diff --git a/commands/project/upload.ts b/commands/project/upload.ts
index b11ab329b..57ff4bac4 100644
--- a/commands/project/upload.ts
+++ b/commands/project/upload.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ const { logger } = require('@hubspot/local-dev-lib/logger');
 const { uiBetaTag, uiCommandReference } = require('../../lib/ui');
 const { trackCommandUsage } = require('../../lib/usageTracking');
 const {
-  ensureProjectExists,
   getProjectConfig,
   logFeedbackMessage,
   validateProjectConfig,
@@ -44,21 +43,18 @@ exports.handler = async options => {
 
   validateProjectConfig(projectConfig, projectDir);
 
-  await ensureProjectExists(derivedAccountId, projectConfig.name, {
-    forceCreate,
-    uploadCommand: true,
-  });
-
   try {
-    const { result, uploadError } = await handleProjectUpload(
-      derivedAccountId,
+    const { result, uploadError } = await handleProjectUpload({
+      accountId: derivedAccountId,
       projectConfig,
       projectDir,
-      pollProjectBuildAndDeploy,
-      message,
-      useV3Api(projectConfig?.platformVersion),
-      skipValidation
-    );
+      callbackFunc: pollProjectBuildAndDeploy,
+      uploadMessage: message,
+      forceCreate,
+      isUploadCommand: true,
+      sendIR: useV3Api(projectConfig?.platformVersion),
+      skipValidation,
+    });
 
     if (uploadError) {
       if (
diff --git a/commands/project/watch.ts b/commands/project/watch.ts
index db969c6fd..804bdc6a7 100644
--- a/commands/project/watch.ts
+++ b/commands/project/watch.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 // @ts-nocheck
+import { useV3Api } from '../../lib/projects/buildAndDeploy';
+
 const { i18n } = require('../../lib/lang');
 const { createWatcher } = require('../../lib/projects/watch');
 const { logError, ApiErrorContext } = require('../../lib/errorHandlers/index');
@@ -12,7 +14,6 @@ const {
 const { trackCommandUsage } = require('../../lib/usageTracking');
 const { uiBetaTag } = require('../../lib/ui');
 const {
-  ensureProjectExists,
   getProjectConfig,
   validateProjectConfig,
   logFeedbackMessage,
@@ -91,9 +92,13 @@ exports.handler = async options => {
 
   const { projectConfig, projectDir } = await getProjectConfig();
 
-  validateProjectConfig(projectConfig, projectDir);
+  if (useV3Api(projectConfig?.platformVersion)) {
+    // TODO: i18n
+    logger.error('This command is not supported in V3 API');
+    process.exit(EXIT_CODES.ERROR);
+  }
 
-  await ensureProjectExists(derivedAccountId, projectConfig.name);
+  validateProjectConfig(projectConfig, projectDir);
 
   try {
     const {
@@ -113,12 +118,13 @@ exports.handler = async options => {
 
     // Upload all files if no build exists for this project yet
     if (initialUpload || hasNoBuilds) {
-      const { uploadError } = await handleProjectUpload(
-        derivedAccountId,
+      const { uploadError } = await handleProjectUpload({
+        accountId: derivedAccountId,
         projectConfig,
         projectDir,
-        startWatching
-      );
+        callbackFunc: startWatching,
+        isUploadCommand: false,
+      });
 
       if (uploadError) {
         if (
diff --git a/lib/localDev.ts b/lib/localDev.ts
index dec2edad0..702735086 100644
--- a/lib/localDev.ts
+++ b/lib/localDev.ts
@@ -475,14 +475,21 @@ export async function createInitialBuildForNewProject(
   sendIr?: boolean
 ): Promise<Build> {
   const { result: initialUploadResult, uploadError } =
-    await handleProjectUpload<ProjectPollResult>(
-      targetAccountId,
+    await handleProjectUpload<ProjectPollResult>({
+      accountId: targetAccountId,
       projectConfig,
       projectDir,
-      projectUploadCallback,
-      i18n(`${i18nKey}.createInitialBuildForNewProject.initialUploadMessage`),
-      sendIr
-    );
+      callbackFunc: projectUploadCallback,
+      uploadMessage: i18n(
+        `${i18nKey}.createInitialBuildForNewProject.initialUploadMessage`,
+        {
+          uploadCommand: uiCommandReference('hs project upload'),
+        }
+      ),
+      forceCreate: true,
+      skipValidation: true,
+      sendIR: sendIr,
+    });
 
   if (uploadError) {
     if (
diff --git a/lib/projects/upload.ts b/lib/projects/upload.ts
index 6f03c0abc..8eed663f3 100644
--- a/lib/projects/upload.ts
+++ b/lib/projects/upload.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import { ProjectConfig } from '../../types/Projects';
 import { isTranslationError, translate } from '@hubspot/project-parsing-lib';
 import { logError } from '../errorHandlers';
 import util from 'node:util';
+import { ensureProjectExists } from './index';
 
 const i18nKey = 'lib.projectUpload';
 
@@ -92,15 +93,29 @@ type ProjectUploadResult<T> = {
   uploadError?: unknown;
 };
 
-export async function handleProjectUpload<T>(
-  accountId: number,
-  projectConfig: ProjectConfig,
-  projectDir: string,
-  callbackFunc: ProjectUploadCallbackFunction<T>,
-  uploadMessage: string,
-  sendIR: boolean = false,
-  skipValidation: boolean = false
-): Promise<ProjectUploadResult<T>> {
+type HandleProjectUploadArg<T> = {
+  accountId: number;
+  projectConfig: ProjectConfig;
+  projectDir: string;
+  callbackFunc: ProjectUploadCallbackFunction<T>;
+  uploadMessage?: string;
+  forceCreate?: boolean;
+  isUploadCommand?: boolean;
+  sendIR?: boolean;
+  skipValidation?: boolean;
+};
+
+export async function handleProjectUpload<T>({
+  accountId,
+  projectConfig,
+  projectDir,
+  callbackFunc,
+  uploadMessage,
+  forceCreate = false,
+  isUploadCommand = false,
+  sendIR = false,
+  skipValidation = false,
+}: HandleProjectUploadArg<T>): Promise<ProjectUploadResult<T>> {
   const srcDir = path.resolve(projectDir, projectConfig.srcDir);
 
   const filenames = fs.readdirSync(srcDir);
@@ -158,11 +173,16 @@ export async function handleProjectUpload<T>(
         }
       }
 
+      await ensureProjectExists(accountId, projectConfig.name, {
+        forceCreate,
+        uploadCommand: isUploadCommand,
+      });
+
       const { buildId, error } = await uploadProjectFiles(
         accountId,
         projectConfig.name,
         tempFile.name,
-        uploadMessage,
+        uploadMessage || '',
         projectConfig.platformVersion,
         intermediateRepresentation
       );