diff --git a/.changeset/fresh-start-versions.md b/.changeset/fresh-start-versions.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9adafede
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/fresh-start-versions.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@tanstack/create': patch
+---
+
+Use the supported npm response format and resolve current versions for each generated project so long-running builders pick up new releases.
diff --git a/packages/create/src/npm-resolver.ts b/packages/create/src/npm-resolver.ts
index 976948ce..d3a76bed 100644
--- a/packages/create/src/npm-resolver.ts
+++ b/packages/create/src/npm-resolver.ts
@@ -6,21 +6,14 @@
  * projects don't silently drift over time.
  */
 
-const cache = new Map<string, string>()
-
 export async function resolveNpmVersion(pkg: string): Promise<string | null> {
-  if (cache.has(pkg)) {
-    return cache.get(pkg)!
-  }
-
   try {
     const res = await fetch(`https://registry.npmjs.org/${pkg}/latest`, {
-      headers: { Accept: 'application/vnd.npm.install-v1+json' },
+      headers: { Accept: 'application/json' },
     })
     if (!res.ok) return null
     const data = (await res.json()) as { version?: string }
     const version = data.version ?? null
-    if (version) cache.set(pkg, version)
     return version
   } catch {
     return null
diff --git a/packages/create/tests/npm-resolver.test.ts b/packages/create/tests/npm-resolver.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..40627954
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/create/tests/npm-resolver.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
+import { resolvePackageJSONLatest } from '../src/npm-resolver.js'
+
+afterEach(() => vi.unstubAllGlobals())
+
+describe('npm version resolution', () => {
+  it('resolves the latest endpoint using its supported response format', async () => {
+    vi.stubGlobal(
+      'fetch',
+      vi.fn(async (_input: RequestInfo | URL, init?: RequestInit) =>
+        new Headers(init?.headers).get('Accept') === 'application/json'
+          ? Response.json({ version: '1.168.60' })
+          : new Response(null, { status: 406 }),
+      ),
+    )
+
+    const project = await resolvePackageJSONLatest({
+      dependencies: { '@tanstack/react-start': 'latest' },
+    })
+
+    expect(project.dependencies['@tanstack/react-start']).toBe('1.168.60')
+  })
+
+  it('uses a newly published version for the next generated project', async () => {
+    let version = '1.168.59'
+    vi.stubGlobal(
+      'fetch',
+      vi.fn(async () => Response.json({ version })),
+    )
+    const template = {
+      dependencies: { '@tanstack/react-start': 'latest', react: '^19.2.0' },
+    }
+
+    const beforeRelease = await resolvePackageJSONLatest(template)
+    version = '1.168.60'
+    const afterRelease = await resolvePackageJSONLatest(template)
+
+    expect(beforeRelease.dependencies['@tanstack/react-start']).toBe('1.168.59')
+    expect(afterRelease.dependencies['@tanstack/react-start']).toBe('1.168.60')
+    expect(afterRelease.dependencies.react).toBe('^19.2.0')
+    expect(template.dependencies['@tanstack/react-start']).toBe('latest')
+  })
+})