diff --git a/.changeset/fluffy-poems-ask.md b/.changeset/fluffy-poems-ask.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3b1826130
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/fluffy-poems-ask.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"shadcn": patch
+---
+
+update handling of init urls
diff --git a/apps/v4/app/(create)/init/route.ts b/apps/v4/app/(create)/init/route.ts
index d704019e6..22c02af2f 100644
--- a/apps/v4/app/(create)/init/route.ts
+++ b/apps/v4/app/(create)/init/route.ts
@@ -44,10 +44,12 @@ export async function GET(request: NextRequest) {
       )
     }
 
-    track("create_app", {
-      ...result.data,
-      preset: presetCode,
-    })
+    if (searchParams.get("track") === "1") {
+      track("create_app", {
+        ...result.data,
+        preset: presetCode,
+      })
+    }
 
     return NextResponse.json(parseResult.data)
   } catch (error) {
diff --git a/packages/shadcn/src/commands/add.ts b/packages/shadcn/src/commands/add.ts
index bfe30c165..5cd2511d6 100644
--- a/packages/shadcn/src/commands/add.ts
+++ b/packages/shadcn/src/commands/add.ts
@@ -187,8 +187,11 @@ export const add = new Command()
         })
 
         // Resolve registry:base config.
-        const { registryBaseConfig, installStyleIndex } =
-          await resolveRegistryBaseConfig(initUrl, options.cwd)
+        const {
+          registryBaseConfig,
+          installStyleIndex,
+          url: cleanInitUrl,
+        } = await resolveRegistryBaseConfig(initUrl, options.cwd)
 
         config = await runInit({
           cwd: options.cwd,
@@ -201,7 +204,7 @@ export const add = new Command()
           cssVariables: true,
           rtl: false,
           installStyleIndex,
-          components: [initUrl, ...(options.components ?? [])],
+          components: [cleanInitUrl, ...(options.components ?? [])],
           registryBaseConfig,
         })
         initHasRun = true
@@ -228,8 +231,11 @@ export const add = new Command()
           base: selectedBase,
           template,
         })
-        const { registryBaseConfig, installStyleIndex } =
-          await resolveRegistryBaseConfig(initUrl, options.cwd)
+        const {
+          registryBaseConfig,
+          installStyleIndex,
+          url: cleanInitUrl,
+        } = await resolveRegistryBaseConfig(initUrl, options.cwd)
 
         config = await runInit({
           cwd: options.cwd,
@@ -242,7 +248,7 @@ export const add = new Command()
           cssVariables: true,
           rtl: false,
           installStyleIndex,
-          components: [initUrl, ...(options.components ?? [])],
+          components: [cleanInitUrl, ...(options.components ?? [])],
           registryBaseConfig,
         })
         initHasRun = true
diff --git a/packages/shadcn/src/commands/init.ts b/packages/shadcn/src/commands/init.ts
index d762c6df9..9fa9446fa 100644
--- a/packages/shadcn/src/commands/init.ts
+++ b/packages/shadcn/src/commands/init.ts
@@ -384,6 +384,9 @@ export const init = new Command()
             } else if (options.rtl === false) {
               url.searchParams.delete("rtl")
             }
+            if (url.pathname === "/init" && presetArg.startsWith(SHADCN_URL)) {
+              url.searchParams.set("track", "1")
+            }
             initUrl = url.toString()
             presetBase = url.searchParams.get("base") ?? undefined
           } else if (isPresetCode(presetArg)) {
@@ -512,12 +515,18 @@ export const init = new Command()
         }
 
         // Resolve registry:base config from the first component.
-        const { registryBaseConfig, installStyleIndex } =
-          await resolveRegistryBaseConfig(components[0], cwd, {
-            registries: existingConfig?.registries as
-              | z.infer<typeof registryConfigSchema>
-              | undefined,
-          })
+        const {
+          registryBaseConfig,
+          installStyleIndex,
+          url: cleanUrl,
+        } = await resolveRegistryBaseConfig(components[0], cwd, {
+          registries: existingConfig?.registries as
+            | z.infer<typeof registryConfigSchema>
+            | undefined,
+        })
+
+        // Use the clean URL (track param stripped) for subsequent fetches.
+        components[0] = cleanUrl
 
         if (!installStyleIndex) {
           options.installStyleIndex = false
diff --git a/packages/shadcn/src/preset/presets.ts b/packages/shadcn/src/preset/presets.ts
index a0394d39a..8c469d29b 100644
--- a/packages/shadcn/src/preset/presets.ts
+++ b/packages/shadcn/src/preset/presets.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import { buildUrlAndHeadersForRegistryItem } from "@/src/registry/builder"
 import { configWithDefaults } from "@/src/registry/config"
 import { REGISTRY_URL, SHADCN_URL } from "@/src/registry/constants"
 import { type registryConfigSchema } from "@/src/registry/schema"
+import { isUrl } from "@/src/registry/utils"
 import { createConfig } from "@/src/utils/get-config"
 import { highlighter } from "@/src/utils/highlighter"
 import { logger } from "@/src/utils/logger"
@@ -141,6 +142,9 @@ export function resolveInitUrl(
     params.set("template", options.template)
   }
 
+  // Signal the server to record this init run.
+  params.set("track", "1")
+
   return `${SHADCN_URL}/init?${params.toString()}`
 }
 
@@ -272,8 +276,25 @@ export async function resolveRegistryBaseConfig(
   const registryBaseConfig =
     item?.type === "registry:base" && item.config ? item.config : undefined
 
+  // Strip the track param so subsequent fetches don't re-trigger tracking.
+  let cleanUrl = initUrl
+  if (isShadcnInitUrl(initUrl)) {
+    const url = new URL(initUrl)
+    url.searchParams.delete("track")
+    cleanUrl = url.toString()
+  }
+
   return {
     registryBaseConfig,
     installStyleIndex: item?.extends !== "none",
+    url: cleanUrl,
+  }
+}
+
+function isShadcnInitUrl(url: string) {
+  try {
+    return new URL(url).pathname === "/init" && url.startsWith(SHADCN_URL)
+  } catch {
+    return false
   }
 }