diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index ff729443b..27e22df50 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -56,7 +56,9 @@
 		"octokit": "^3.1.0",
 		"prettier": "^3.0.2",
 		"replace-in-file": "^7.0.1",
-		"title-case": "^3.0.3"
+		"title-case": "^3.0.3",
+		"zod": "^3.22.2",
+		"zod-validation-error": "^1.5.0"
 	},
 	"devDependencies": {
 		"@octokit/request-error": "^5.0.0",
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index c31c8c2dc..d0d870a48 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -44,6 +44,12 @@ dependencies:
   title-case:
     specifier: ^3.0.3
     version: 3.0.3
+  zod:
+    specifier: ^3.22.2
+    version: 3.22.2
+  zod-validation-error:
+    specifier: ^1.5.0
+    version: 1.5.0(zod@3.22.2)
 
 devDependencies:
   '@octokit/request-error':
@@ -7577,8 +7583,6 @@ packages:
       zod: ^3.18.0
     dependencies:
       zod: 3.22.2
-    dev: true
 
   /zod@3.22.2:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-wvWkphh5WQsJbVk1tbx1l1Ly4yg+XecD+Mq280uBGt9wa5BKSWf4Mhp6GmrkPixhMxmabYY7RbzlwVP32pbGCg==}
-    dev: true
diff --git a/src/bin/index.test.ts b/src/bin/index.test.ts
index 7b2717c6b..07467ccfa 100644
--- a/src/bin/index.test.ts
+++ b/src/bin/index.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import chalk from "chalk";
 import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import z from "zod";
 
 import { bin } from "./index.js";
 
@@ -119,6 +120,34 @@ describe("bin", () => {
 		expect(result).toEqual(code);
 	});
 
+	it("returns the cancel result containing zod error of the corresponding runner and output plus cancel logs when promptForMode returns a mode that cancels", async () => {
+		const mode = "initialize";
+		const args = ["--email", "abc123"];
+		const code = 2;
+
+		const validationResult = z
+			.object({ email: z.string().email() })
+			.safeParse({ email: "abc123" });
+
+		mockPromptForMode.mockResolvedValue(mode);
+		mockInitialize.mockResolvedValue({
+			code: 2,
+			options: {},
+			zodError: (validationResult as z.SafeParseError<{ email: string }>).error,
+		});
+
+		const result = await bin(args);
+
+		expect(mockInitialize).toHaveBeenCalledWith(args);
+		expect(mockLogLine).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+			chalk.red('Validation error: Invalid email at "email"'),
+		);
+		expect(mockCancel).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+			`Operation cancelled. Exiting - maybe another time? 👋`,
+		);
+		expect(result).toEqual(code);
+	});
+
 	it("returns the cancel result of the corresponding runner and cancel logs when promptForMode returns a mode that fails", async () => {
 		const mode = "create";
 		const args = ["--owner", "abc123"];
diff --git a/src/bin/index.ts b/src/bin/index.ts
index 5778b66ea..a0979d414 100644
--- a/src/bin/index.ts
+++ b/src/bin/index.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import * as prompts from "@clack/prompts";
 import chalk from "chalk";
 import { parseArgs } from "node:util";
+import { fromZodError } from "zod-validation-error";
 
 import { createRerunSuggestion } from "../create/createRerunSuggestion.js";
 import { create } from "../create/index.js";
@@ -50,7 +51,8 @@ export async function bin(args: string[]) {
 		return 1;
 	}
 
-	const { code, options } = await { create, initialize, migrate }[mode](args);
+	const runners = { create, initialize, migrate };
+	const { code, options, zodError } = await runners[mode](args);
 
 	prompts.log.info(
 		[
@@ -61,6 +63,13 @@ export async function bin(args: string[]) {
 
 	if (code) {
 		logLine();
+
+		if (zodError) {
+			const validationError = fromZodError(zodError);
+			logLine(chalk.red(validationError));
+			logLine();
+		}
+
 		prompts.cancel(
 			code === StatusCodes.Cancelled
 				? operationMessage("cancelled")
diff --git a/src/bin/mode.ts b/src/bin/mode.ts
index ec13dc111..b0a453c1d 100644
--- a/src/bin/mode.ts
+++ b/src/bin/mode.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import * as prompts from "@clack/prompts";
 import chalk from "chalk";
+import z from "zod";
 
 import { StatusCode } from "../shared/codes.js";
 import { filterPromptCancel } from "../shared/prompts.js";
@@ -8,6 +9,7 @@ import { Options } from "../shared/types.js";
 export interface ModeResult {
 	code: StatusCode;
 	options: Partial<Options>;
+	zodError?: z.ZodError<object>;
 }
 
 export type ModeRunner = (args: string[]) => Promise<ModeResult>;
diff --git a/src/create/index.ts b/src/create/index.ts
index 3e54443d7..b13a6d32d 100644
--- a/src/create/index.ts
+++ b/src/create/index.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ export async function create(args: string[]): Promise<ModeResult> {
 		return {
 			code: StatusCodes.Cancelled,
 			options: inputs.options,
+			zodError: inputs.zodError,
 		};
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/initialize/index.ts b/src/initialize/index.ts
index e228f6402..a03f5e596 100644
--- a/src/initialize/index.ts
+++ b/src/initialize/index.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ export const initialize: ModeRunner = async (args) => {
 		return {
 			code: StatusCodes.Cancelled,
 			options: inputs.options,
+			zodError: inputs.zodError,
 		};
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/migrate/index.ts b/src/migrate/index.ts
index d9742c93a..5e07444dc 100644
--- a/src/migrate/index.ts
+++ b/src/migrate/index.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ export const migrate: ModeRunner = async (args) => {
 		return {
 			code: StatusCodes.Cancelled,
 			options: inputs.options,
+			zodError: inputs.zodError,
 		};
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/shared/options/augmentOptionsWithExcludes.ts b/src/shared/options/augmentOptionsWithExcludes.ts
index 660eaa47d..810a820e4 100644
--- a/src/shared/options/augmentOptionsWithExcludes.ts
+++ b/src/shared/options/augmentOptionsWithExcludes.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
 import * as prompts from "@clack/prompts";
 
 import { filterPromptCancel } from "../prompts.js";
-import { Options } from "../types.js";
-
-type Base = "everything" | "minimum" | "prompt";
+import { InputBase, Options } from "../types.js";
 
 const exclusionDescriptions = {
 	excludeCompliance: {
@@ -85,7 +83,7 @@ export async function augmentOptionsWithExcludes(
 
 	const base =
 		options.base ??
-		filterPromptCancel<Base | symbol>(
+		filterPromptCancel<InputBase | symbol>(
 			await prompts.select({
 				message: `How much tooling would you like the template to set up for you?`,
 				options: [
diff --git a/src/shared/options/readOptions.test.ts b/src/shared/options/readOptions.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5f4b12b86
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/shared/options/readOptions.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import z from "zod";
+
+import { readOptions } from "./readOptions.js";
+
+const emptyOptions = {
+	author: undefined,
+	base: undefined,
+	createRepository: undefined,
+	description: undefined,
+	email: undefined,
+	excludeCompliance: undefined,
+	excludeContributors: undefined,
+	excludeLintJson: undefined,
+	excludeLintKnip: undefined,
+	excludeLintMd: undefined,
+	excludeLintPackageJson: undefined,
+	excludeLintPackages: undefined,
+	excludeLintPerfectionist: undefined,
+	excludeLintSpelling: undefined,
+	excludeLintYml: undefined,
+	excludeReleases: undefined,
+	excludeRenovate: undefined,
+	excludeTests: undefined,
+	funding: undefined,
+	owner: undefined,
+	repository: undefined,
+	skipGitHubApi: false,
+	skipInstall: false,
+	skipRemoval: false,
+	skipRestore: undefined,
+	skipUninstall: false,
+	title: undefined,
+};
+
+const mockOptions = {
+	base: "prompt",
+	github: "mock.git",
+	repository: "mock.repository",
+};
+
+vi.mock("./getPrefillOrPromptedOption.js", () => ({
+	getPrefillOrPromptedOption() {
+		return () => "mock";
+	},
+}));
+
+vi.mock("./ensureRepositoryExists.js", () => ({
+	ensureRepositoryExists() {
+		return {
+			github: mockOptions.github,
+			repository: mockOptions.repository,
+		};
+	},
+}));
+
+vi.mock("../../shared/cli/spinners.ts", () => ({
+	withSpinner() {
+		return () => ({});
+	},
+}));
+
+vi.mock("./augmentOptionsWithExcludes.js", () => ({
+	augmentOptionsWithExcludes() {
+		return { ...emptyOptions, ...mockOptions };
+	},
+}));
+
+describe("readOptions", () => {
+	it("cancels the function when --email is invalid", async () => {
+		const validationResult = z
+			.object({ email: z.string().email() })
+			.safeParse({ email: "wrongEmail" });
+
+		expect(await readOptions(["--email", "wrongEmail"])).toStrictEqual({
+			cancelled: true,
+			options: { ...emptyOptions, email: "wrongEmail" },
+			zodError: (validationResult as z.SafeParseError<{ email: string }>).error,
+		});
+	});
+
+	it("successfully runs the function when --base is valid", async () => {
+		expect(await readOptions(["--base", mockOptions.base])).toStrictEqual({
+			cancelled: false,
+			github: mockOptions.github,
+			options: {
+				...emptyOptions,
+				...mockOptions,
+			},
+		});
+	});
+});
diff --git a/src/shared/options/readOptions.ts b/src/shared/options/readOptions.ts
index c1651ad07..a8d4e07f7 100644
--- a/src/shared/options/readOptions.ts
+++ b/src/shared/options/readOptions.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 import { parseArgs } from "node:util";
 import { titleCase } from "title-case";
+import { z } from "zod";
 
 import { withSpinner } from "../cli/spinners.js";
-import { InputBase, Options } from "../types.js";
+import { Options } from "../types.js";
 import { allArgOptions } from "./args.js";
 import { augmentOptionsWithExcludes } from "./augmentOptionsWithExcludes.js";
 import { ensureRepositoryExists } from "./ensureRepositoryExists.js";
@@ -17,7 +18,8 @@ export interface GitHubAndOptions {
 
 export interface OptionsParseCancelled {
 	cancelled: true;
-	options: Partial<Options>;
+	options: object;
+	zodError?: z.ZodError<object>;
 }
 
 export interface OptionsParseSuccess extends GitHubAndOptions {
@@ -35,42 +37,50 @@ export async function readOptions(args: string[]): Promise<OptionsParseResult> {
 		tokens: true,
 	});
 
-	const options = {
-		author: values.author as string | undefined,
-		base: values.base as InputBase,
-		createRepository: values["create-repository"] as boolean | undefined,
-		description: values.description as string | undefined,
-		email: values.email as string | undefined,
-		excludeCompliance: values["exclude-compliance"] as boolean | undefined,
-		excludeContributors: values["exclude-contributors"] as boolean | undefined,
-		excludeLintJson: values["exclude-lint-json"] as boolean | undefined,
-		excludeLintKnip: values["exclude-lint-knip"] as boolean | undefined,
-		excludeLintMd: values["exclude-lint-md"] as boolean | undefined,
-		excludeLintPackageJson: values["exclude-lint-package-json"] as
-			| boolean
-			| undefined,
-		excludeLintPackages: values["exclude-lint-packages"] as boolean | undefined,
-		excludeLintPerfectionist: values["exclude-lint-perfectionist"] as
-			| boolean
-			| undefined,
-		excludeLintSpelling: values["exclude-lint-spelling"] as boolean | undefined,
-		excludeLintYml: values["exclude-lint-yml"] as boolean | undefined,
-		excludeReleases: values["exclude-releases"] as boolean | undefined,
-		excludeRenovate: values["exclude-renovate"] as boolean | undefined,
-		excludeTests: values["unit-tests"] as boolean | undefined,
-		funding: values.funding as string | undefined,
-		owner: values.owner as string | undefined,
-		repository: values.repository as string | undefined,
+	const mappedOptions = {
+		author: values.author,
+		base: values.base,
+		createRepository: values["create-repository"],
+		description: values.description,
+		email: values.email,
+		excludeCompliance: values["exclude-compliance"],
+		excludeContributors: values["exclude-contributors"],
+		excludeLintJson: values["exclude-lint-json"],
+		excludeLintKnip: values["exclude-lint-knip"],
+		excludeLintMd: values["exclude-lint-md"],
+		excludeLintPackageJson: values["exclude-lint-package-json"],
+		excludeLintPackages: values["exclude-lint-packages"],
+		excludeLintPerfectionist: values["exclude-lint-perfectionist"],
+		excludeLintSpelling: values["exclude-lint-spelling"],
+		excludeLintYml: values["exclude-lint-yml"],
+		excludeReleases: values["exclude-releases"],
+		excludeRenovate: values["exclude-renovate"],
+		excludeTests: values["unit-tests"],
+		funding: values.funding,
+		owner: values.owner,
+		repository: values.repository,
 		skipGitHubApi: !!values["skip-github-api"],
 		skipInstall: !!values["skip-install"],
 		skipRemoval: !!values["skip-removal"],
-		skipRestore: values["skip-restore"] as boolean | undefined,
+		skipRestore: values["skip-restore"],
 		skipUninstall: !!values["skip-uninstall"],
-		title: values.title as string | undefined,
+		title: values.title,
 	};
 
+	const optionsParseResult = optionsSchema.safeParse(mappedOptions);
+
+	if (!optionsParseResult.success) {
+		return {
+			cancelled: true,
+			options: mappedOptions,
+			zodError: optionsParseResult.error,
+		};
+	}
+
+	const options = optionsParseResult.data;
+
 	options.owner ??= await getPrefillOrPromptedOption(
-		values.owner as string | undefined,
+		options.owner,
 		"What organization or user will the repository be under?",
 		defaults.owner,
 	);
@@ -130,10 +140,13 @@ export async function readOptions(args: string[]): Promise<OptionsParseResult> {
 	const augmentedOptions = await augmentOptionsWithExcludes({
 		...options,
 		author: options.author ?? (await defaults.owner()),
+		description: options.description,
 		email: options.email ?? (await defaults.email()),
 		funding: options.funding ?? (await defaults.funding()),
+		owner: options.owner,
 		repository,
-	} as Options);
+		title: options.title,
+	});
 
 	if (!augmentedOptions) {
 		return {
@@ -148,3 +161,35 @@ export async function readOptions(args: string[]): Promise<OptionsParseResult> {
 		options: augmentedOptions,
 	};
 }
+
+const optionsSchema = z.object({
+	author: z.string().optional(),
+	base: z
+		.union([z.literal("everything"), z.literal("minimum"), z.literal("prompt")])
+		.optional(),
+	createRepository: z.boolean().optional(),
+	description: z.string().optional(),
+	email: z.string().email().optional(),
+	excludeCompliance: z.boolean().optional(),
+	excludeContributors: z.boolean().optional(),
+	excludeLintJson: z.boolean().optional(),
+	excludeLintKnip: z.boolean().optional(),
+	excludeLintMd: z.boolean().optional(),
+	excludeLintPackageJson: z.boolean().optional(),
+	excludeLintPackages: z.boolean().optional(),
+	excludeLintPerfectionist: z.boolean().optional(),
+	excludeLintSpelling: z.boolean().optional(),
+	excludeLintYml: z.boolean().optional(),
+	excludeReleases: z.boolean().optional(),
+	excludeRenovate: z.boolean().optional(),
+	excludeTests: z.boolean().optional(),
+	funding: z.string().optional(),
+	owner: z.string().optional(),
+	repository: z.string().optional(),
+	skipGitHubApi: z.boolean(),
+	skipInstall: z.boolean(),
+	skipRemoval: z.boolean(),
+	skipRestore: z.boolean().optional(),
+	skipUninstall: z.boolean(),
+	title: z.string().optional(),
+});
diff --git a/src/shared/types.ts b/src/shared/types.ts
index d7f05ed83..0d53c1d51 100644
--- a/src/shared/types.ts
+++ b/src/shared/types.ts
@@ -20,31 +20,31 @@ export interface PartialPackageData {
 export type InputBase = "everything" | "minimum" | "prompt";
 
 export interface Options {
-	author: string | undefined;
-	base: InputBase | undefined;
-	createRepository: boolean | undefined;
+	author?: string;
+	base?: InputBase;
+	createRepository?: boolean;
 	description: string;
-	email: string | undefined;
-	excludeCompliance: boolean | undefined;
-	excludeContributors: boolean | undefined;
-	excludeLintJson: boolean | undefined;
-	excludeLintKnip: boolean | undefined;
-	excludeLintMd: boolean | undefined;
-	excludeLintPackageJson: boolean | undefined;
-	excludeLintPackages: boolean | undefined;
-	excludeLintPerfectionist: boolean | undefined;
-	excludeLintSpelling: boolean | undefined;
-	excludeLintYml: boolean | undefined;
-	excludeReleases: boolean | undefined;
-	excludeRenovate: boolean | undefined;
-	excludeTests: boolean | undefined;
-	funding: string | undefined;
+	email?: string;
+	excludeCompliance?: boolean;
+	excludeContributors?: boolean;
+	excludeLintJson?: boolean;
+	excludeLintKnip?: boolean;
+	excludeLintMd?: boolean;
+	excludeLintPackageJson?: boolean;
+	excludeLintPackages?: boolean;
+	excludeLintPerfectionist?: boolean;
+	excludeLintSpelling?: boolean;
+	excludeLintYml?: boolean;
+	excludeReleases?: boolean;
+	excludeRenovate?: boolean;
+	excludeTests?: boolean;
+	funding?: string;
 	owner: string;
 	repository: string;
 	skipGitHubApi: boolean;
-	skipInstall: boolean | undefined;
-	skipRemoval: boolean | undefined;
-	skipRestore: boolean | undefined;
-	skipUninstall: boolean | undefined;
+	skipInstall?: boolean;
+	skipRemoval?: boolean;
+	skipRestore?: boolean;
+	skipUninstall?: boolean;
 	title: string;
 }
diff --git a/src/steps/uninstallPackages.ts b/src/steps/uninstallPackages.ts
index 50ad3f28e..c5b453d70 100644
--- a/src/steps/uninstallPackages.ts
+++ b/src/steps/uninstallPackages.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ export async function uninstallPackages() {
 			"prettier",
 			"replace-in-file",
 			"title-case",
+			"zod",
+			"zod-validation-error",
 		],
 		packageData.dependencies,
 	);