diff --git a/crates/vite_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/create_org_bundled_monorepo/snapshots/create_org_bundled_monorepo.md b/crates/vite_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/create_org_bundled_monorepo/snapshots/create_org_bundled_monorepo.md
index 56c6ff3bb4..393c40aaee 100644
--- a/crates/vite_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/create_org_bundled_monorepo/snapshots/create_org_bundled_monorepo.md
+++ b/crates/vite_cli_snapshots/tests/cli_snapshots/fixtures/create_org_bundled_monorepo/snapshots/create_org_bundled_monorepo.md
@@ -66,4 +66,9 @@ node_modules excluded even though tarball shipped no .gitignore
 
 ```
 node_modules
+
+# dotenv environment variable files
+.env
+.env.*
+!.env.example
 ```
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/create/__tests__/utils.spec.ts b/packages/cli/src/create/__tests__/utils.spec.ts
index ecec51f39c..4217b4b216 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/create/__tests__/utils.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/create/__tests__/utils.spec.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
 
 import {
   deriveDefaultPackageName,
-  ensureGitignoreNodeModules,
+  ensureDefaultGitignoreEntries,
   ensureGitignoreVsCodeEditorConfigs,
   formatTargetDir,
   getProjectDirFromPackageName,
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ describe('deriveDefaultPackageName', () => {
   });
 });
 
-describe('ensureGitignoreNodeModules', () => {
+describe('ensureDefaultGitignoreEntries', () => {
   let projectDir: string;
 
   beforeEach(() => {
@@ -139,54 +139,67 @@ describe('ensureGitignoreNodeModules', () => {
     return fs.readFileSync(path.join(projectDir, '.gitignore'), 'utf-8');
   }
 
-  it('creates a fresh `.gitignore` with `node_modules` when none exists', () => {
-    ensureGitignoreNodeModules(projectDir);
-    expect(gitignore()).toBe('node_modules\n');
+  const dotenvBlock = '# dotenv environment variable files\n.env\n.env.*\n!.env.example\n';
+
+  it('creates a fresh `.gitignore` with default entries when none exists', () => {
+    ensureDefaultGitignoreEntries(projectDir);
+    expect(gitignore()).toBe(`node_modules\n\n${dotenvBlock}`);
   });
 
-  it('appends `node_modules` to an existing `.gitignore` that omits it', () => {
+  it('appends default entries to an existing `.gitignore` that omits them', () => {
     fs.writeFileSync(path.join(projectDir, '.gitignore'), 'dist\n*.log\n');
-    ensureGitignoreNodeModules(projectDir);
-    expect(gitignore()).toBe('dist\n*.log\nnode_modules\n');
+    ensureDefaultGitignoreEntries(projectDir);
+    expect(gitignore()).toBe(`dist\n*.log\nnode_modules\n\n${dotenvBlock}`);
   });
 
   it('terminates the last line first when the existing file lacks a trailing newline', () => {
     fs.writeFileSync(path.join(projectDir, '.gitignore'), 'dist');
-    ensureGitignoreNodeModules(projectDir);
-    expect(gitignore()).toBe('dist\nnode_modules\n');
+    ensureDefaultGitignoreEntries(projectDir);
+    expect(gitignore()).toBe(`dist\nnode_modules\n\n${dotenvBlock}`);
   });
 
-  it('is a no-op when `node_modules` already appears as a standalone line', () => {
+  it('appends dotenv entries when `node_modules` already appears as a standalone line', () => {
     const existing = '# Logs\n*.log\nnode_modules\ndist\n';
     fs.writeFileSync(path.join(projectDir, '.gitignore'), existing);
-    ensureGitignoreNodeModules(projectDir);
-    expect(gitignore()).toBe(existing);
+    ensureDefaultGitignoreEntries(projectDir);
+    expect(gitignore()).toBe(`${existing}\n${dotenvBlock}`);
   });
 
   it('treats `node_modules/` (with trailing slash) as a match', () => {
     const existing = 'node_modules/\ndist\n';
     fs.writeFileSync(path.join(projectDir, '.gitignore'), existing);
-    ensureGitignoreNodeModules(projectDir);
-    expect(gitignore()).toBe(existing);
+    ensureDefaultGitignoreEntries(projectDir);
+    expect(gitignore()).toBe(`${existing}\n${dotenvBlock}`);
   });
 
-  it('handles CRLF line endings without re-appending', () => {
-    const existing = 'node_modules\r\ndist\r\n';
+  it('handles CRLF line endings without re-appending existing defaults', () => {
+    const existing = `node_modules\r\ndist\r\n${dotenvBlock.replaceAll('\n', '\r\n')}`;
     fs.writeFileSync(path.join(projectDir, '.gitignore'), existing);
-    ensureGitignoreNodeModules(projectDir);
+    ensureDefaultGitignoreEntries(projectDir);
     expect(gitignore()).toBe(existing);
   });
 
   it('does not consider a `node_modules/sub` subpath as already excluded', () => {
     fs.writeFileSync(path.join(projectDir, '.gitignore'), 'node_modules/sub\n');
-    ensureGitignoreNodeModules(projectDir);
-    expect(gitignore()).toBe('node_modules/sub\nnode_modules\n');
+    ensureDefaultGitignoreEntries(projectDir);
+    expect(gitignore()).toBe(`node_modules/sub\nnode_modules\n\n${dotenvBlock}`);
   });
 
   it('does not match `!node_modules` (an explicit un-ignore override)', () => {
     fs.writeFileSync(path.join(projectDir, '.gitignore'), '!node_modules\n');
-    ensureGitignoreNodeModules(projectDir);
-    expect(gitignore()).toBe('!node_modules\nnode_modules\n');
+    ensureDefaultGitignoreEntries(projectDir);
+    expect(gitignore()).toBe(`!node_modules\nnode_modules\n\n${dotenvBlock}`);
+  });
+
+  it('adds only missing dotenv entries', () => {
+    fs.writeFileSync(
+      path.join(projectDir, '.gitignore'),
+      '# dotenv environment variable files\n.env\nnode_modules\n',
+    );
+    ensureDefaultGitignoreEntries(projectDir);
+    expect(gitignore()).toBe(
+      '# dotenv environment variable files\n.env\nnode_modules\n.env.*\n!.env.example\n',
+    );
   });
 });
 
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/create/bin.ts b/packages/cli/src/create/bin.ts
index 246dc2f500..0ef9c028e1 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/create/bin.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/create/bin.ts
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ import {
 import { BuiltinTemplate, TemplateType } from './templates/types.ts';
 import {
   deriveDefaultPackageName,
-  ensureGitignoreNodeModules,
+  ensureDefaultGitignoreEntries,
   ensureGitignoreVsCodeEditorConfigs,
   formatTargetDir,
   normalizeEditorOption,
@@ -1073,7 +1073,7 @@ Use \`vp create --list\` to list all available templates, or run \`vp create --h
         if (!compactOutput) {
           prompts.log.success('Git repository initialized');
         }
-        ensureGitignoreNodeModules(fullPath);
+        ensureDefaultGitignoreEntries(fullPath);
       } else {
         prompts.log.warn('Failed to initialize git repository');
         if (gitResult.stderr) {
@@ -1111,7 +1111,9 @@ Use \`vp create --list\` to list all available templates, or run \`vp create --h
     rewriteMonorepo(workspaceInfo, undefined, compactOutput);
     if (shouldSetupGit) {
       updateCreateProgress('Initializing git repository');
-      await initGitRepository(fullPath);
+      if (await initGitRepository(fullPath)) {
+        ensureDefaultGitignoreEntries(fullPath);
+      }
     }
     if (bundled?.monorepo) {
       // Wire `create.defaultTemplate: '<scope>'` into the new workspace's
@@ -1434,7 +1436,9 @@ Use \`vp create --list\` to list all available templates, or run \`vp create --h
     }
     if (shouldSetupGit) {
       updateCreateProgress('Initializing git repository');
-      await initGitRepository(fullPath);
+      if (await initGitRepository(fullPath)) {
+        ensureDefaultGitignoreEntries(fullPath);
+      }
     }
     if (shouldSetupHooks) {
       installGitHooks(fullPath, compactOutput, undefined, workspaceInfo.packageManager);
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/create/utils.ts b/packages/cli/src/create/utils.ts
index 6ae984e8e5..3dc77c3081 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/create/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/create/utils.ts
@@ -161,15 +161,22 @@ export function renameFiles(projectDir: string): void {
   }
 }
 
+const DOTENV_GITIGNORE_LINES = [
+  '# dotenv environment variable files',
+  '.env',
+  '.env.*',
+  '!.env.example',
+] as const;
+
 /**
- * Make sure the scaffolded project's `.gitignore` excludes `node_modules`.
+ * Make sure the scaffolded project's `.gitignore` excludes default generated
+ * project artifacts.
  *
  * Called right after `git init` so even bundled `@org` templates (which
- * may ship without a `.gitignore`) don't end up tracking installed
- * dependencies on the user's first commit. No-op when an existing
- * `.gitignore` already lists `node_modules`.
+ * may ship without a `.gitignore`) don't end up tracking dependencies or
+ * local environment files on the user's first commit.
  */
-export function ensureGitignoreNodeModules(projectDir: string): void {
+export function ensureDefaultGitignoreEntries(projectDir: string): void {
   const gitignorePath = path.join(projectDir, '.gitignore');
   let content = '';
   try {
@@ -177,11 +184,44 @@ export function ensureGitignoreNodeModules(projectDir: string): void {
   } catch {
     // No existing .gitignore — we'll write a fresh one below.
   }
-  if (/^\s*node_modules\/?\s*$/m.test(content)) {
+
+  const lines: string[] = [];
+  if (!hasNodeModulesGitignoreLine(content)) {
+    lines.push('node_modules');
+  }
+
+  const missingDotenvLines = DOTENV_GITIGNORE_LINES.filter(
+    (line) => !hasGitignoreLine(content, line),
+  );
+  if (missingDotenvLines.length > 0) {
+    const startsDotenvSection = missingDotenvLines[0] === DOTENV_GITIGNORE_LINES[0];
+    if (lines.length > 0 || (startsDotenvSection && content.trim() !== '')) {
+      lines.push('');
+    }
+    lines.push(...missingDotenvLines);
+  }
+
+  appendGitignoreLines(gitignorePath, content, lines);
+}
+
+function hasNodeModulesGitignoreLine(content: string): boolean {
+  return /^\s*node_modules\/?\s*$/m.test(content);
+}
+
+function hasGitignoreLine(content: string, line: string): boolean {
+  return content.split(/\r?\n/).some((entry) => entry.trim() === line);
+}
+
+function appendGitignoreLines(
+  gitignorePath: string,
+  content: string,
+  lines: readonly string[],
+): void {
+  if (lines.length === 0) {
     return;
   }
   const prefix = content === '' || content.endsWith('\n') ? '' : '\n';
-  fs.appendFileSync(gitignorePath, `${prefix}node_modules\n`);
+  fs.appendFileSync(gitignorePath, `${prefix}${lines.join('\n')}\n`);
 }
 
 const VSCODE_SETTINGS_PATH = '.vscode/settings.json';
@@ -218,18 +258,6 @@ function appendGitignoreVsCodeEditorConfigsBlock(gitignorePath: string, content:
   appendGitignoreLines(gitignorePath, content, VSCODE_CONFIG_UNIGNORE_BLOCK);
 }
 
-function appendGitignoreLines(
-  gitignorePath: string,
-  content: string,
-  lines: readonly string[],
-): void {
-  if (lines.length === 0) {
-    return;
-  }
-  const prefix = content === '' || content.endsWith('\n') ? '' : '\n';
-  fs.appendFileSync(gitignorePath, `${prefix}${lines.join('\n')}\n`);
-}
-
 export function formatDisplayTargetDir(targetDir: string) {
   const normalized = targetDir.split(path.sep).join('/');
   if (normalized === '' || normalized === '.') {
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/monorepo/_gitignore b/packages/cli/templates/monorepo/_gitignore
index 08cc724aa3..b7a2a0e2ec 100644
--- a/packages/cli/templates/monorepo/_gitignore
+++ b/packages/cli/templates/monorepo/_gitignore
@@ -12,6 +12,11 @@ dist
 dist-ssr
 *.local
 
+# dotenv environment variable files
+.env
+.env.*
+!.env.example
+
 # Editor directories and files
 .vscode/*
 !.vscode/settings.json