diff --git a/packages/start/src/lib/engine.test.ts b/packages/start/src/lib/engine.test.ts
index b5c4d9565ea..daaaf2feee3 100644
--- a/packages/start/src/lib/engine.test.ts
+++ b/packages/start/src/lib/engine.test.ts
@@ -81,7 +81,10 @@ describe('buildSteps', () => {
     const connect = buildSteps(cfg, composition(cfg)).find((s) => s.id === 'connect-app')!
 
     expect(connect.title).toBe('Connect to your app')
-    expect(stepText(connect)).toContain('npx shadcn@latest init -d')
+    expect(stepText(connect)).toContain('test -f components.json || npx shadcn@latest init -d')
+    expect(stepText(connect)).toContain(
+      'Do not run shadcn init when components.json already exists'
+    )
     expect(stepText(connect)).toContain(
       'npx shadcn@latest add @supabase/password-based-auth-nextjs'
     )
@@ -187,7 +190,7 @@ describe('buildSteps', () => {
     const connect = steps.find((s) => s.id === 'connect-app')!
     expect(steps.some((s) => s.id === 'add')).toBe(false)
     expect(connect.title).toBe('Connect to your app')
-    expect(stepText(connect)).toContain('npx shadcn@latest init -d')
+    expect(stepText(connect)).toContain('test -f components.json || npx shadcn@latest init -d')
   })
 
   it('existing + no shadcn uses the Supabase code step instead of a file tree step', () => {
@@ -330,6 +333,17 @@ describe('buildSteps', () => {
     expect(text).toContain('npx shadcn@latest add SaxonF/templates/todos')
     expect(text).toContain('npx shadcn@latest add SaxonF/templates/auth')
   })
+
+  it('points to template readmes for config.toml merge guidance', () => {
+    const cfg = config()
+    const supabaseCode = buildSteps(cfg, composition(cfg)).find((s) => s.id === 'supabase-code')!
+    const text = stepText(supabaseCode)
+
+    expect(text).toContain("Follow the instructions in each installed template's readme")
+    expect(text).toContain('supabase/config.toml')
+    expect(text).not.toContain('--dry-run --diff')
+    expect(text).not.toContain('The Start composer has already merged overlapping files')
+  })
 })
 
 describe('buildAgentPlan', () => {
diff --git a/packages/start/src/lib/project-code-plan.ts b/packages/start/src/lib/project-code-plan.ts
index 300066d818e..90a566701e0 100644
--- a/packages/start/src/lib/project-code-plan.ts
+++ b/packages/start/src/lib/project-code-plan.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,4 @@
-import {
-  getRegistryAddCommand,
-  getRegistrySearchCommand,
-  getRegistryViewCommand,
-} from 'template-composer'
+import { getRegistryAddCommand, getRegistrySearchCommand } from 'template-composer'
 
 import type { StartComposition } from './composition/start-composition'
 import { listEnglish, ORMS, type StartConfig } from './config'
@@ -35,7 +31,6 @@ export interface ProjectCodePlan {
   selectedTemplates: ProjectCodeTemplate[]
   dependencyTemplates: ProjectCodeTemplate[]
   addCommands: ProjectCodeTemplateCommand[]
-  viewCommands: ProjectCodeTemplateCommand[]
   fileGroups: ProjectCodeFileGroup[]
   filePaths: string[]
   schemaFiles: string[]
@@ -85,7 +80,6 @@ export function buildProjectCodePlan(
     .filter((resource) => resource.kind === 'edge-function')
     .map((resource) => resource.label)
     .sort((a, b) => a.localeCompare(b))
-
   return {
     hasProjectCode: selectedTemplates.length > 0 || filePaths.length > 0,
     listCommand: getRegistrySearchCommand('', registryCommandOptions),
@@ -97,10 +91,6 @@ export function buildProjectCodePlan(
       ...template,
       command: getRegistryAddCommand(template.id, registryCommandOptions),
     })),
-    viewCommands: selectedTemplates.map((template) => ({
-      ...template,
-      command: getRegistryViewCommand(template.id, registryCommandOptions),
-    })),
     fileGroups,
     filePaths,
     schemaFiles,
diff --git a/packages/start/src/lib/steps.ts b/packages/start/src/lib/steps.ts
index fe9295137c9..a8b766ade51 100644
--- a/packages/start/src/lib/steps.ts
+++ b/packages/start/src/lib/steps.ts
@@ -296,12 +296,16 @@ function connectAppStep(ctx: GuideContext): SetupStep | null {
       type: 'code',
       lang: 'terminal',
       code: lines([
-        "npx shadcn@latest init -d   # if shadcn isn't set up yet",
+        'test -f components.json || npx shadcn@latest init -d   # skip init when shadcn/ui is already configured',
         ...blockPrims.map(
           (p) => `npx shadcn@latest add @supabase/${getShadcnBlockName(p)}-${fw.shadcnTag}`
         ),
       ]),
     })
+    blocks.push({
+      type: 'note',
+      text: 'Do not run shadcn init when components.json already exists; the Next.js with-supabase starter and many existing apps already include it.',
+    })
 
     const missing = getMissingShadcnPrimitiveLabels(ctx)
     if (missing.length) {
@@ -390,6 +394,11 @@ function supabaseCodeStep(ctx: GuideContext): SetupStep | null {
   }
 
   if (plan.addCommands.length > 0) {
+    blocks.push({
+      type: 'note',
+      text: "Follow the instructions in each installed template's readme, especially when merging changes into supabase/config.toml.",
+    })
+
     blocks.push({
       type: 'code',
       lang: 'terminal',