diff --git a/.changeset/scaffold-zod4.md b/.changeset/scaffold-zod4.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..722fbc3bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/scaffold-zod4.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+"@dawn-ai/devkit": patch
+"create-dawn-ai-app": patch
+---
+
+Fix fresh scaffolds failing `npm install`: the app templates pinned `zod@^3.24.0` while `@dawn-ai/sdk` declares an optional peer of `zod@^4`, which npm's strict peer resolution rejects (ERESOLVE) on every new app. Templates now scaffold `zod@^4.0.0` (the template code uses only APIs present in both majors, and `@langchain/core` accepts `^3.25.76 || ^4`).
diff --git a/packages/devkit/templates/app-basic/package.json.template b/packages/devkit/templates/app-basic/package.json.template
index 544821b28..c051ed6d4 100644
--- a/packages/devkit/templates/app-basic/package.json.template
+++ b/packages/devkit/templates/app-basic/package.json.template
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
     "@dawn-ai/cli": "{{dawnCliSpecifier}}",
     "@dawn-ai/langchain": "{{dawnLangchainSpecifier}}",
     "@dawn-ai/sdk": "{{dawnSdkSpecifier}}",
-    "zod": "^3.24.0"
+    "zod": "^4.0.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@dawn-ai/config-typescript": "{{dawnConfigTypescriptSpecifier}}",
diff --git a/packages/devkit/templates/app-research/package.json.template b/packages/devkit/templates/app-research/package.json.template
index 544821b28..c051ed6d4 100644
--- a/packages/devkit/templates/app-research/package.json.template
+++ b/packages/devkit/templates/app-research/package.json.template
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
     "@dawn-ai/cli": "{{dawnCliSpecifier}}",
     "@dawn-ai/langchain": "{{dawnLangchainSpecifier}}",
     "@dawn-ai/sdk": "{{dawnSdkSpecifier}}",
-    "zod": "^3.24.0"
+    "zod": "^4.0.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@dawn-ai/config-typescript": "{{dawnConfigTypescriptSpecifier}}",
diff --git a/test/generated/fixtures/basic.expected.json b/test/generated/fixtures/basic.expected.json
index e971cf727..7fe28ad24 100644
--- a/test/generated/fixtures/basic.expected.json
+++ b/test/generated/fixtures/basic.expected.json
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
       "@dawn-ai/cli": "latest",
       "@dawn-ai/langchain": "latest",
       "@dawn-ai/sdk": "latest",
-      "zod": "^3.24.0"
+      "zod": "^4.0.0"
     },
     "devDependencies": {
       "@dawn-ai/config-typescript": "latest",
diff --git a/test/generated/fixtures/custom-app-dir.expected.json b/test/generated/fixtures/custom-app-dir.expected.json
index 19e41bc98..99d96e349 100644
--- a/test/generated/fixtures/custom-app-dir.expected.json
+++ b/test/generated/fixtures/custom-app-dir.expected.json
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
       "@dawn-ai/cli": "latest",
       "@dawn-ai/langchain": "latest",
       "@dawn-ai/sdk": "latest",
-      "zod": "^3.24.0"
+      "zod": "^4.0.0"
     },
     "devDependencies": {
       "@dawn-ai/config-typescript": "latest",