateMeta> = (
+  ctx: ModeratorContext<HelloTemplateMeta>,
+) => {
+  if (ctx.steps.length === 0) {
+    return "greeter";
+  }
+  return END;
+};
+`;
+}
+
+function templateIndexTs(): string {
+  return `import type { WorkflowDefinition } from "@uncaged/workflow";
+
+import { helloTemplateModerator } from "./moderator.js";
+import {
+  HELLO_TEMPLATE_DESCRIPTION,
+  type HelloTemplateMeta,
+  greeterRole,
+} from "./roles.js";
+
+export {
+  HELLO_TEMPLATE_DESCRIPTION,
+  type HelloTemplateMeta,
+  greeterRole,
+} from "./roles.js";
+export { helloTemplateModerator } from "./moderator.js";
+
+export const helloTemplateWorkflowDefinition: WorkflowDefinition<HelloTemplateMeta> = {
+  description: HELLO_TEMPLATE_DESCRIPTION,
+  roles: {
+    greeter: greeterRole,
+  },
+  moderator: helloTemplateModerator,
+};
+`;
+}
+
+export async function cmdInitTemplate(
+  startDir: string,
+  templateName: string,
+): Promise<Result<CmdInitTemplateSuccess, string>> {
+  const validated = validateWorkspaceSegment(templateName);
+  if (!validated.ok) {
+    return validated;
+  }
+
+  const rootResult = await findWorkflowWorkspaceRoot(startDir);
+  if (!rootResult.ok) {
+    return rootResult;
+  }
+
+  const workspaceRoot = rootResult.value;
+  const templateDir = join(workspaceRoot, "templates", templateName);
+  if (await pathExists(templateDir)) {
+    return err(`template already exists: ${templateDir}`);
+  }
+
+  await mkdir(join(templateDir, "src"), { recursive: true });
+
+  await Promise.all([
+    writeFile(join(templateDir, "package.json"), templatePackageJson(templateName), "utf8"),
+    writeFile(join(templateDir, "tsconfig.json"), templateTsconfigJson(), "utf8"),
+    writeFile(join(templateDir, "src", "roles.ts"), templateRolesTs(), "utf8"),
+    writeFile(join(templateDir, "src", "moderator.ts"), templateModeratorTs(), "utf8"),
+    writeFile(join(templateDir, "src", "index.ts"), templateIndexTs(), "utf8"),
+  ]);
+
+  return ok({ templatePath: templateDir });
 }